I don’t live without Lebanese garlic toum. Having grown up on the stuff, it was a constant condiment in our fridge. A basic sauce that is deemed more essential than mayonnaise in the Lebanese and Middle Eastern cuisine, and a mise on place that is prepared in most restaurants and snack bars that chefs draw upon in the moment they are assembling a sandwich or snack. Toum is a classic for a reason! A condiment and a prefect accompaniment to lots of Lebanese and Middle Eastern dishes.  It famously coats, chicken shawarma, shish tawook, grilled chicken, tableh (a raw meat dish), but it sure doesn’t stop here, it is good on so many things; smear it inside a wrap or douse it even with fries and grilled meat or even toated baguette, apply it pretty much anywhere, I am confidant you can think of other ways to use it too, you name it!

Watch the video! Learn how to make “Smoky Chicken Shawarma” as well as a detailed tutorial on how to make Lebanese Garlic Toum!

Lebanese Garlic Toum!

The classic toum  is an emulsion made with garlic, lemon/ citric acid, salt and oil, a recipe that appeares in my cookbook. But today I will be showing you a simplified version featuring cornstarch to help bind the sauce and make it foolproof  and less fussy, where the end result is equally good in tatse and more forgiving interms of preparation for a novice cook.

Use fresh and firm garlic and avoid the ones with the green center sprouts, they negatively affect the taste of garlic sauce.

Count me among the garlic lovers, I always add more than the mentioned quantity, I love the sharp taste that garlic delivers in every bite; If you are nodding in agreement, add a few more cloves than the mentioned in the recipe.

Ingredients needed to make Toum!

Cornstarch: No need to fear using cornstarch in making toum, it just adds a glossy appearance and acts as a thickening agent to bind the flavors together without affecting the final taste of toum.

Lemon juice: Lemon juice brightens the flavor notes, use freshly squeezed lemon juice and avoid the ready bottled lemon juice, and please don’t be tempted to add more than the mentioned amount in the recipe.

Oil: use a neutral oil like sunflower or canola oil, and avoid using olive oil because it can add a strong flavor, and would negatively affect the desired white pale color of toum and would overwhelm the taste as well.

Garlic: use the freshest garlic you can find, and avoid the ones with green center sprouts.

Salt: Use the mentioned amount in the recipe, but feel free to add more to suit your taste preference.

Water: use cold fresh water

Storage: Use the desired quantity and you will have plenty to pack away for leftovers, which is a great thing you can do for yourself. Refrigerate in an airtight container for no more than one week.

And now let’s get started!

You will need a food processor to make this version.

In a saucepan, dissolve cornstarch and water, place on high heat and whisk continuously until the sauce bubbles and totally thickens. Remove from heat and set aside to completely cool down.

Combine the garlic cloves, ½ cup water, lemon juice and salt.

Puree until smooth, the garlic will be more dominant after blending, stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed.

Add the cornstarch paste to the food processor, and pulse a few time to integrate the garlic mixture with the cornstarch paste.

Add about 1/2 cup of oil, drizzling it in a slow steady stream, while your food processor is running, keep on adding the oil in the same gradual fashion until you used all the oil. It is crucial to add the oil gradually while the food processor is running to help emulsifying the garlic sauce.

The end result should be loose and fluffy but not runny. If it is too thick add 3 tablespoons oil and pulse a  few times to incorporate the mixture. Taste it to adjust salt to your taste preference. It is great immediately and even better after a few hours. It is advisable to make your toum one day in advance.

The key to perfecting the toum recipe:

• Water and cornstarch mix should be completely cooled before incorporating with the other ingredients.
• It is crucial to add the oil slowly in a very slow and thin steady stream to the food processor while it is running.

For the garlic sauce

• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup cornstarch

• ½ cup water
• 1 leveled teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 12 large garlic cloves, or more if you like your garlic
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 150 ml / 1/2 cup neutral oil, sunflower oil

1. In a saucepan, dissolve cornstarch and water, place on high heat and whisk continuously until the sauce bubbles and totally thickens. Remove from heat and set aside to completely cool down.
2. Combine the garlic cloves, ½ cup water, lemon juice and salt.  Puree until smooth, the garlic will be more dominant after blending, stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed.
3. Add the cornstarch paste to the food processor, and pulse a few time to integrate the garlic mixture with the cornstarch paste.
4. Slowly, add the oil, drizzling it in a slow steady stream, while your food processor is running, keep on adding the oil in the same gradual fashion until you used all the oil. It is crucial to add the oil gradually while the food processor is running to help emulsifying the garlic sauce. The end result should be loose and fluffy but not runny. If it is too thick add 3 tablespoons oil and pulse a  few times to incorporate the mixture. Taste it to adjust salt to your taste preference. It is great immediately and even better after a few hours. It is advisable to make your toum one day in advance.

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If you make the "Lebanese Garlic Toum", leave a comment below, or share your pictures on Facebook! I would love to see your creations!! Hashtag, #Hadia’s lebanese Cuisine