Korean Pickled Garlic Recipe

Learn how to make your own batch of Maneul Jangajji, the famous Korean fermented garlic that will satisfy all garlic lovers.

Korean pickled garlic is crispy, salty, sour, slightly sharp but highly addictive! Not only popular in Korea, it can actually lift any dish! Think fried rice, stir fried noodles and ramen soups, there are quite a few options.

We use a fair bit of garlic in our cooking at home but it doesn't always go down well with everyone. So, it comes handy having a jar of this pickled garlic condiment in our pantry, you can add as much as you like to any dish without it being too pungent!

Making Korean pickled garlic is easy. But one needs to have patience, as it takes up to 3 weeks for the pickled garlic to be ready. If you can't wait, we understand, you can always pick up a jar from your Asian grocer😉

Benefits of pickled garlic

There are many benefits of pickling garlic! Packed with amazing nutritional properties. No matter how you consume it – boiled, fermented or raw, studies have shown, that Pickled garlic is very healthy even when consumed in small quantities.

It has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-obesity, anti-diabetic and so many other properties that can strengthen the immune system and prevent illness. Plus it is also known to lower blood pressure!

What you need

You just need a few ingredients to make this pickled garlic:

Garlic  buy fresh garlic, it should feel firm and not hollow or dehydrated. Also be careful the garlic doesn't show signs of sprouting, which indicates that it is old.

Soy Sauce make sure the soy sauce you are using is not dark or overly salty.

Sugar to add sweetness to the pickled garlic.

Rice wine vinegar is the best choice for this recipe but it can be replaced with white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.

Steps to making pickled garlic

Pickled garlic doesn't take long to make, here are the steps:

Once you have measured all ingredients, bring a pot of water to boil and add the garlic cloves to it.

Boil for 2 minutes and immediately refresh the garlic in ice water. Drain, pat dry and keep aside.

Net, combine the soy sauce, sugar and rice wine vinegar in a small pot or pan.

Bring to a boil and reduce for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it cool down at room temperature.

Now we are ready to pickle the garlic! Transfer the blanched garlic to a clean jar.

Pour the soy liquid over the garlic and close the lid.

How long to ferment

For the fermentation process, keep the jar at room temperature and store in the fridge after 1 to 3 weeks, depending on how long you want to pickle the garlic for.

The garlic can already be eaten after it has pickled for 1 week but be mindful, it will still be sharp and have a raw garlic taste.

I find the pickled garlic has a perfect balance between sweet and salty after 3 weeks. The texture of the garlic is softer with a slight crunch, tastes so good that you can even snack on it!

Just make sure the jar is stored away from sunlight, a kitchen cabinet is always a good option!

FAQ's

What to eat pickled garlic with

Korean pickled garlic has many uses, here are some of the ways we use it at home:

• with a bowl of ramen soup and other condiments like crispy chili oil
• in a stir fried rice
• with barbecued meat or fish
• in salads, you can even use the liquid as a salad dressing

We hope you enjoy exploring the deep tangy flavor of this pickled Korean garlic (maneul jangajji) in your next dish!

Happy cooking!