The pungent bulb of a hardneck or softneck allium, split into cloves. Its character changes entirely with how it is cut and how hard it is cooked.
What it does in a recipe: A concentrated aromatic that provides sharp bite raw and deep savoury sweetness when cooked gently in fat. Pick the swap that covers that job — the ratios below are written so you can act on them without doing any arithmetic.
Drying removes the water and concentrates the flavour compounds roughly eightfold, which is why the working quantity is so small.
MethodAdd it to liquids or dry rubs rather than dropping it into hot oil, where it scorches almost instantly.
Trade-offDusty and slightly sweet rather than pungent, with none of the raw bite. It works in a spice blend and disappoints in anything where garlic is the point, such as aglio e olio.
How you cut garlic decides how strong it is. Crushing or mincing ruptures more cells and releases far more allicin than slicing does, so a smashed clove tastes markedly stronger than the same clove sliced.
Cooking around an allergy? Diet tags here describe the ingredient itself, not any particular brand. Processed products change formulation without notice and shared production lines are common, so read the label on everything you use. A severe allergy is a medical matter — confirm with the manufacturer or your clinician rather than relying on a substitution chart.