Aromatic Convenience

The only reason I’m writing about this is because it has suddenly come to my attention that the sole, solitary post in the “Kitchen Tips” category is starting to feel just a lil’ bit lonely. So, I’ve taken it upon myself to give it a companion.

No. I’m kidding. I just think perhaps some of you may find this useful - - simple and basic though it may be.

Garlic oil and shallot oil are great things to have on perpetual stand-by in the fridge. These are simply either finely chopped garlic or red shallots sautéed in some vegetable oil (I like canola, but any neutral-tasting oil will do - - or, it doesn’t even have to be that ; if you like extra virgin olive oil, feel free to use that too).

The garlic or shallots are sautéed for a few minutes, until they are soft and aromatic, without being browned. Basically, it is just infusing the oil with the flavors and fragrance of the garlic or shallots. The oil, together with the sautéed aromatics, can then be stored in small jars (with air-tight lids, unless you want the rest of the foods in the fridge reeking of garlic or onions) in the refrigerator for weeks, maybe even months (although I’ve never tried that myself ; the batches we make generally gets used up pretty quickly).

The oil, with or without the garlic and shallots, can be used for various things, and are a super-quick, supremely easy way to add instant flavor and aroma to food.

A lot of the time, the family likes to use the oils when cooking instant noodles (or cup noodles, as they are known in some parts of the world). We hardly ever use the packaged oil that comes with the instant noodles, preferring instead to just drop in a tiny amount of these home-prepared aromatic oils. Whether cooked dry or in soup, instant noodles are instantly given an fragrant fillip and are lifted up a notch with just a small teaspoonful of the sautéed garlic or shallots and a little bit of the fragrant oil.

The oils are great too for preparing kon lo (dry tossed) noodles. Or, if you like, use them as a base for a salad dressing. They can also be used to toss wok-wilted or blanched vegetables.

Garlic or shallot aromatic oil. It’s a good thing.

Copyright © 2004 Renee Kho. All Rights Reserved.
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