V I R U N D H U

JFI: Garlic - Toum - Lebanese Garlic Sauce/Mayonnaise

Posted by Mathy Kandasamy | Filed under Garlic, Dipping Sauce, Jihva For Ingredients(JFI), Archives

I am not a big fan of chain enterprises. Hence, most of my friends know my dislike for fast-food and the reasons behind and beyond the food issues. Most of us try to check out small eateries. And when a small pizzeria opened up in my neighbourhood a few years ago, my friends were one of the first people to try their spicy chicken wings. The very next day, quite a few people straggled into check out the new favourite of our friends. And there I tasted a new kind of mayonnaise that was served with the french fries.

Mayonnaise is usually served with the french fries in Northern Europe. But this is not the regular mayonnaise. The store was run by people, originally from the Middle-east. And there was an elusive taste in the mayonnaise which hooked me upuntil the last lick. Now.. I have to really know what this is. When it was my turn to pay the bill, I complimented mayonnaise and was told that it was their traditional recipe. I asked them where they were from and rushed home to google. And that’s how I came in touch with ‘Toum’ - the fabulous Lebanese Garlic Sauce. And if you every have to have mayonnaise, this is the one you should turn to. Especially if you are a garlic lover, like yours truly.

Mayonnaise, Sandwich spread, Shish Touk, Falafel, Tuna Salad, Salad dressing, Potato Salad, Mashed Potatoes. Well, you get the idea.

Recipe:

4 cloves garlic, smashed and then peeled
1/4 cup oil, (more or less). I used Olive Oil.
salt, as per taste
1 lemon, juiced

This recipe does not come with correct measurements. Cooks from the Indian sub-continent are quite familiar with these words. Most of our recipes does not have exact measurements. It’s not like baking a cake. Each cook has his/her own way with the spices. Remember that when gathering ingredients for this recipe. Be a bit more generous. But, dont be suprised if you don’t get to use up all ingredients.

Traditionally, a mortor and wooden pestle were used to make Toum. Read the wikibook recipe. But modern cooks use a Blender. You need a blender and not a food-processor.

First, blend garlic and salt to a nice paste.

Add olive oil in small amounts and blend for a few seconds. for every two time you add the olive oil, add half a teaspoon full of lemon juice and blend away. Mind you, the blender should run only for a few seconds each time.

As you keep alternating between the olive oil and lemon juice, a nice white cloud would start to form. Keep building on it to reach the amount you need.

Taste and add salt if you want.

If for some reason if the sauce did not come together don’t despair. Add a little lemon juice and blend for a few seconds. Or if you feel you should add olive oil. Go ahead. Use your intuition and be bold. The results are worth it.

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