The market · Alliums
Garlic
Cultivated for more than five thousand years, from Central Asia outward.
pungent · sweet when cooked slow
What to do with it
MinangkabauRendangBeef simmered in coconut milk and spice paste for hours, until the liquid is gone and the meat fries in what's left.2 versions here
MinangkabauSambal ijoGreen chillies, shallots and green tomato, steamed, pounded coarse and fried in oil.1 version here
MinangkabauDendeng baladoBeef sliced thin, dried or boiled, fried until crisp, then tossed through a coarse, oily sambal of red chilli and shallot.No one here has made it yet
MinangkabauSoto PadangA clear, spiced beef broth poured over crisp-fried beef, rice vermicelli and potato fritters, with crackers and rice alongside.No one here has made it yetMinangkabauItiak lado mudoDuck simmered with spice until tender, then cooked down in a great heap of pounded green chilli and shallot until coated and oily.No one here has made it yetMinangkabauSala lauakCrisp little balls of rice flour dough, yellow with turmeric and full of small salted fish and chilli, deep-fried.No one here has made it yetJavaneseGudegYoung jackfruit simmered for hours in coconut milk and palm sugar until brown, sweet and tender, served with rice, chicken, egg and a hot stew of cow's skin.No one here has made it yetJavaneseRawonA beef soup turned black by keluak nuts, earthy and deep, served with rice, short bean sprouts, a salted egg and sambal.No one here has made it yetJavaneseNasi gorengYesterday's rice fried with shallot, garlic, chilli and shrimp paste, darkened with kecap manis and topped with a fried egg.No one here has made it yetJavaneseSoto ayamA clear chicken broth, yellow with turmeric, poured over shredded chicken, glass noodles, bean sprouts and egg, with lime, sambal and fried shallots.No one here has made it yetJavaneseSate MaduraSmall skewers of chicken, glazed in kecap manis and grilled over charcoal, under a peanut sauce with lontong and raw shallot.No one here has made it yetJavaneseGado-gadoBlanched vegetables, potato, tofu, tempeh, egg and lontong under a thick peanut sauce, with prawn crackers on top.No one here has made it yetJavaneseTempeh bacemTempeh (and often tofu) simmered in coconut water, palm sugar and spice until the liquid is gone, then fried until dark and sticky.No one here has made it yetJavanesePecelBlanched greens and sprouts under a hot peanut sauce scented with kencur and lime leaf, with rice and a crisp peanut cracker.No one here has made it yetJavaneseLumpia SemarangSpring rolls filled with bamboo shoot, egg and prawn, fried or left soft, with a thick sweet garlic sauce and whole spring onion.No one here has made it yetSundaneseKaredokRaw vegetables — long beans, cucumber, sprouts, cabbage, small aubergines and lemon basil — in a peanut sauce sharp with kencur.No one here has made it yetSundanesePepes ikanFish rubbed with a yellow spice paste, wrapped in banana leaf with lemon basil, tomato and chilli, then steamed and grilled.No one here has made it yetSundaneseBatagorFried fish dumplings and fish-stuffed tofu, cut up under a peanut sauce with kecap manis, chilli and lime.No one here has made it yetSundaneseSiomay BandungSteamed fish dumplings with cabbage, potato, bitter gourd, tofu and egg, all steamed together and drowned in peanut sauce.No one here has made it yetSundaneseEmpal gentongBeef and offal stewed in a spiced coconut broth in a clay pot over a wood fire, with rice or lontong and dried chilli to sprinkle.No one here has made it yetSundaneseSoto mie BogorYellow noodles, beef and cabbage in a clear spiced beef broth, with tomato, potato and slices of fried spring roll.No one here has made it yetBalineseBabi gulingA whole young pig stuffed with base genep and greens, rubbed with turmeric and spit-roasted over wood until the skin shatters.No one here has made it yetBalineseBebek betutuA whole duck or chicken stuffed and smothered with base genep, wrapped and cooked slowly in embers until it falls apart.No one here has made it yetBalineseLawarFinely chopped meat, vegetables and grated coconut, mixed with base genep and lime — made fresh for ceremonies and eaten the same day.No one here has made it yetBalineseSate lilitMinced fish or pork mixed with grated coconut, base genep and lime leaf, pressed around lemongrass or flat bamboo and grilled.No one here has made it yetBalineseBase genepThe complete Balinese spice paste: shallot, garlic, four rhizomes, chilli, candlenut, shrimp paste and warm spices, ground together.No one here has made it yetBalineseIkan bakar JimbaranWhole fish split, brushed with a spice paste and kecap manis, and grilled over coconut husks, with sambal and rice.No one here has made it yetMinahasanAyam rica-ricaChicken cooked in a paste of fresh red and bird's eye chilli, shallot, garlic and ginger, finished with lemongrass, lime leaf and lemon basil.No one here has made it yetMinahasanCakalang fufuSkipjack tuna, split and clamped in bamboo frames, then smoked until firm and dark — eaten fried, shredded into sambal or cooked in rica.No one here has made it yetMinahasanIkan wokuFish cooked in a yellow paste of turmeric, chilli and candlenut with a great handful of fresh leaves — lemon basil, lemongrass, pandan, lime leaf.No one here has made it yetMinahasanBrenebonA thick soup of red kidney beans with pork, nutmeg and clove, a Minahasan descendant of Dutch brown-bean soup.No one here has made it yet
ThaiSom tamShredded green papaya pounded with chilli, garlic, lime, fish sauce and palm sugar, with tomatoes, long beans and peanuts.No one here has made it yet
ThaiPad kaphraoMinced pork or chicken stir-fried hard with garlic, bird's eye chilli and holy basil, over rice with a crisp fried egg.No one here has made it yet
ThaiKhao man gaiPoached chicken on rice cooked in the chicken's fat and stock, with a sharp sauce of fermented soybean, ginger, garlic and chilli.No one here has made it yet
