A Microwave Is Your Ticket To Crispy Garlic In A Flash

In many ways, garlic can be a fundamental ingredient when it comes to cooking. It's the perfect base for your dish and the perfect topping to add a little kick of seasoning. In fact, garlic is rich in health benefits. It contains vitamin C, vitamin B6, and fiber which is great for boosting the immune system. One of many ways to use garlic is by frying it. Fried garlic can be sprinkled on just about anything, like noodles, stir-fry, and fried rice, just to name a few — creating a crunchy, flavorful texture.

Just like chili crisp, the garnish achieves maximum crispiness by frying in oil, which requires precise timing. If you leave it cooking in oil for too long, it may turn bitter. Not everyone has the time or energy to deep fry garlic. However, there is an easy way to fry it for that ultra crispiness without having to worry about the hot oil splattering everywhere. In his cookbook "Cook Real Hawai'i: A Cookbook," chef Sheldon Simeon shares his foolproof, easy hack on making crispy fried garlic, which involves using a microwave. Sounds easy enough.

Getting garlic to turn crispy quickly can be easy if you have a microwave handy. All you have to do is add about ¼ cup of minced garlic into a bowl and top it with an oil — canola oil, vegetable oil, or olive oil. Then microwave the bowl of garlic in 15-second increments until it turns crispy and golden. The secret to getting crispy fried garlic in the microwave is making sure the garlic is occasionally tossed while heating up. "Some bits might not get as crispy as others, because it doesn't have the roaring boil that's constantly moving — but the method still works," Chef Sheldon Simeon tells Epicurious. 

The recommended microwave time is about two to four minutes. In order for the garlic to remain crispy, you need to remove excess oil by straining the garlic through a strainer or sieve. Voila, you now have crispy, microwaved fried garlic. This garlic can be kept for up to three weeks at room temperature.

Not only can use your microwave to whip up fried garlic, but you can roast garlic in it too. Although the garlic technically won't be roasted, this is a speedy way to get as close as possible — a great option if you're in a time crunch. While roasted garlic is typically prepared using an oven, if you don't have the time or want to use your oven, cookbook author and TV personality Katie Lee Biegel shares a recipe for quick microwave-roasted garlic on Food Network.

Her recipe calls for taking a piece of garlic and slicing the top off. Then, put the garlic in a bowl and add two tablespoons of water to it. Next, drizzle some oil and sprinkle a pinch of salt onto the garlic. Place the sliced top back onto the garlic and get ready to watch the magic happen: Microwave the garlic for roughly eight to nine minutes. Now you have an easy version of roasted garlic on hand for pasta, dressings, and other creations.