📝 About This Recipe
A cornerstone of the Korean pantry, Manul-Jjangachi transforms raw, pungent garlic into crunchy, translucent jewels bursting with a sophisticated balance of sweet, salty, and acidic flavors. This traditional fermentation process mellows the garlic's natural heat, making it the perfect 'bap-doduk' (rice thief) that aids digestion and awakens the palate. Whether served as a crisp side dish or a topping for grilled meats, these pickled cloves are a testament to the beauty of Korean preservation techniques.
🥗 Ingredients
The Garlic Base
- 2 pounds Fresh Garlic Bulbs (peeled, roots trimmed, and thoroughly dried)
Stage 1: The Brining Liquid
- 2 cups White Vinegar (distilled or apple cider vinegar (5-6% acidity))
- 1 cup Water (filtered is best)
- 2 tablespoons Sea Salt (Korean coarse sea salt preferred)
Stage 2: The Soy Seasoning
- 1.5 cups Soy Sauce (regular Jin-ganjang or naturally brewed)
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar (white or light brown sugar)
- 1/2 cup Mirin (sweet rice wine)
- 1 piece Dried Kelp (Dashima) (approx. 2x2 inch square)
- 2 pieces Dried Shiitake Mushroom (for added umami depth)
- 1 teaspoon Black Peppercorns (whole)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Begin by cleaning your garlic. Peel each clove carefully, ensuring the root end is trimmed but the clove remains intact. Rinse in cold water and pat completely dry with a clean kitchen towel—moisture is the enemy of shelf-life.
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2
Sterilize a large glass jar (about 2-quart capacity) by boiling it in water or running it through a high-heat dishwasher cycle. Ensure it is bone-dry before proceeding.
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3
Pack the dried garlic cloves tightly into the sterilized jar, leaving about 2 inches of headspace at the top.
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4
Mix the 'Stage 1' ingredients (vinegar, water, and salt) in a bowl until the salt dissolves. Pour this mixture over the garlic until completely submerged. Seal the jar and store in a cool, dark place for 7 to 10 days to remove the 'sting' of the raw garlic.
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5
After 10 days, drain the vinegar liquid from the jar into a medium saucepan. Do not discard it! We will use this as the base for our soy seasoning.
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6
To the saucepan containing the vinegar liquid, add the soy sauce, sugar, mirin, dried kelp, shiitake mushrooms, and peppercorns.
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7
Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes to infuse the aromatics and dissolve the sugar.
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8
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Take out the kelp and mushrooms. Let the liquid cool completely to room temperature. This is crucial to maintain the garlic's crunch.
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9
Pour the cooled soy-vinegar mixture back over the garlic cloves in the jar. Ensure the garlic is fully submerged; use a fermentation weight if necessary.
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10
Seal the jar tightly and store it in a cool, dark place for at least 2 weeks. For the best flavor, wait 4 weeks until the garlic turns a deep amber color.
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11
After the initial curing, store the jar in the refrigerator. The garlic will continue to mellow and improve in flavor for several months.
💡 Chef's Tips
If your garlic turns slightly green or blue during Stage 1, don't panic! This is a natural reaction between the sulfur in garlic and the acid in vinegar; it is safe to eat and the color will disappear once the soy sauce is added. Always use the freshest garlic possible; older garlic lacks the snap and crunch required for a good jjangachi. For a spicy kick, add 3-4 sliced Cheong-yang peppers (Korean green chilis) to the jar during Stage 2. If you want a deeper flavor, you can re-boil the brine after 1 week of the soy stage, cool it completely, and pour it back over the garlic.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve as a 'banchan' (side dish) alongside a bowl of steaming white rice and a drizzle of toasted sesame oil. Slice the pickled cloves thinly and use them as a topping for Samgyeopsal (grilled pork belly) wraps. Pair with a crisp Korean Lager or a chilled glass of Soju to cut through the richness of the soy and garlic. Use the leftover pickling liquid as a dipping sauce for Korean savory pancakes (Pajeon) or as a base for salad dressings.