ThaiPad thaiThin rice noodles stir-fried with tamarind, fish sauce and palm sugar, egg, tofu and prawns, with beansprouts, chives and crushed peanuts.No one here has made it yetThaiKhao soiEgg noodles in a coconut curry broth with chicken or beef, under a tangle of crisp fried noodles, with pickled mustard greens, shallot and lime on the side.No one here has made it yetThaiKhua klingMinced meat dry-fried in a fierce southern curry paste until every crumb is coated, with shredded lime leaf — no coconut and no sauce.No one here has made it yetThaiMassaman curryA rich, mild coconut curry fragrant with cardamom, cinnamon and clove, with beef or chicken, potatoes and peanuts, sweet and sour with palm sugar and tamarind.No one here has made it yet
VietnameseBún chảGrilled pork patties and pork belly in a warm, sweet-sour fish sauce dressing, with cold rice noodles and herbs.No one here has made it yet
VietnameseThịt khoPork belly and hard-boiled eggs braised in fish sauce, dark caramel and coconut water until glossy and brown.No one here has made it yet
VietnameseNước chấmFish sauce thinned with water, sharpened with lime, sweetened with sugar, with garlic and chilli floating on top.No one here has made it yetVietnameseCao lầuFirm, yellowish noodles with slices of soy-braised pork, crisp squares of fried noodle dough and herbs, in just a spoonful of rich broth.No one here has made it yetVietnameseCơm tấmBroken rice with a grilled lemongrass pork chop, shredded pork skin, a slice of steamed egg and pork loaf, pickles and nước chấm.No one here has made it yetMalaysianNasi lemakRice cooked in coconut milk and pandan, with sambal, crisp anchovies, peanuts, cucumber and egg.No one here has made it yetMalaysianCurry laksaNoodles in a rich, spiced coconut curry broth, with tofu puffs, prawns, chicken, bean sprouts and a spoonful of sambal.No one here has made it yetMalaysianChar kway teowFlat rice noodles fried hard in lard over fierce heat with prawns, cockles, Chinese sausage, egg, bean sprouts and chives.No one here has made it yetMalaysianSataySkewers of turmeric-marinated meat grilled over charcoal, with a sweet, spicy peanut sauce, rice cakes, cucumber and onion.No one here has made it yetMalaysianAyam pongtehA Nyonya braise of chicken and potato with fermented soybean paste, shallots, garlic and gula melaka — salty, sweet and dark.No one here has made it yetFilipinoAdoboChicken or pork braised in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, bay and black pepper until the sauce is dark and glossy.No one here has made it yetFilipinoKare-kareOxtail and tripe stewed in a thick peanut sauce, coloured with annatto, eaten with sharp shrimp paste.No one here has made it yetFilipinoPancit cantonThick egg noodles stir-fried with pork, chicken, prawns and vegetables in soy and stock, with calamansi to squeeze over.No one here has made it yetFilipinoLumpiaSpring rolls — most often thin, tight cigars of seasoned pork, fried crisp and dipped in sweet chilli sauce.No one here has made it yetFilipinoBicol expressPork simmered in coconut milk with shrimp paste and a great many chillies, until the sauce is thick and oily.No one here has made it yetFilipinoChicken inasalChicken marinated in vinegar, calamansi, lemongrass and ginger, grilled over charcoal and basted with annatto oil.No one here has made it yetCantoneseChar siuStrips of pork shoulder in a sweet soy marinade, roasted hot and glazed until the edges char.No one here has made it yetCantonesePork chop bunA marinated pork chop, beaten thin and fried, pressed into a crusty split roll — Macau's favourite snack.No one here has made it yetTeochewTeochew braised gooseA whole goose simmered in a dark, spiced master stock of soy, galangal and rock sugar, sliced thin and served with garlic vinegar.No one here has made it yetTeochewFried carrot cakeSteamed white radish and rice-flour cake, cut into cubes and fried with egg, garlic and preserved radish — 'white', or 'black' with sweet soy.No one here has made it yetHunanSteamed fish head with chopped chilliesA large fish head split open, heaped with red salted chillies and steamed, then finished with spring onion and sizzling oil.No one here has made it yetHunanChangsha stinky tofuBlack squares of fermented tofu, deep-fried until puffed and crisp, then pierced and filled with a sauce of chilli, garlic, soy and sesame oil.No one here has made it yetHunanHunan stir-fried beefThin slices of beef stir-fried in moments with a heap of fresh chillies, garlic, ginger and coriander stems — tender, fragrant and very hot.No one here has made it yetHunanHunan smoked porkPork belly salted, then smoked for weeks over a wood fire until dark and firm, sliced thin and stir-fried with garlic shoots or leeks and chilli.No one here has made it yetHunanChangsha spicy crayfishWhole crayfish stir-fried and braised in a red, oily sauce of chilli, garlic, beer and spices, eaten with the fingers at night-market tables in summer.No one here has made it yetShandongSweet and sour Yellow River carpA whole carp, scored deep, fried crisp with its head and tail curled up, and doused at the table in a hot, glossy sweet-and-sour sauce.No one here has made it yetShandongNine-turn intestinesShort lengths of pork intestine, cleaned, blanched, fried and then braised down in sugar, vinegar and soy until glossy — sweet, sour, salty, peppery and faintly bitter at once.No one here has made it yetShandongQingdao spicy stir-fried clamsSmall clams thrown into a hot wok with dried chillies, garlic and ginger, splashed with soy and wine, and eaten the moment they open — with a glass of beer.No one here has made it yetFujianLychee porkCross-scored pieces of pork, fried until they curl up like lychees, in a glossy red sweet-and-sour sauce with water chestnuts.No one here has made it yetFujianPopiahA soft, paper-thin wheat crêpe rolled round a filling of braised vegetables, egg, prawn and crushed peanuts.No one here has made it yetAnhuiStinky mandarin fishA whole mandarin fish, lightly salted and left for days until it smells, then fried and braised with