Garlic Information

GARLIC INFORMATION

What is Garlic

(species Allium sativum), bulbous perennial plant of the lily family (Liliaceae). The plant’s bulbs are used as a flavouring. A classic ingredient in many national cuisines, garlic has a powerful, onionlike aroma and pungent taste; its wide use in the United States originated among European immigrant groups. In ancient and medieval times garlic was prized for its medicinal properties and was carried as a charm against vampires and other evils. Garlic bulbs are used either sliced or ground to flavour tomato sauces, stews, and salad dressings in southern European and Asian cuisines.

Garlic is native to central Asia but also grows wild in Italy and southern France. The membranous skin of the garlic bulb encloses up to 20 edible bulblets called cloves. Flower stalks sometimes arise bearing tiny bulblets and blossoms without seeds. Garlic is propagated by planting cloves or top bulblets. Garlic is grown as an annual crop by methods similar to those used in growing onions. Garlic contains about 0.1 percent essential oil, the principal components of which are diallyl disulfide, diallyl trisulfide, and allyl propyl disulfide.
 

Garlic Content

 

Garlic Recipes

Steamed Scallop Shell With Garlic

Major Ingredients: Seafood Cooking Method: Steam Source：naomi Views: 9480 Difficulty: Easy Ingredients and Amount:

1. scallop shell 10 pcs
2. bean vermicelli 1 brunch
3. garlic 6 cloves
4. red chili 1 pcs

Seasoning:

1. salt some
2. pepper some

Cooking Steps:

1. Rinse and pat dry scallop shell, seasons.
2. Soak bean vermicelli, chop garlic finely, cut red chili into rings.
3. Put soaked bean vermicelli onto a plate then put on scallop shell, garlic and red chili, steam for about 5 minutes and done.

Story of Pretty Garlic

            Once upon a time in a little village of Shandong, China, there was a very pretty girl named Shu Lan. She lived in a little house with her mother and her father and attended school down the road from her house. ShuLan was a very happy girl and loved her family and her school friends.

            One day, Shu Lan started to feel ill. Her mother gave her a bowl of rice, but Shu Lan couldn’t eat it. Her mother touched her forehead, and it was very warm.

Her mother said: “Oh my dear, you are too warm. I think you have a fever. You should lay down for awhile.”

“Okay Mother, I shall lie/lay down for awhile and hope to feel better,” said Shu Lan. Her mother and father kissed her on the forehead and said “Sleep well my dear. May you feel better when the sun rises.”

            But when the sun rose and started to warm the soil of ShuLan’s village, she still felt ill. Her brow was still hot and she still could not eat her rice or even drink her tea.

            “I shall go find the doctor and see if he can help our poor pretty daughter,” said Shu Lan’s father.

            “Yes, perhaps he will be able to fix whatever is wrong with our sick daughter,” said Shu Lan’s mother.

            Shu Lan’s mother went into the girl’s bedroom and sat with her while her father went to find the doctor. “Your father has gone to fetch the doctor, ShuLan. You will be better soon.”

            But when the doctor arrived, he couldn’t help ShuLan either. “I am sorry Shu Lan, I do not know why you feel so ill. If I did, I could help you. Take this medicine, it may help, and please try to eat something.”

            Shu Lan’s parents gave her the medicine, but it didn’t help, and she still could not eat or drink. Shu Lan’s parents were beginning to lose hope. If the doctor couldn’t help their poor, sick girl, who could?

“What will we do? Our poor girl must eat or she will die!” exclaimed her father.. Just as Shu Lan’s mother was about to burst into tears, there was a knock at the door.

“Who could this be at this late hour? Who would come to our door so late, knowing we have a very sick girl?” asked Shu Lan’s father.

“I can’t think of anyone! Let me go and answer the door, and pray it is hope for our dear sick daughter!,” said Shu Lan’s mother as she headed for the door.

“If the doctor couldn’t help our pretty daughter, I hardly think some stranger at our door will be any help!,” answered her father.

Standing in the doorway was a young boy. He introduced himself to Shu Lan’s mother and father:

“My name is Li Tian. I live nearby in the village of Jinxiang. I have heard that your pretty daughter is ill and unable to eat even her rice. Please take a clove of my garlic and mix it into the girl’s rice. I promise you she will be able to eat it, and once she is able to eat again she will become healthy and strong.”

            Li Tian handed Shu Lan’s mother a bulb of garlic and left before she could ask him anymore questions. Shu Lan’s mother took a clove from the garlic, chopped it up, then mixed it into a small bowl of rice for her daughter. To her mother’s surprise, Shu Lan began to eat the rice.

“This rice is delicious mother! What did you do to make it different?”

“Why, I added some garlic to it my pretty girl. I am so happy to see you eat!”

            For the next few days, Shu Lan’s mother continued to add garlic to her rice, and Shu Lan got better and stronger and was soon able to go back to school.

            From then on, the garlic that Li Tian grew was known as Pretty Garlic and everyone knew how it had helped Shu Lan, the pretty girl who had been so ill.