AROMA THERAPY
Like all good things, the garlic in your supermarket doesn’t come easily, writes Shanthini Naidoo
Garlic is loathed and loved for the same reason — its pungent pong, or perfume, depending how you feel about it. The fascinating bulb is related to the lily, was initially used in medicine rather than cooking, and was believed to be an aphrodisiac.
Initially forbidden by monks in the East for its disturbing effect on the mind, and by the upper classes who were not fond of its odour, garlic was eventually embraced by Eastern societies and then spread around the world.
Garlic farmer Coen Groenewald said garlic should be crushed, to maximise both flavour and medicinal value. Allicin in garlic is believed to lower cholesterol, work as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, and help combat cardiovascular disease.
“To release the allicin you have to break down the cell walls in the clove and leave it to activate for a few minutes. So smash the cloves, let the allicin develop for five to 10 minutes, and then cook it. Once the allicin is formed, it is heat-resistant,” said Groenewald.
A gynaecologist with a passion for farming, Groenewald grows his garlic as part of Woolworths’ “Farming for the Future” project, near Riebeek Kasteel in the Western Cape and in the Cradle of Humankind in Gauteng.
Farming for the Future encourages producers to use minimal chemicals, maintain biodynamic organisms in the soil to keep it healthy, and irrigate from natural sources.
Groenewald said growing garlic is a long and labour-intensive process, which is why the bulb is expensive.
“You cannot grow garlic from seed, so you have to plant every single clove individually, by hand. Then you have to multiply your own seeds until you have enough to harvest. It took five years to grow enough for us to supply Woolworths. Each bulb takes six to nine months to grow, and you have to irrigate it and fertilise it in that time too,” he said.
Garlic is planted in winter, when low temperatures activate germination in the cloves, and harvested in spring.
Groenewald said different parts of the country produce garlic at different times of the year, which is why it is available all year round.
“The main varieties grown in South Africa are the giant garlic which is mild but easy to peel, and the Egyptian white, which is stronger but not so easy to peel, with smaller cloves. There is also a variety called elephant toe garlic, that grows in the Karoo, which is large and easy to peel.”
After garlic is harvested, the stalks are discarded and it is dried for two weeks, then the outer leaves are cleaned off.
Locally produced garlic is not irradiated (this is when it is treated with radiation to kill any bacteria, which also “deadens” the garlic) so it will start to sprout if it is kept for too long. Cool, dry conditions and good ventilation are best for storage.
And to best preserve the perfume, or pong, keep it out of the freezer.