Whole Garlic Jangajji: The Perfect Recipe for Mild and Flavorful Pickled Garlic
Make Delicious Whole Garlic Jangajji Without the Pungency – An Easy and Essential Fall Side Dish Recipe
As the season turns, it’s the perfect time to prepare Jangajji, a pickled side dish that lasts all year! I’ve been making it annually and still have 3-year-old Jangajji that tastes as fresh as ever. This year, I’m making a smaller batch. While everyone has their own unique method for making garlic Jangajji, mine is incredibly simple and convenient. First, to mellow out the sharp, pungent flavor of the garlic, I soak it in a mixture of vinegar, water, and soju. After about a week of soaking, I pour in a hot, seasoned soy sauce mixture and let it sit at room temperature to mature. The longer it ages, the deeper the flavor becomes. Today’s demonstration covers the initial step of soaking the garlic in vinegar water. For the detailed instructions on boiling and pouring the soy sauce mixture, please click the link below. #WholeGarlicJangajji #GarlicPickleRecipe #MildGarlic #FallSideDish #Homemade
Essential Ingredients
- 20 fresh whole garlic cloves
- 3 cups vinegar (using a standard paper cup)
- 2 cups water (using a standard paper cup)
- 1 cup soju (for removing pungency, using a standard paper cup)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Trim the root end of each whole garlic clove cleanly. Also, trim any excessively long stems for a neater appearance. Carefully peel off the outer layers of the skin, just enough so that the inner cloves are slightly visible. The 20 garlic cloves prepared here are for making the Jangajji, while any extra will be set aside for further drying.
Step 2
Rinse the 20 neatly prepared whole garlic cloves lightly under running water and drain them as thoroughly as possible. Don’t worry if a little water remains, as the vinegar and water mixture will be added next. Place the prepared whole garlic cloves snugly into a clean glass jar or heat-resistant container.
Step 3
Now it’s time to pour the soaking liquid that will mellow the garlic’s pungency. Add 3 cups of fresh vinegar, 2 cups of clean water, and 1 cup of soju (which helps remove harshness and acts as a preservative) to the container with the garlic, ensuring the garlic is well submerged.
Step 4
After pouring the mixture of vinegar, water, and soju, cover the container or seal it with plastic wrap. Store it in a cool, dark place away from direct sunlight for about one week. This soaking period will gradually soften the sharp flavor of the garlic. After a week, we’ll proceed to pour in the hot, seasoned soy sauce mixture.
Step 5
You might notice some garlic cloves turning green during the soaking process. This is a natural reaction caused by the interaction of allicin (a compound in garlic) with the acidic liquid and does not mean the garlic has spoiled. So, don’t discard them! In fact, this color change can be an indicator that the fermentation and pickling process is going well. Once you pour the boiled soy sauce mixture and allow it to mature, the resulting garlic Jangajji will remain delicious and unspoiled for a long time.
Step 6
For more detailed instructions on preparing the seasoned soy sauce mixture and tips for aging your garlic Jangajji to perfection, even after a year, please refer to this link: https://blog.naver.com/wjdtj54/221993068793
