Toum (Lebanese Garlic Sauce)

October 8, 2018

Toum (Lebanese Garlic Sauce) - kvalifood.com

A Lebanese garlic emulsion – garlic pounded with salt, then slowly emulsified with oil, lemon juice, and ice water. No egg. The emulsion is held together entirely by garlic’s natural lecithin and mechanical action. The result is white, thick, fluffy, and overwhelmingly garlicky. The traditional companion to grilled chicken.

Makes ca. 350 ml / 1.5 cups

Ingredients

1 head garlic (~35 g), cloves separated, peeled, green germ removed
1 tsp fine salt
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (45 ml)
360 ml neutral oil (1 1/2 cups), sunflower, grapeseed, or canola
45-60 ml ice water (3-4 tbsp)

Directions

Place the garlic cloves and salt in a food processor. Pulse repeatedly until finely minced and pasty, scraping down the sides between pulses.
Add 1 tbsp lemon juice and pulse to combine.
With the processor running continuously on low speed, begin drizzling the oil in a very thin, steady stream. After about 60 ml (1/4 cup) oil, stop and add 1 tbsp ice water. Scrape down the sides.
Resume the slow oil drizzle. Continue alternating: after each 60 ml oil, add 1 tbsp ice water or lemon juice (distribute the remaining lemon juice across these additions). The mixture should progressively thicken and turn white.
Once all oil and liquid are incorporated (8-10 minutes total), the toum should be thick, fluffy, and white. Taste and adjust salt and lemon juice.
Transfer to a glass jar. Refrigerate. Let it rest at least 24 hours before serving – the raw garlic intensity mellows slightly.

Notes

Remove the green germ in the centre of older garlic cloves – it turns bitter when processed.
If the emulsion breaks, try adding an ice cube and processing 30 seconds. If that fails, start fresh with a few new garlic cloves and salt, then slowly drizzle the broken mixture into the new base.
Keeps refrigerated for up to 1 month. Can be frozen and used directly from frozen.
Serve with grilled chicken, shish taouk, shawarma, falafel, or roasted vegetables.