Must-have ingredient: Garlic powder

Garlic powder comes in handy whenever you don't have time or energy to peel and crush fresh garlic (Photo: Shutterstock)

Garlic is a pretty pungent plant that comes from the same family as onions. Historically, garlic was used for the treatment of different diseases due to its antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal and antimicrobial properties, among other benefits.

This vegetable not only adds flavour to food, it can also help reduce blood pressure, boost immunity, prevent diabetes, treat cardiovascular disease as well as act as a natural blood thinner according to a study on the Medicinal values of garlic.

All this is to say that everyone should incorporate more garlic into their diets. One form of consuming this powerful plant is in the form of garlic powder. Garlic powder is made from dehydrated garlic that has been ground. It comes in handy whenever you don't have time or energy to peel and crush fresh garlic.

Once they’ve completed cooled down, crush them with a mortar and pestle into a powder (Photo: Shutterstock)

Garlic powder is readily available in supermarkets but making your own batch ensures that it is fresh without any harmful preservatives or additives. Depending on the quantity of garlic you decide to use, start by peeling each clove then thinly slicing them.

Afterwards, arrange them on parchment paper then place them in a preheated oven at 65°C. Keep tossing them every 30 minutes and they should take 1 – 2 hours to fully dry. Once they’ve cooled down, crush them with a mortar and pestle into a powder or, better yet, grind them in a food processor.

Finally, store them in an air-tight container and enjoy your very own home-made garlic powder in all your favourite dishes.?

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