Black Garlic Sauce {Paleo, Vegan)
/The unique taste of black garlic is attributed to its fermentation process where it turns a dark hue and develops a rich, sweet, umami taste. Black garlic sauce capitalizes on the unique flavor and is great on meat or tossed in a chicken salad.
I've just experienced a great new taste. Black garlic. Have you had it? Have you seen it? Do you know what it is?
It's actually aged garlic that goes through a three-week high-heat fermentation process with another week for cooling and aging. This process gives it its dark color and unique taste. It tastes nothing like regular garlic. It's got that perfect umami taste - a little sweet with a little savory. It reminds me of a deep dark, aged Balsamic vinegar with hints of Molasses. It's soft with a little chew. I could happily eat these raw.
The Taoist believed that black garlic could give immortality. Not sure about that, but you do get twice the antioxidants as raw garlic and it contains cancer preventing compounds. Nothing is added to it while it's being made, and it comes from right here in California.
So what to do with it besides eat it like candy? I really didn't want to complicate the flavor since it's pretty unique on its own so I picked a few complementary Asian ingredients to make a black garlic sauce.
You could pour this black garlic sauce on veggie or soba noodles, fish, meat, or even a tossed green chicken salad.
Black Garlic Sauce
{Paleo, Whole30, Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free}
Makes Approximately 1 Cup
Ingredients
10 black garlic cloves, peeled
1 teaspoon lemongrass, tender white bulb only, crushed and minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon flax seed oil
1/4 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
Instructions
Place garlic, lemongrass and ginger in a small blender or food processor. Add the milk and lemon juice, then slowly pour in the oils until combined. Adjust the consistency by adding water.
Serve over soba noodles, chicken, salad. Refrigerate for up to a week.
