Toum (Lebanese Garlic Paste)

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Southern Californians may know this as the cracky side of garlic paste you get at Zankou. You may know it the white stuff on the plate next to the hummus at your favorite Lebanese restaurant. Either way, you need this in your life. It goes with *everything*. Toum can be used as a dip for warm pita bread, serve it as a sauce with chicken, or toss it with your favorite fresh grilled or sauteed veggies.

You’ll need a mortar and pestle to make this. I’m sure a immersion blender or a food processor will work, but you’ll probably have to at least quadruple the recipe so that the blades will have enough stuff to blend. I used a mortar and pestle so I can’t say how the food processor version would turn out, but the same principles apply – puree the garlic with the salt and slowly add in the oil.

Your breath will be kickin’ like Van Damme, but it’ll be worth it.

You’ll need a mortar and pestle, vegetable oil, salt, lemon and garlic.

Remove the peel from the garlic by smashing it with the side of a heavy knife. The peel slips right off.

Vegetable oil, salt, lemon juice and garlic, ready for crushin’.

Add a generous pinch of course salt and the crushed garlic to the mortar.

Crush until the garlic becomes a paste.

Add in the oil 2 teaspoons at a time, incorporating the full 2 teaspoons before adding additional oil. Continue to add oil until garlic won’t absorb anymore – you may not use the full 1/4 cup.

You can see the change in consistency with each 2 tsp addition of oil – the first 2 tsps to 6 tsps.

… and again from 8 teaspoons to the full 1/4 cup (12 teaspoons).

The best way I can describe the texture is kind of like… vaseline? I know that’s gross, sorry, but it’s thick and viscous. It’s kind of amazing that garlic, oil, salt and a little elbow grease can transform!

Add in the lemon juice to taste – start with 1/2 the lemon juice and add more to taste.

yes.

I like to spread a thin layer inside some pita bread…

…and stuff it with falafel and veggies, and top it with yogurt tahini sauce. boop!

Toum (Lebanese Garlic Paste)

from allrecipes
makes 1/4 cup (~4 servings) in 15 minutes

Ingredients

4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
sea salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil or olive oil
1 lemon, juiced

Directions

Add the garlic to the mortar with a generous pinch of sea salt. Crush until a paste forms, about 2 minutes.

Add in the oil 2 teaspoons at a time, making sure the  2 teaspoons has been fully incorporated before adding additional oil. Continue to add oil until garlic won’t absorb anymore – you may not use the full 1/4 cup. It took about 10 minutes to incorporate the full 1/4 cup.

Stir in 1/2 of the lemon juice and taste. Add additional lemon juice if desired.

Toum (Lebanese Garlic Paste)

by FMITK

Cook Time:15 minutes

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