pork, bamboo shoots and chilli.No one here has made it yetAnhuiHairy tofuBlocks of tofu left to grow a coat of fine white mould, then pan-fried golden and eaten with chilli sauce or braised in soy.No one here has made it yetBeijingZhajiangmianThick wheat noodles under a spoonful of dark, salty sauce — bean paste fried slowly with diced pork — and a heap of raw, crunchy vegetables to mix through.No one here has made it yetBeijingJiaoziCrescent dumplings of thin wheat dough around pork and chives or cabbage, boiled and dipped in black vinegar with garlic.No one here has made it yetYunnanErkuaiCakes of steamed, pounded rice, sliced and stir-fried with pork and greens, grilled on the street with sauces, or cut into noodles for soup.No one here has made it yetYunnanDai lemongrass grilled fishA river fish split open, stuffed with chopped herbs, garlic and chilli, bound up with lemongrass stalks and grilled over charcoal.No one here has made it yetUyghur and XinjiangLaghmanThick hand-pulled noodles under a stir-fry of lamb, peppers, tomato, celery and onion — the everyday lunch of the region.No one here has made it yetUyghur and XinjiangBig-plate chickenChicken and potatoes braised with chilli, Sichuan pepper and green peppers, served on one huge platter, with wide flat noodles tossed through the sauce at the end.No one here has made it yetSichuanMapo tofuSoft tofu in a fiery, glossy sauce of doubanjiang, fermented black beans, minced beef and ground Sichuan pepper.No one here has made it yet
SichuanKung pao chickenDiced chicken stir-fried with dried chillies, Sichuan pepper and peanuts in a glossy sweet-sour sauce.No one here has made it yetSichuanFish-fragrant aubergineAubergine fried soft, then braised in a sweet, sour, hot sauce of pickled chilli, garlic, ginger and spring onion — with no fish at all.No one here has made it yetSichuanDry-fried green beansGreen beans fried until blistered and wrinkled, then tossed with a little minced pork, preserved mustard greens, chilli and Sichuan pepper.No one here has made it yetSichuanChilli oil wontonsSilky pork wontons, folded small, in a pool of red chilli oil, soy, black vinegar and garlic.No one here has made it yetSichuanChongqing hotpotA pot of beef-tallow broth thick with chilli, Sichuan pepper and chilli bean paste, kept boiling at the table for cooking raw meats, offal and vegetables.No one here has made it yetSichuanChongqing chicken with chilliesSmall pieces of chicken fried crisp, then tossed in the wok with a heap of dried chillies and Sichuan pepper — you hunt for the chicken.No one here has made it yetSichuanWater-boiled beefTender slices of beef poached in a chilli-bean broth over a bed of greens, then heaped with dried chilli and Sichuan pepper and doused in smoking oil.No one here has made it yetJapaneseTonkotsu ramenThin, straight noodles in a cloudy, creamy pork-bone broth, with slices of chāshū, red pickled ginger and spring onion.No one here has made it yetJapaneseMiso ramenThick, wavy noodles in a rich broth seasoned with miso, under stir-fried pork, bean sprouts and cabbage — and in Hokkaido, often sweetcorn and a pat of butter.No one here has made it yet
KoreanKimchi jjigaeA stew of old, sour kimchi simmered with pork belly and tofu until the broth turns deep red and savoury.No one here has made it yet
KoreanBulgogiThin slices of beef marinated in soy, sugar, pear, garlic and sesame, then grilled or seared fast.No one here has made it yet
KoreanJapchaeGlass noodles of sweet potato starch, tossed with beef, mushrooms and vegetables — each cooked separately — in soy, sugar and sesame oil.No one here has made it yetKoreanKongnamul gukbapRice in a clear, hot soup of soybean sprouts and anchovy stock, with an egg — Jeonju's morning bowl, and its cure for the night before.No one here has made it yetKoreanDwaeji gukbapRice in a milky pork-bone broth with slices of boiled pork, seasoned at the table with salted shrimp, garlic chives and a red chilli paste.No one here has made it yetKoreanGogi guksuThick wheat noodles in a rich, cloudy pork-bone broth, under thick slices of boiled pork — Jeju's noodle soup, once made for feasts.No one here has made it yetKoreanDakgalbiChicken in a gochujang marinade, stir-fried at the table on a wide iron pan with cabbage, sweet potato, rice cakes and perilla — and rice fried in what's left.No one here has made it yet
PunjabiButter chickenTandoori chicken simmered in a mild, silky sauce of tomato, butter and cream, scented with dried fenugreek.No one here has made it yet
PunjabiDal makhaniWhole black lentils and kidney beans, simmered for hours with butter, tomato and cream until thick and velvety.No one here has made it yet
PunjabiChole bhatureChickpeas cooked dark, sharp and spicy, with bhature — big, puffed breads of soured dough, deep-fried.No one here has made it yet
PunjabiTandoori chickenChicken on the bone, marinated in yoghurt, lemon and spice, then roasted fast in the fierce heat of a clay tandoor.No one here has made it yetPunjabiAmritsari fishWhite fish in a gram-flour batter sharp with ajwain, chilli and lemon, deep-fried crisp and eaten hot with chaat masala and chutney.No one here has made it yetPunjabiCharghaA whole chicken slashed and marinated in yoghurt, lemon and spice, steamed until tender, then deep-fried until the outside is crisp.No one here has made it yetBengaliKosha mangshoGoat meat fried slowly with onion, ginger, garlic and yoghurt until the masala turns dark and clings — Bengal's Sunday mutton, eaten with luchi or rice.No one here has made it yetBengaliKolkata kathi rollA flaky paratha fried with a beaten egg on one side, then rolled around skewered kebab, raw onion, green chilli and lime — Kolkata's street food.No one here has made it yetGujaratiUndhiyuA winter medley of flat beans, purple yam, sweet potato, baby aubergine and plantain, slow-cooked with fenugreek dumplings and a green masala of coconut and coriander.No one here has made it yetGujaratiDabeliA soft bread roll split and stuffed