Then cut the halves in half again to have smaller chunks of garlic. Cut each garlic clove in half and remove the germ with a small knife. You can speed this up by soaking the cloves in boiling water for just 1 minute and draining them immediately. Simply follow the tip at the end of this recipe.Ģ00 ml sunflower, rapeseed or olive (not extra-virgin) oil If you’re emulsion breaks (the oil and garlic split), don’t worry. However, there is an easy hack to blend the toum in less than 60 seconds, which I am sharing in this recipe. These days, a food processor is used in most kitchens.

Traditionally, making Toum was a labor-intensive process, achieved by grinding garlic into a paste in a pestle & mortar and then slowly working in the oil and lemon juice. Across the Middle East, garlic has long held a significant culinary place, not only for its flavour but also for its many health benefits including boosting the immune system and aiding digestion. The word ‘toum’ itself translates to ‘garlic’ in Arabic, which is a testament to its key ingredient. Toum is thought to have originated in Lebanon, but is eaten throughout the Middle East. It’s a dream come true for the ultimate garlic lover and goes beautifully with grilled veg, crispy potatoes or just as a dip with charred flatbreads. The process is not too far from making mabyonnaise, but instead of an egg yolk, it’s the properties of the garlic that emulsify it into a stable dip. Toum is a Middle Eastern garlic sauce that is made by emulsifying garlic, lemon juice, oil & salt.

Middle eastern garlic paste