Any cook worth their salt knows that garlic is the seasoning of the gods. Versatile, easy to use, and utterly delicious, you’d be hard-pressed to find a dish that wouldn’t benefit from a dash of garlic. It’s got a whole load of other uses, too: It has medicinal properties, for example, and can combat illnesses such as the common cold. It can also be used as an anti-fatigue agent, turned into an adhesive to fix cracks in the glass, and, of course, hung up on your door to keep vampires away. The sky’s the limit.
Microwaves became all the rage when they first hit the stores in the late ’60s and ’70s, relieving home cooks from hours of oven duty (via Wired). Today, however, the home appliance often gets a bad reputation! If there are microwave hacks that save us hours in the kitchen, you better believe we’re taking full advantage — especially when it involves one of our favorite alliums: garlic.
Most people would assume that it needs to stay on the stovetop and out of the microwave as anything fried, but luckily for fried food lovers, frying garlic can be done within minutes right in the microwave. Deep-frying is often seen as an all-day event, and with good reason (via SheKnows). Between the prep and clean up, the cooking method can often seem like more trouble than it’s worth, but with just some sliced garlic, oil, a bowl, and (of course) your trusty microwave, your can have crispy fried garlic in under ten minutes.
This microwave-friendly method for frying garlic is super easy. Once the garlic is chopped or sliced, toss it in a microwave-safe bowl with a neutral oil, such as olive or vegetable oil. Then set the microwave for five minutes, stir, and then cook for another minute or so until the garlic pieces are perfectly golden and almost crisp and look ready to devour. Once the bowl has cooled down slightly, carefully strain the oil into another container. Then set your fried garlic bits out on top of a paper towel to absorb any excess oil, sprinkle with a bit of sea salt, and your garnish is ready to be the headliner of your meal. Don’t overlook hanging onto the garlic-infused oil to use for other flavorful dishes — an added bonus!
Whether you’re looking to add a little garlicky crunch to your fried rice (as suggested by Bon Appétit) or a snack to eat by the handful (no judgment), this quick trick will give you delicious fried garlic while eliminating most of the mess and saving you time.