with a sweet, hot potato filling, tamarind-date chutney, masala peanuts, pomegranate and sev, then toasted in butter.No one here has made it yetGujaratiSev tameta nu shaakTomatoes cooked down with garlic, chilli and a little jaggery into a sweet-sour gravy, with crisp gram-flour sev scattered over just before eating.No one here has made it yetGoanVindalooPork marinated in a paste of dried red chillies, garlic and spice ground in vinegar, then cooked slowly until sharp, rich and deep red.No one here has made it yetGoanXacutiChicken or mutton in a dark, complex sauce of grated coconut and a long list of whole spices, all roasted until brown and ground together.No one here has made it yetGoanCafrealChicken marinated in a bright green paste of coriander, green chilli, garlic, ginger, spice and lime or vinegar, then pan-fried until charred at the edges.No one here has made it yetGoanPrawn balchãoPrawns cooked in a fiery, sweet-sour red paste of chilli, garlic and vinegar until thick — half curry, half pickle, and keeps for weeks.No one here has made it yetGoanSorpotelPork and pork liver boiled, diced small and cooked in a hot, sharp sauce of chilli, spice and vinegar — a Christmas and wedding dish, made days ahead.No one here has made it yetGoanGoan fish curryFish simmered in a coconut sauce ground with red chillies and coriander seed, soured with kokum or tamarind — eaten with red rice every day in Goa.No one here has made it yetGoanGoan sausageCubes of fatty pork cured with chilli, garlic, spice and vinegar, stuffed into casings, dried in the sun and smoked — then fried with onion and eaten in bread.No one here has made it yetRajasthaniLaal maasMutton cooked in ghee and yoghurt with a great many dried red chillies, garlic and whole spice — fiery, deep red and often smoky.No one here has made it yetRajasthaniMohan maasMutton cooked slowly in milk and cream with cardamom and ground cashews — the mild, rich dish of Rajasthan's royal kitchens.No one here has made it yetSouth IndianRasamA thin, peppery, sour broth of tamarind and tomato, with cumin and garlic — poured over rice, or drunk from a cup.No one here has made it yetSouth IndianMeen curryFish cooked in a clay pot in a fiery red sauce soured with kudampuli, finished with coconut oil and curry leaves.No one here has made it yetSouth IndianChettinad chickenChicken in a dark, fiery masala of freshly roasted spices — pepper, dried chilli, fennel, star anise — with coconut and curry leaves.No one here has made it yetSouth IndianHyderabadi biryaniMarinated goat or chicken layered raw under half-cooked basmati, with saffron, fried onion and mint, then sealed and cooked slowly on dum.No one here has made it yetSouth IndianKori rottiA chicken curry of coconut milk and roasted red chilli, poured over crisp, paper-thin wafers of dried rice that soften as you eat.No one here has made it yetSri LankanKottu rotiFlatbread chopped on a hot griddle with two metal blades, tossed with vegetables, egg, meat and curry gravy.No one here has made it yetSri LankanLampraisRice cooked in stock, with a mixed-meat curry, frikkadels, prawn blachan, aubergine pickle and egg, wrapped in banana leaf and baked.No one here has made it yetSri LankanParippuRed lentils cooked soft in coconut milk with turmeric and green chilli, then tempered with onion, mustard seed, curry leaves and rampe.No one here has made it yetSri LankanFish ambul thiyalCubes of tuna cooked almost dry in a dark paste of goraka and black pepper, until each piece is coated.No one here has made it yetSri LankanJaffna crab curryLagoon crabs cooked in the shell in a fiery sauce of roasted Jaffna curry powder, tamarind and coconut milk, with moringa leaves.No one here has made it yet
LevantineHummusChickpeas cooked very soft and blended with tahini, lemon, garlic and salt until silky.No one here has made it yet
LevantineFalafelBalls of soaked, raw chickpeas ground with herbs, onion and spice and deep-fried — crisp outside, green and soft within.No one here has made it yetLevantineFattehLayers of toasted flatbread, warm chickpeas and garlicky yoghurt with tahini, finished with pine nuts sizzled in butter or ghee.No one here has made it yetPersianAsh reshtehA thick soup of beans, chickpeas, lentils, herbs and flat noodles, topped with kashk, fried onions and dried mint.No one here has made it yetPersianMirza ghasemiAubergines charred whole over a flame, mashed with garlic, tomato and egg — smoky, rich and eaten with bread.No one here has made it yetTurkishMantıTiny meat-filled dumplings, boiled and served under garlicky yoghurt, with butter sizzled with red pepper poured over.No one here has made it yetTurkishİmam bayıldıWhole aubergines, split and fried, filled with onion, garlic and tomato and baked in olive oil until they collapse — eaten cool.No one here has made it yetTurkishÇılbırPoached eggs on garlicky yoghurt, with butter foamed with red pepper poured over the top.No one here has made it yetGeorgianSatsiviPoached poultry in a thick sauce of ground walnuts, garlic and spices, served cold.No one here has made it yetGeorgianPkhaliCooked vegetables — spinach, beetroot, leek or cabbage — chopped fine with walnut paste and herbs, shaped into balls.No one here has made it yet
GeorgianTkemaliA sour plum sauce with garlic, dill, coriander and chilli — Georgia's ketchup, for meat and potatoes.No one here has made it yet
GeorgianLobioRed beans cooked soft, partly mashed, with coriander, garlic, spices and sometimes walnuts, often in a clay pot.No one here has made it yetGeorgianKharchoBeef simmered in a thick sauce of ground walnuts, garlic and spice, soured with sour plum — a stew in the west of Georgia, a soup elsewhere.No one here has made it yetGeorgianKubdariA round, closed bread from Svaneti filled with hand-chopped beef or pork, onion and Svan salt, baked until the juices soak into the crust.No one here has made it yet
MoroccanChicken with preserved lemon and olivesChicken braised with onion, ginger, saffron and turmeric until the sauce is thick, finished with preserved lemon and green olives.No one here has made it yet
