I used to find fresh garlic cleaning to be a pain. I hated dealing with it so much, that I reduced myself to not using fresh garlic at all. I used jarred chopped garlic, I used Indian garlic paste, and for some applications they work. They certainly do not have the same flavor.

Well, it was because I did not know how to clean the garlic. I became seriously interested in good food and cooking 5 years ago. But I still think I'm a raw beginner and I am at the very beginning of my journey though the world of food. And I ain't hiding it.

So recently I learnt a trick to quickly and easily cleaning fresh garlic and I'm very excited about it - it allows me to have fresh garlic in my food and I love it. Now, I know you can buy whole pre-cleaned garlic cloves in the grocery store. But I discovered it did not last in the fridge for long at all. It goes bad real quick. Uncleaned garlic lasts a lot longer.

So, separate the cloves. Cut off the tips and roots. Place the flat of the blade of a heavy sturdy knife on top of a clove. Place the hill of the palm of your hand on top of the blade and press. The garlic clove will crack and you will be able to remove the shell very easily. That's it!