Yunlin County promotes locally grown garlic with recipe ideas
When people eat sausage, fried foods, stir fry, or make a sauce, they often add a few cloves of garlic of enhance the flavor. The largest garlic-growing area in Taiwan is in Yunlin County, where 4,700 hectares is cultivated annually. Since harvest season is upon us, the county commissioner invited chef Chang Chia-hsien to demonstrate two recipes showcasing the fresh, fragrant, and spicy character of Yunlin garlic.
Under the chef’s instruction, Yunlin County Commissioner Chang Li-shan mixes a sauce together to drizzle over slices of pork belly. The secret ingredient is minced garlic grown right here in Yunlin County.
Chang Li-shan
Yunlin County Commissioner
Our garlic is not only low-calorie, but is also chock-full of allicin. It can improve your body’s natural resistance and immunity. Every year during harvest season is the best time to eat Yunlin garlic.
Take freshly peeled garlic, then add salt and some basil, and soak it in olive oil. All you can see are layers of black pepper and garlic. Although it hasn’t come out of the oven yet, the aroma of this basil garlic confit is impossible to miss.
Chen Chih-yang
Yunlin Farmers’ Association chair
Garlic isn’t just used in cooking or for eating fresh. It’s also in a lot of processed foods. During the pandemic two or three years ago, our garlic essence also sold very well, since it boosts immunity.
Each head of fresh Yunlin garlic is fragrant, pungent, and spicy. It’s loved by not only the locals, but most of the garlic eaten around Taiwan comes from here, as Yunlin accounts for 90% of all garlic grown in the country.
Wei Sheng-te
Yunlin Agriculture Department director
We produce $300 to $400 million worth of garlic every year. Each hectare can produce about 10 tonnes. Since the weather was a bit colder last year and this year, it was very good for garlic production.
Yunlin garlic, with its special brand of pungent flavor, has now entered harvest season. It’s the best time to buy. As long as it’s well ventilated, garlic can be stored for six months, so you can stock up now without worrying about it going to waste.
For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53
#YunlinCounty #garlic #agriculture #cooking #garlicconfit #Yunlingarlic #harvestseason
2025-05-12
