Topic: GREEN GARLIC

[Peripatetic Phil]

No Phil. The post I'm referring to was much more detailed with the exact chemistry of the reaction. In any event, it was posted under a different nick and was probably about four or five years ago now. Long enough for my brain to lose hold of the details.

Were you once "Yellow fingers" ?  He had this to say :

And the blue/green question. Well garlic contains compounds called anthocyanins which are plant pigments. They act as pH indicators, i.e. they change colour depending on the degree of alkalinity or acidity of the surrounding medium. This is why some people get bright green base sauce and some do not, it depends on the type and amount of onions and salt and even the nature of your local water amongst other things.

Also garlic is high in sulphur compounds which react with copper from the pan or the water to form copper sulphate which is blue.

As far as I know these compounds are totally safe in the quantities in which they occur in curry cooking.

The thread, which dates from 2005, starts here and is distinctly relevant.

** Phil.

[gary_p]

thanks for all your replies. I have made a lot of garlic paste in the past and it has stayed white till I have used it all up, the only diference this time was I didn't add any oil so i am thinking this was the problem.

Thanks again

[Secret Santa]

No Phil. The post I'm referring to was much more detailed with the exact chemistry of the reaction. In any event, it was posted under a different nick and was probably about four or five years ago now. Long enough for my brain to lose hold of the details.

Were you once "Yellow fingers" ?  He had this to say :

And the blue/green question. Well garlic contains compounds called anthocyanins which are plant pigments. They act as pH indicators, i.e. they change colour depending on the degree of alkalinity or acidity of the surrounding medium. This is why some people get bright green base sauce and some do not, it depends on the type and amount of onions and salt and even the nature of your local water amongst other things.

Also garlic is high in sulphur compounds which react with copper from the pan or the water to form copper sulphate which is blue.

As far as I know these compounds are totally safe in the quantities in which they occur in curry cooking.

The thread, which dates from 2005, starts here and is distinctly relevant.

** Phil.

That's the one.

Blimey I was clever in those days!   ;D