Introduction: When it comes to garlic, you either love it or hate it—there's no in-between. This is much like people's attitude towards durian; those who love it say it's incredibly fragrant and sweet, while those who don't will shake their heads vigorously.
In fact, there are many ways to cook garlic, some of which can effectively mitigate its pungent flavor. For instance, roasted garlic, or garlic sliced paper-thin and fried to a golden crisp, can be as crunchy and savory as potato chips.
Garlic is native to West Asia. According to "Zheng Bu" by Wang Yi of the Han Dynasty, "Zhang Qian returned from his mission and first brought back garlic and alfalfa." This means garlic was brought back by Zhang Qian when he was on a diplomatic mission to the Western Regions. Since then, we have shared this condiment, medicine, and nutrient with people around the world.
Historical records show that garlic has been used in medicine for at least 4,000 years. In ancient Egyptian medical records from 1500 BC, garlic was mentioned at least 20 times for its effectiveness in treating headaches, heart disease, and insect bites. According to "Compendium of Materia Medica," "Garlic's pungent and strong flavor can penetrate the five organs, reach all orifices, expel cold and dampness. It wards off evil, reduces swelling and pain, and resolves phlegm and food stagnation." During World War I, the British government purchased large quantities of garlic, extracted its juice, mixed it with water, and applied it to bandages to treat wounds and infections. Modern medicine has confirmed that garlic can not only kill bacteria and treat colds but also has anti-aging and anti-cancer properties.
Garlic contains a substance called alpha-lipoic acid, which fights against the oxidative effects of free radicals. Another trace element, germanium, has excellent anti-cancer effects. Kyoto University in Japan conducted special animal experiments, dividing rats into two groups. One group's food was mixed with garlic, while the other group was fed normal feed. Afterwards, they were injected with carcinogens. Many of the rats on the normal feed developed cancer, but those on the garlic feed remained unharmed. As Charaka, the founder of Indian medicine, commented: "Except for its unpleasant odor, garlic's actual value is higher than gold's."
Indeed, eating raw garlic can cause an embarrassing bad breath that you might not notice yourself, but others will desperately avoid. This is because garlic contains a volatile substance called allyl sulfide, which can penetrate the surface of oral cell membranes, causing this not-so-pleasant flavor to linger in the mouth for a long time. It is said that if ignored, the lingering time can be as long as 16 hours. I wonder if this is why vampires are afraid of garlic; in European culture, garlic and crosses are used to ward off evil spirits.
So, how can you get rid of this terrible garlic odor? Some suggest drinking milk, chewing tea leaves, or having a strong cup of coffee, but this seems to only reduce the odor rather than eliminate it immediately. Mr. Chua Lam, a famous gourmet, has a good solution: force the people around you to eat it with you.