The Easiest Way To Fry Up Garlic Doesn't Involve Your Stove

Fried garlic makes for a delicious, versatile topping to any number of dishes across cuisines and cultures. There are only two real downsides to cooking it yourself: the messy oil splatters from the pan and the attention delicate garlic commands on the stovetop to ensure it doesn't burn and turn bitter. Typically, the process requires a burner and constant stirring — space and time that could be better allocated to the other dishes you've got cooking. But there's an easy way around that inconvenience. To get beautifully crispy results without taking up space on your stove, don't think twice, just fry garlic in the microwave.

The process is easy. Start with two heads of minced garlic and a cup of neutral oil such as canola or vegetable oil (or adjust your quantities in keeping with that ratio) in a microwave-safe container. Then cook for five minutes, stir, and continue microwaving for a minute at a time until you reach your ideal levels of crispiness and golden color. Once the garlic is cooked to your satisfaction, strain it immediately to avoid it getting soggy — just make sure to save the oil! Now infused with garlic, it will make a delicious, aromatic cooking oil.

Finally, lay out your garlic on a paper towel and add a pinch of salt to taste. You can experiment with giving it a light dusting of sugar to add some complexity to the taste if you desire, though it's not necessary. The fried garlic will be best enjoyed immediately, but it can also be stored for up to a month, as can the garlic-infused oil.

However it gets cooked, fried garlic has a more mellow flavor than its raw form, as well as a touch of sweetness that makes it a lovely topping on any number of dishes. It can be added to salads and soups, and is ideal for sprinkling on steak or fish. It's a perfect accompaniment for rice, whether added towards the end of the steaming process to make garlic rice or to give crunch and a deeper, nuttier flavor to fried rice. Fried garlic also makes for a natural topping to doctor up instant ramen or any other Asian noodle dish.

Having microwaved fried garlic (shallots work too!) on hand also removes a step in making your own DIY chili crisp condiment, which can then be used on eggs, dumplings, or even as an extra kick in spicy margaritas. Finally, use fried garlic as a topping on the delicious Brazilian fried chicken dish frango a passarinho, a bone-in fried chicken wing traditionally served as a bar food and accompanied by crispy fried garlic and, in a unique twist, flash-fried lime wedges.