How to Chop Garlic

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It's not just for repelling vampires anymore! Garlic's antibacterial properties are also said to drive away colds—but if you eat enough of it, you might be able to do both.

Step 1: Loosen cloves
Press down on the stem of a head of garlic to loosen the cloves.

Step 2: Place clove
Pull one clove of garlic from the head and place it flat in the center of a clean cutting board.

Step 3: Crack skin
Place the widest part of the flat side of your blade on top of the clove and smash down on the middle of it with the palm of your hand, taking care not to cut yourself. This will crack the papery skin enough for you to remove it.

Step 4: Position knife
Grasp the knife in your dominant hand, holding the handle close to the blade with three fingers: your middle, ring, and pinkie. Curl your forefinger around one side of the blade while holding your thumb on the opposite side.

Step 5: Slice off root
Slice off the root end of the garlic clove and discard it.

Step 6: Slice clove
Keeping the point of the knife on the board and using a steady rocking motion to slice—not saw—the garlic with the full length of the blade, slice the clove lengthwise into 4 or 5 slices. Then make 4 or 5 slices crosswise.

Tip
Fresh garlic is best used immediately, but you can store it in your refrigerator in an airtight container for up to two days.

Step 7: Repeat process
Pull off another clove, crack and remove the skin, and slice away until you have all the garlic you need.

Did You Know?
Garlic and Shots, a restaurant in Stockholm and London, serves everything on the menu with garlic—from garlic martinis to garlic honey ice cream.