Don’t throw away garlic peels. Here’s a zero waste way to turn them flavoursome for your holiday dishes

‘Tis the holiday season in many parts of the world, and with all the baking and cooking happening at home, it’s time to reconsider tossing out that generated waste. Here’s a tasty idea to add more flavour to your celebrations: make your own delicious garlic seasoning using discarded garlic peels.

Taking a cue from social media influencer Jose Garden’s Instagram page where Jose demonstrated how to make zero-waste garlic powder from the peels, we also decided to try it out.

“This garlic peel powder is one of the easiest home seasoning zero-waste recipes I’ve got. If you are anything like me, you will get through a lot of garlic. Now you can compost the peels, but I like to keep a few to one side,” said Jose.

Making garlic powder at home with garlic peels is a sustainable way to utilise kitchen waste.

To make it, collect and dry garlic peels thoroughly, then grind them into a powder. “This process not only reduces food waste but also provides a cost-effective alternative to store-bought garlic powder. Homemade garlic powder can be fresher and free from additives, allowing you to control the quality and flavour of the end product,” said clinical dietitian Garima Goyal.

Benefits of making homemade garlic powder

Apart from reduced food waste, it is a cost-effective option that is entirely natural and devoid of preservatives. “Garlic is renowned for its potential health benefits. Crafting your garlic powder at home helps preserve more of these natural properties, offering potential health advantages compared to highly processed commercial alternatives,” said Goyal.

Ensure you collect the peels (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)

Instructions to make garlic powder at home

Collect garlic peels – Save peels from fresh garlic cloves. Make sure they are clean and free of any dirt.
Dry the peels – Spread the garlic peels on a tray or a clean surface and let them air dry for several days. You can also use a dehydrator, or an oven set to the lowest temperature to speed up the drying process.
Grind into powder – Once the garlic peels are thoroughly dried and crispy, grind them into a powder using a coffee grinder, spice grinder, or a mortar and pestle.
Sift (optional) – For a finer powder, you can sift the ground garlic through a fine mesh sieve to remove any larger particles.

Store – Transfer the homemade garlic powder into an airtight container, and store it in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.

 

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