MoroccanZaaloukAubergine and tomato cooked down with garlic, cumin and paprika, mashed, and eaten warm or cold with bread.No one here has made it yetMoroccanTanjiaBeef or lamb packed into a tall clay urn with preserved lemon, garlic, cumin, saffron and smen, and cooked for hours in the embers.No one here has made it yetMoroccanFish tagine with charmoulaFish marinated in charmoula, laid over potatoes, tomatoes and peppers with preserved lemon and olives, and cooked slowly in the tagine.No one here has made it yetMoroccanBissaraDried broad beans cooked with garlic and puréed to a thick soup, finished with olive oil, cumin and paprika.No one here has made it yet
EthiopianDoro watChicken stewed slowly in onions, berbere and niter kibbeh until dark and thick, with whole hard-boiled eggs.No one here has made it yetEthiopianMisir watRed lentils cooked in a berbere-spiced onion base until soft and thick — the everyday fasting stew.No one here has made it yetEthiopianTibsCubes of beef or lamb seared hot with onion, green chilli and spiced butter — quick, where wat is slow.No one here has made it yetEthiopianZigniBeef stewed long with a mound of onions, berbere and spiced butter, often with tomato — red, thick and hot.No one here has made it yetCape MalayTomato bredieLamb or mutton braised slowly with tomatoes, onions and potato, warm with cinnamon, cardamom and a little chilli.No one here has made it yetCape MalaySosatiesSkewers of lamb marinated overnight in a sweet-sour curry sauce with onions and dried apricots, grilled over coals.No one here has made it yetCape MalayDenningvleisLamb braised slowly with onions, bay leaves and allspice, soured with tamarind and sweetened a little.No one here has made it yetCape MalayCape Malay chicken curryA mild, fragrant curry of chicken and potatoes with tomato and whole spices — sweeter and gentler than Durban's.No one here has made it yetCape MalaySmoorsnoekFlaked salted or smoked snoek braised with onion, potato, tomato and chilli, eaten with rice and apricot jam.No one here has made it yet
BasqueBacalao al pil-pilSalt cod poached in olive oil with garlic and chilli, then swirled until the oil and the cod's gelatine become a thick sauce.1 version hereBasquePiperradaPeppers, onion, tomato and garlic stewed slowly in olive oil until soft and sweet — eaten alone, with eggs, or beside meat and fish.No one here has made it yet
BasqueTortilla de bacalaoA soft omelette of salt cod, onion and green pepper — the first course at the Basque cider houses.No one here has made it yetBasqueBacalao a la vizcaínaSalt cod in a deep red sauce of dried choricero peppers and onions cooked slowly until sweet.No one here has made it yetCatalanPa amb tomàquetSlices of country bread, toasted or not, rubbed with a cut ripe tomato and sometimes garlic, then soaked with olive oil and salted.No one here has made it yetCatalanEscalivadaAubergines, red peppers and onions roasted whole in the embers until blackened and soft, then peeled, torn into strips and dressed with olive oil.No one here has made it yetCatalanSuquet de peixA fishermen's stew of white fish and potatoes in a saffron-tinted broth, thickened at the end with a picada of garlic, almonds and fried bread.No one here has made it yetCatalanCalçots amb romescoLong, sweet onion shoots charred black over a fierce fire, peeled with the fingers and dipped in romesco, a sauce of dried peppers, roasted tomato, garlic and nuts.No one here has made it yetCatalanBotifarra amb mongetesA fresh pork sausage, grilled or fried, with white beans warmed through in the same pan with garlic and parsley.No one here has made it yetValencianFideuàShort, thin noodles cooked like a paella in a wide pan, in a strong fish stock with prawns and squid, until they curl up and crisp on top.No one here has made it yetValencianArròs negreRice cooked in a wide pan with cuttlefish or squid and their ink, which turns it glossy black — served with allioli.No one here has made it yetValencianAll i pebreEels from the Albufera lagoon stewed with potatoes in a sauce of garlic, pimentón and chilli — the name means garlic and pepper.No one here has made it yetValencianArròs al fornRice baked in a wide earthenware dish with chickpeas, pork, blood sausage, potato and tomato, with a whole head of garlic in the middle.No one here has made it yetAndalusianGazpachoA cold soup of raw tomato, pepper, cucumber, garlic, bread, olive oil and vinegar, blended smooth and drunk in the heat.No one here has made it yetAndalusianSalmorejoTomatoes blended with bread, garlic and olive oil into a thick, cold cream, topped with chopped egg and jamón.No one here has made it yetAndalusianRabo de toroOxtail browned and stewed slowly in red wine with onions, peppers and carrots until the meat falls from the bone and the sauce turns thick and glossy.No one here has made it yetAndalusianAjoblancoA cold white soup of almonds, bread, garlic, olive oil and vinegar, blended smooth and served with green grapes or melon.No one here has made it yetAndalusianEspinacas con garbanzosSpinach and chickpeas cooked with a pounded paste of fried bread, garlic, cumin and pimentón, sharpened with a splash of vinegar.No one here has made it yetCastilian and MadridCochinillo asadoA milk-fed piglet, a few weeks old, roasted whole in a wood oven until the skin is glassy and crackling and the meat soft enough to cut with a plate.No one here has made it yetCastilian and MadridSopa castellanaGarlic soup: stale bread and sliced garlic fried in olive oil with pimentón, simmered in broth, with an egg poached in each bowl.No one here has made it yetCastilian and MadridCallos a la madrileñaBeef tripe stewed slowly with chorizo, morcilla and jamón in a thick, sticky, pimentón-red sauce.No one here has made it yetCastilian and MadridPisto manchegoOnions, peppers, courgettes and tomatoes cooked down slowly in olive oil into a soft, sweet stew, often with a fried egg on top.No one here has made it yetAsturianFabada asturianaLarge, buttery white beans stewed slowly with smoked chorizo, morcilla and pork belly until the broth thickens.No one here has made it yetAsturianFabes con almejasLarge white Asturian beans cooked slowly and finished with clams, which open in the pot and season it with the sea.No one here has made it yetAsturianPixín fritoMonkfish — pixín in Asturian — cut into chunks, marinated with garlic and lemon, then floured, dipped in egg and fried.No one here has made it yet
