India UP Garlic
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
UP garlic varies in size and shape, depending on the specific variety, and averages 3 to 5 centimeters in diameter and 2 to 4 centimeters in length. The bulbs are generally flattened with a squat, bulbous shape and have a slender, tapered neck widening into a curved, broad base. UP garlic has a slightly bumpy exterior and is created by the interior overlapping cloves. The bulbs are enveloped in thin, brittle, and papery protective layers featuring white and purple hues with some striping. As these layers are removed, individual cloves are revealed and are also encased in their own thick, protective peels. The cloves are tightly joined and showcase flat, angular sides where they are pushed up against other cloves in the bulb. Peeled UP garlic cloves have a firm, dense, crisp, crunchy, and moist consistency. Cloves range in color from ivory, white, to cream-colored, and are mostly solid. UP garlic releases a fairly strong aroma when peeled and the cloves are edible raw or cooked. Raw UP garlic is pungent, spicy, and sharp, while cooked UP garlic softens, mellows, and develops sweeter, savory nuances.
Seasons/Availability
UP garlic is typically harvested from January to March in India, and the dried bulbs are stored for year-round use.
Current Facts
UP garlic, botanically classified as Allium sativum, is a category of multiple types of garlic grown in India, belonging to the Amaryllidaceae family. UP is an abbreviation for Uttar Pradesh, a state in northern India where garlic is cultivated. Regional names are often used to distinguish garlic varieties in local markets, as each growing region will vary in its soil quality, climate, and other cultivation conditions. There are many varieties of garlic grown in Uttar Pradesh, with the most popular cultivars being Bhima Purple, VL Garlic 1, PG 17, and Yamuna Safed 1-5. UP Garlic is favored by consumers for its pungency and rich flavoring. Uttar Pradesh is one of the central garlic-producing states in India and some chefs and consumers seek out the regionally grown bulbs because of the characteristics they develop from their specific growing region. UP garlic is widely found throughout India and is sold in fresh markets for culinary and medicinal purposes.
Nutritional Value
UP garlic has not been extensively studied for its nutritional properties. Garlic, in general, is said to be a source of calcium to support bones and teeth, potassium to balance fluid levels within the body, and iron to develop the protein hemoglobin for oxygen transport through the bloodstream. Garlic also provides magnesium to control nerve functions, vitamin C to strengthen the immune system, vitamin A to maintain healthy organ functioning, and other nutrients, including phosphorus, zinc, B vitamins, and selenium. Garlic contains allicin, a compound that gives the cloves their pungent nature and has anti-inflammatory properties. In Ayurveda, garlic is featured in ancient medicinal texts as an ingredient to warm the body and increase desires. Raw garlic cloves are chopped and mixed with ghee to lower fevers and various boiled and cooked remedies are used for indigestion, swelling, and body aches.
Applications
UP garlic has a rich, pungent, and aromatic nature suited for fresh and cooked preparations. Garlic is believed to contain five of the six tastes found in Ayurveda and is favored as an ingredient to enhance dishes. UP garlic can be used in any recipe calling for garlic. In Uttar Pradesh, garlic is popularly pureed or minced into a paste as a base for curries, gravies, and other sauces, or it is used as a flavoring for kebabs and roasted meats. UP garlic is also incorporated into biryani, or rice dishes, nihari, a stew of slow-cooked meat in a savory gravy, and various types of dumplings. In addition to curries and rice dishes, UP garlic is sometimes added to murgh musallam recipes, which is cooked chicken in a ginger-garlic marinade, stuffed with boiled eggs, tomatoes, and spices, or it is used in the paste-like filling for rikwach, rolled and cooked colocasia leaves. Garlic is also found in garlic kheer, a sweet pudding and an assortment of pickled condiments throughout India. UP garlic pairs well with other aromatics such as onions, ginger, and chile peppers, tamarind, coconut, potatoes, herbs such as mint, cilantro, and curry leaves, and spices including cinnamon, paprika, cloves, fenugreek, and saffron. Whole, unpeeled UP garlic will keep for several months when stored in a cool and dry place with ample air circulation. Once peeled, the cloves will last for about one week when placed in the refrigerator.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Garlic is a part of several ancient legends that tell the story of the creation of the pungent bulbs. The most prominent myth is connected to the ancient Ayurvedic texts Ashtanga Hridayam and Ashtanga Sangraha. The story begins when Lord Vishnu, the Hindu god and protector of the universe, collected nectar from the Ocean of Milk. The god began distributing the nectar to the other gods in the form of Mohini, the goddess of enchantment, but during this time, a demon known as Rahu snuck into the gathering and took a drink of the nectar. Vishnu immediately knew Rahu was a demon and cut off his head with the sudashan chakra, the god’s choice celestial weapon. There are many variations of this myth that differ in what happened after the demon’s head was cut off, but it is said that the divine nectar fell out of the severed demon’s mouth and splattered on the ground. Where the nectar touched the ground, garlic and onion plants sprung up. From this myth, garlic is viewed by some communities throughout India as having rejuvenating properties because it is connected to the nectar from the Ocean of Milk, but it is also seen as contaminated because a demon touched it. Select people groups in India abstain from consuming garlic due to this belief of impurity, while others cherish the pungent cloves as a rich medicinal and culinary ingredient.
Geography/History
UP garlic, or garlic cultivars grown in Uttar Pradesh, are descendants of varieties introduced to India in ancient times. Garlic, in general, is hypothesized to have origins in Central Asia and was spread into India through land trade routes between India, Asia, Egypt, and Mesopotamia during the Mohenjo-Daro period, between 2500 to 1900 BCE. Experts also suggest garlic may have been carried from the Middle East to India at later dates. Some of the earliest evidence of garlic in India was discovered at the archeological site of Balu during the Indus Valley Civilization. Garlic was also mentioned in the Charaka-Samhita, an ancient Sanskrit Ayurvedic text written sometime during the 1st century CE. Over time, garlic cultivation expanded throughout India and was planted in Uttar Pradesh, a state in northern India. Much of the history of garlic in Uttar Pradesh is unknown, but the state has become one of the most important cultivation areas for garlic in India. Today, UP garlic is grown throughout Uttar Pradesh, especially in Manipuri and Etawah. UP garlic is widely sold throughout Uttar Pradesh and is shipped across India for sale in local fresh markets. Some garlic is also exported to other countries in Asia, Europe, and Africa. The UP garlic featured in the photograph above was sourced through the Wednesday bazaar at the Supermarket in Dimapur, a city in the state of Nagaland in northeastern India.
