Garlic and onions are two of the most treasured companions in my kitchen! They are edible members of the allium genus that store their energy in swollen leaf bases that are not starches, but chains of fructose sugars. When broken down, with long, slow cooking, they produce sweet and pungent aromas that are foundational to umami flavour.
There is good and bad news when it comes to these savoury staples and their position in the low FODMAP diet. The bad news is that garlic and onions both contain fructans (oligosaccharides), making them high FODMAP foods. The good news is that there are a few tricks you can use to keep that tasty umami goodness in your low-FODMAP dishes (thank you, science!). The fructan (FODMAP sugar) content in onions and garlic are soluble in water, which means that the sugars will be extracted into a water-based dish like soup, but they are not soluble in oil. All the flavour, with none of the fructan! This recipe below is the easiest way to have a ready-made flavour enhancer on hand. Use it as a base for salad dressings, marinades, or sauces of all kinds.
Stir-fry saviour
Boost your low-FODMAP stir-fry umami by tossing a large piece of onion or whole garlic clove into the oil as you’re heating it. Just make sure to pull it out before adding other ingredients!
Ingredients
- 1 c extra virgin olive or coconut oil
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and cut into slices or quarters
Instructions
- Sterilize a small glass jar by filling it with boiling water and letting it sit for a few minutes. Dry with a clean towel and set aside.
- Place oil in a small saucepan and warm up gently on low heat, 2–3 minutes.
- Add the garlic to the saucepan and remove from heat.
- Let oil and garlic sit for one hour, then remove garlic cloves, decant oil into glass jar, and refrigerate until ready to use. Will keep in fridge for 1 week. Can easily be doubled.
Freezer friendly: Freeze oil in an ice cube tray, then toss into sauces and dressings as need be.
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