ProvençalBouillabaisseMarseille's fish stew: bony rockfish boiled hard with olive oil, tomato, fennel and saffron, served with rouille and bread.No one here has made it yet
ProvençalRatatouilleAubergine, courgette, peppers, onion and tomato stewed slowly in olive oil with garlic and herbs.No one here has made it yet
ProvençalSoupe au pistouA summer soup of beans, green beans, courgette and pasta, with basil, garlic and olive oil pounded and stirred in at the end.No one here has made it yetProvençalAïoliGarlic pounded with salt and beaten with olive oil into a thick, pungent emulsion.No one here has made it yetProvençalDaube provençaleBeef marinated in red wine with garlic, herbs and orange peel, then braised for hours in a pot-bellied daubière until it gives to a spoon.No one here has made it yetProvençalGardiane de taureauBull's meat from the Camargue stewed slowly in red wine with onions, garlic and black olives, served with the delta's own rice.No one here has made it yetLyonnaisGratin dauphinoisThinly sliced potatoes baked slowly in milk and cream with garlic, until soft underneath and golden on top.No one here has made it yetLyonnaisCervelle de canutFresh white cheese beaten with shallots, garlic, chives and parsley, a little oil and vinegar, eaten on bread.No one here has made it yetAlsatianBaeckeoffePork, lamb and beef marinated overnight in white wine, layered with potatoes and onions in an earthenware dish sealed with dough, and baked for hours.No one here has made it yetBurgundianBœuf bourguignonBeef braised slowly in red Burgundy with bacon, small onions and mushrooms until it falls apart.No one here has made it yetBurgundianCoq au vinA cockerel or chicken braised in red wine with bacon, mushrooms and small onions, the sauce thickened with its own juices.No one here has made it yetBurgundianŒufs en meuretteEggs poached in red wine and served in its sauce, reduced with shallots and bacon, on fried bread.No one here has made it yetBurgundianEscargots de BourgogneSnails cooked, put back in their shells and stuffed with garlic and parsley butter, then baked until it sizzles.No one here has made it yetBurgundianJambon persilléChunks of ham set in a white wine jelly thick with parsley, sliced cold into a green and pink mosaic.No one here has made it yetGascon and the South-WestCassouletWhite beans baked slowly in a deep clay dish with duck confit, pork and garlicky sausage, under a crust that's broken and formed again.No one here has made it yetGascon and the South-WestConfit de canardDuck legs salted overnight, cooked slowly in their own fat until tender, then fried crisp to serve.No one here has made it yetGascon and the South-WestGarbureA thick farmhouse soup of cabbage, beans and root vegetables, cooked with ham and confit until a spoon nearly stands in it.No one here has made it yetGascon and the South-WestMagret de canardThe thick breast of a duck raised for foie gras, scored, cooked skin-down until the fat renders, and served pink like a steak.No one here has made it yetBretonHomard à l'armoricaineLobster cut up live, seared in its shell, flamed with cognac and simmered in white wine, tomato and shallots with a touch of cayenne.No one here has made it yetItalianPesto alla genoveseBasil pounded with garlic, pine nuts, salt, parmesan and pecorino, loosened with olive oil and tossed raw through trofie or trenette.No one here has made it yetItalianPasta alla NormaPasta in a sauce of tomato, garlic and basil with fried aubergine, under a snow of grated ricotta salata.No one here has made it yetGreekMoussakaLayers of fried aubergine and minced lamb or beef in a cinnamon-scented tomato sauce, under a thick crust of béchamel, baked.No one here has made it yetGreekGemistaTomatoes and peppers hollowed out, filled with rice, herbs and their own pulp, and baked in olive oil with potatoes.No one here has made it yetGreekPastitsioLong tubes of pasta layered with a spiced meat sauce under thick béchamel, baked and cut in tall squares.No one here has made it yetGreekTzatzikiThick strained yoghurt with grated cucumber, garlic, olive oil and dill or mint — cold, sharp and made for grilled meat.No one here has made it yetPolishŻurekA sour soup built on fermented rye flour, with white sausage, smoked meat, garlic, marjoram and a halved hard-boiled egg.No one here has made it yet
MexicanCochinita pibilPork marinated in achiote and bitter orange, wrapped in banana leaves and slow-cooked until it falls apart.No one here has made it yet
MexicanTacos al pastorPork in a red chilli adobo, stacked on a vertical spit, shaved onto small corn tortillas with pineapple, onion and coriander.No one here has made it yet
