Toum

Method

Tap a step to highlight it, or turn on Cook Mode for large type and step-by-step focus.

1. Blitz the garlic and salt in a tall narrow food processor to a fine paste, stopping twice to scrape down the sides. Every piece must be broken.

   Mark done

2. Add 1 tbsp of the lemon juice and blitz again to a smooth, pale slurry.

   Mark done

3. With the motor running, add the oil in the thinnest thread you can manage. For the first 150 ml this should feel absurdly slow.

   Mark done

4. Once it has visibly thickened and turned white, alternate: a tablespoon of lemon or ice water, then more oil, keeping the thread thin.

   Mark done

5. Continue until all the oil is in and the sauce stands up in stiff peaks like a meringue.

   Mark done

6. Scrape into a jar and refrigerate at least 60 minutes before serving; the raw heat softens considerably as it sits.

   Mark done

Chef’s Tips

• Remove the green germ from every clove or the sauce turns bitter.
• A thin thread of oil. Rushing the first cup is what splits it.
• If it splits, start over with one clove and add the broken sauce as if it were oil.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.

Pairing Suggestions

• Grilled chicken
• Arayes
• Batata harra

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerated in a sealed jar for 3 weeks. It mellows over the first few days. Do not freeze — it separates.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.