Homemade Garlic Powder

I tried to utilize the scorching heat of this summer to the maximum possible by making vadagams/crispies/kondattams/vadiyaalu, black raisins (yes, and I call them as black gold), drying out my pulses, jackfruit seed powder, and so many more.  It is unbearably hot in this part of the earth, but it is the ideal heat for drying up spices, powders, pulses and more.  So, just trying to utilize the energy from the natural resources easily available.

Garlic Powder is normally made by drying it up in a convection oven at 150 degrees or a dehydrator for about an hour or more until it is dry.  Saving on the electricity bills, I have tried using the abundant sun's heat energy available in plenty and at free cost.

Garlic Powder is used as a seasoning or a condiment.  As a condiment, it is used for flavoring mayonnaise, ketchups, salad dressings, gravies, chutneys etc.  As a seasoning, along with other spice powders, it peps up the flavor of potato chips/wafers, crunchies, vegetable stir fries, pasta, etc.  It can also be added to bread to make the classic garlic bread, garlic toast and more.

It surely is not a great substitute for fresh garlic as it has a different taste than fresh garlic.  However, it comes handy as a substitute for fresh garlic @ 1/4 tsp garlic powder equals 1 clove of fresh garlic.


Ingredients:

Garlic cloves


Method:

Peel skin of the garlic cloves.  Cut them into thin slices.

Spread the sliced garlic cloves on a tray and sun dry them for about 5 to 6 days until they are crisp and break with a snap.  If not, keep under the sun's heat for 1 or 2 more days.

Grind the dried garlic slices in a mixer jar to a fine powder.

Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.  If storing for a longer time, store it in the refrigerator.

I dried around 250-300 gm of garlic cloves which yielded about 50 gm of the garlic powder.

Just waiting to spice up my crunchies (chips, popcorn, fries, etc. etc.) and snacks with this homemade sun-dried garlic powder.

If making in an conventional oven, place the garlic slices in a 100 degree oven and heat until they are dry and crumble when crushed.

Do give a try of this easy peasy recipe and do utilize the nature's heat energy to the fullest.

Whenever you fall short of fresh garlic cloves, the powdered form can be a good substitute though the taste may be slightly different. Use 1/8 teaspoon of powdered garlic as a substitute for 3 to 4 fresh garlic cloves.

Garlic powder aids in lowering cholesterol levels, boosts immune system, keeps blood pressure under control, contains antioxidants.