MexicanSalsa verdeTomatillos, green chilli, onion and coriander, boiled or charred and blended — sharp, green, on everything.No one here has made it yetMexicanMole negroOaxaca's black mole: chilhuacle and other dried chillies toasted almost to char, ground with nuts, seeds, fruit, spice and chocolate into a near-black sauce.No one here has made it yetMexicanBirriaGoat or beef marinated in a paste of dried chillies, vinegar and spice, cooked slowly until it falls apart, and served in its own rich broth.No one here has made it yetMexicanPescado a la veracruzanaRed snapper baked or simmered in a sauce of tomato, onion and garlic with green olives, capers and pickled chillies.No one here has made it yetCreole and CajunGumboA thick, dark stew-soup built on a roux and the holy trinity, with meat or seafood, served over rice.No one here has made it yetCreole and CajunJambalayaRice cooked in one pot with the holy trinity, smoked sausage and chicken or seafood, until it has soaked up everything.No one here has made it yetCreole and CajunCrawfish étoufféeCrawfish tails smothered in butter, the holy trinity and a little stock, into a thick, rich sauce over rice.No one here has made it yetCreole and CajunRed beans and riceRed kidney beans cooked for hours with a ham bone, smoked sausage and the trinity until creamy, over rice.No one here has made it yetCreole and CajunMuffulettaA round Sicilian sesame loaf, split and stacked with cured meats, provolone and a chopped olive salad soaking into the bread.No one here has made it yetJamaicanJerk chickenChicken steeped in a hot, fragrant paste of scotch bonnet, allspice, spring onion and thyme, then smoked slowly over pimento wood.No one here has made it yetJamaicanCurry goatGoat on the bone, seasoned overnight and stewed slowly with Jamaican curry powder, allspice, thyme and scotch bonnet.No one here has made it yetJamaicanRice and peasRice cooked with kidney beans in coconut milk, with thyme, spring onion, allspice and a whole scotch bonnet.No one here has made it yetJamaicanJamaican beef pattyA half-moon of flaky, turmeric-yellow pastry filled with spiced, peppery minced beef.No one here has made it yetJamaicanJamaican pepper shrimpFreshwater shrimp boiled in their shells with scotch bonnet, garlic and allspice until red and fiercely hot.No one here has made it yetJamaicanRundownSalted or fresh mackerel simmered in coconut milk cooked down until it thickens, with tomato, onion, thyme and scotch bonnet.No one here has made it yet
PeruvianCevicheRaw white fish cut into chunks and cured briefly in lime juice with red onion, chilli and salt.No one here has made it yet
PeruvianLomo saltadoStrips of beef stir-fried in a wok with onion, tomato, soy and vinegar, served with chips and rice.No one here has made it yet
PeruvianAjí de gallinaShredded hen in a thick yellow sauce of ají amarillo, bread soaked in milk, nuts and cheese, over rice.No one here has made it yetPeruvianRocoto rellenoRocoto chillies, blanched to tame them, stuffed with spiced beef, peanuts and raisins, topped with cheese and baked.No one here has made it yetPeruvianArroz con patoDuck browned and braised with beer, ají and a purée of coriander, then rice cooked in the green broth until it's full of flavour.No one here has made it yetPeruvianJuaneRice seasoned with turmeric and cumin, packed round chicken, egg and olive in bijao leaves, tied and boiled.No one here has made it yetBrazilianFeijoadaBlack beans stewed slowly with salted, smoked and fresh pork and dried beef, served with rice, greens, farofa and orange.No one here has made it yetBrazilianMoqueca baianaFish, or prawns, stewed in coconut milk and dendê palm oil with tomato, peppers, onion, lime and coriander.No one here has made it yetBrazilianCoxinhaA teardrop-shaped croquette of shredded chicken wrapped in a dough made with its own stock, breaded and fried.No one here has made it yetBrazilianPato no tucupiRoast duck simmered in tucupi, the sour yellow broth of fermented cassava juice, with jambu leaves that make the mouth tingle.No one here has made it yetBrazilianFarofaCassava flour toasted in butter or bacon fat with onion and garlic until golden and sandy, for scattering over beans and meat.No one here has made it yetKinds
- Softneck
- The supermarket kind; keeps longest.
- Hardneck
- Fewer, bigger cloves, stronger flavour.
- Wet / green garlic
- Fresh, mild, in late spring.
- Black garlic
- Aged for weeks until sweet and molasses-like.
Goes with
Cooked with, here
How much, here
3.5–6.5% of the dish by weight — a place to start.
What cooks here have learned
“Doubled the garlic”Knowing it
- Where to buy
- Anywhere. Heavy heads with tight skins.
- Worth knowing
- Sliced garlic in oil goes from gold to bitter in seconds. Lift it out while it's still pale.
Kitchens that keep it in
West Sumatra, IndonesiaMinangkabauThe cooking of the Minang highlands: chilli, coconut and time, and the source of the Padang restaurants found across Indonesia and Malaysia.10 classics · 3 cooked hereCentral and East Java, and Madura, IndonesiaJavaneseThe cooking of Indonesia's most populous island: sweet with palm sugar and kecap manis in the centre, saltier and hotter towards the east, with tempeh and tofu at nearly every meal.9 classicsWest Java, IndonesiaSundaneseThe cooking of West Java's highlands: raw vegetables and fresh sambal, pond fish wrapped in banana leaf, rice packed hot in a leaf, and Bandung's street snacks.8 classicsBali, IndonesiaBalineseThe cooking of Hindu Bali: pork roasted whole, duck slow-cooked in spice, lawar chopped for the temple feast, and base genep, the paste behind nearly everything.9 classicsMinahasa, North Sulawesi, IndonesiaMinahasanThe cooking of Sulawesi's northern tip: fierce with fresh chilli, green with herbs, full of skipjack tuna from the Celebes Sea, and with a few Dutch cakes kept from long ago.9 classicsThailandThaiA cooking of balance, tasted and adjusted at every step: sour, sweet, salty and hot in the same mouthful, sharpened with herbs.11 classicsVietnamVietnameseClear broths, fish sauce and a plate of fresh herbs: a cooking of contrasts — hot and cool, soft and crisp — finished by each person at the table.11 classicsMalaysia — the Malay Peninsula and northern Borneo, between the Strait of Malacca and the South China SeaMalaysianMalay, Chinese, Indian and Peranakan cooking side by side: sambal, coconut and rice, wok-fried noodles and flaky roti, eaten at hawker stalls and mamak shops at all hours.10 classicsThe Philippines — more than seven thousand islands between the South China Sea and the PacificFilipinoSour, salty and a little sweet — vinegar and calamansi, fish sauce and shrimp paste, rice at every meal and pork cooked every way.10 classicsGuangdong and Hong Kong, southern ChinaCantoneseThe cooking of Guangzhou and Hong Kong: very fresh things cooked briefly and seasoned lightly, so they taste of themselves.11 classicsChaoshan, the far east of Guangdong, southern ChinaTeochewThe cooking of Chaozhou and Shantou on the coast of eastern Guangdong: seafood, clear broths and slow master-stock braises, each dish with its own little dip.7 classicsHunan province, south-central ChinaHunanHot and sour and smoky: fresh and salted chillies rather than Sichuan's numbing pepper, with smoked meats from the hearth and a fierce, quick wok.7 classicsShandong province, on China's east coastShandongThe oldest of China's great regional kitchens and the root of northern banquet cooking: clear and milky stocks, fierce quick frying, Yellow Sea seafood, and scallions by the armful.7 classicsFujian province, south-eastern ChinaFujianThe cooking of China's south-eastern coast: clear soups, seafood, the sweet-sour red of fermented rice lees, and the street food the Hokkien carried across Asia.9 classicsBeijing and the northern plain, northern ChinaBeijingA wheat-and-mutton kitchen of the dry north, salty and savoury with fermented bean pastes, where palace banquets and street snacks grew up side by side.8 classicsSichuan province, south-western ChinaSichuanBold and layered: the numbing tingle of Sichuan pepper with the heat of chilli — málà — alongside some two dozen named flavour combinations.11 classicsKoreaKoreanA cooking of ferments — kimchi and the jang pastes — with rice, soup and a table of small side dishes at every meal.11 classicsPunjab — northern India and eastern PakistanPunjabiWheat, dairy and the tandoor: rich, generous cooking from the land of five rivers, and the source of much of what the world calls Indian food.10 classicsGoa — the Konkan coast of western IndiaGoanCoconut, chilli and vinegar: a coastal kitchen where Konkani fish curry and rice meet pork, bread and sweets from four and a half centuries of Portuguese rule.9 classicsLebanon, Syria, Palestine and JordanLevantineThe cooking of the eastern Mediterranean: olive oil, lemon, tahini and herbs, eaten as a spread of small dishes to share.11 classicsGeorgia — the South Caucasus, between the Black Sea and the CaspianGeorgianWalnuts ground into sauces, fistfuls of fresh herbs, cheese breads and sour plums — cooking made for long tables and long toasts.10 classicsEthiopia and EritreaEthiopianStews called wat, deep with berbere and spiced butter, eaten with the hands from a shared platter of sour, spongy injera.9 classicsThe Western Cape — Cape Town and the country around it, at the south-western tip of AfricaCape MalaySweet, sour and gently hot: curries and bredies, fruit in the pot, pickled fish at Easter and koesisters on a Sunday morning — the cooking of the Cape's Muslim community.8 classicsEuskadi — northern Spain and south-western FranceBasqueA coastal and mountain cooking built on salt cod, peppers and olive oil — and on sauces made from nothing but the fish and the pan.9 classics · 1 cooked hereCatalonia — north-eastern Spain, from the Pyrenees to the Ebro deltaCatalanA Mediterranean kitchen of sauces — a slow sofregit to begin, a pounded picada to finish — with bread rubbed with tomato, vegetables charred in the embers, and sea and mountain on the same plate.7 classicsThe Valencian Community — Spain's eastern coast, from Castellón to AlicanteValencianRice country: rice cooked dry in wide pans, soupy in pots and baked in the oven, beside the oranges, almonds, tiger nuts and turrón of Spain's orchard coast.7 classicsAndalucía — the south of Spain, from the Atlantic at Cádiz to the Mediterranean at AlmeríaAndalusianThe hot south: cold soups pounded from bread, oil and garlic, fish fried crisp in olive oil, sherry from Jerez, and a little something to eat with every drink.7 classicsCastile and Madrid — the high central plateau of Spain, the mesetaCastilian and MadridThe kitchen of the high, dry meseta: suckling pig and lamb roasted in wood-fired ovens, chickpeas and garlic soups for hard winters, and a capital that eats out, late and standing up.10 classicsProvence — south-eastern France, from the Rhône to NiceProvençalOlive oil, garlic and the herbs of the dry hills, with tomatoes, fish from the Mediterranean and sauces pounded in a mortar.10 classicsBurgundy — east-central France, from Chablis down to the MâconnaisBurgundianRed wine in the pot as much as the glass, with Charolais beef, bacon, mushrooms, snails, mustard and the cheeses and hams of the hills.7 classicsItalyItalianNot one cuisine but twenty regional ones, united by a respect for a few very good ingredients and the argument about how each dish is 'really' made.11 classicsGreece — the mainland and islands of the Aegean and Ionian SeasGreekOlive oil poured freely, lemon and oregano, wild greens and sheep's cheese, and fish grilled by the sea — food for sharing, slowly, outdoors.10 classicsMexicoMexicanMaize, chillies and fire: a cooking thousands of years deep, built on nixtamalised corn, a whole spectrum of dried chillies, and salsas at every meal.11 classicsSouth Louisiana — the Mississippi delta, the bayous and the prairies along the Gulf of MexicoCreole and CajunA dark roux, the holy trinity of onion, celery and green pepper, rice under nearly everything and shellfish from the bayou — city Creole and country Cajun, cooking side by side.10 classicsJamaica — the Greater Antilles, in the western Caribbean south of CubaJamaicanScotch bonnet heat and allspice warmth, meat smoked slowly over pimento wood, and coconut, thyme and spring onion in nearly everything.10 classicsPeru — the Pacific coast, the Andes and the AmazonPeruvianAndean potatoes, maize and chillies, met by Spanish, African, Chinese and Japanese cooks — and a coast that eats its fish raw in lime.10 classicsBrazil — the eastern half of South America, from the Amazon to the southern pampasBrazilianBlack beans and rice every day, cassava in a dozen forms, fish stewed in palm oil and coconut, and meat roasted over coals on long skewers.10 classics
