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Anyone make toum? Suggestions for making not as potent....

Posted on 3/12/25 at 7:48 am
Posted by Dam Guide
Member since Sep 2005
16264 posts
Posted on 3/12/25 at 7:48 am
I occasionally eat it, but I haven't ever had it from a Lebanese shop until recently when a friend from Minnesota brought it down and made some tabbouleh, Lebanese flat bread, and some steak kebabs to go with it. He gave me the recipe for the flat bread and tabbouleh, but he buys his toum from that shop.

The recipes I have had have always been really potent, including store bought like the Toom brand, and using it by itself on some bread wasn't something I enjoyed. The one he brought down was the opposite, it had that fresh garlic taste but it was perfect by itself on some of that flat bread.

I already remove the germs from the garlic and let it rest for a few days. Got some advice to maybe try blanching the garlic or letting the garlic rest/dry after peeling before processing to remove the allicin. Anyone make a toum and have some suggestions? This place is usually a gold mine for recipes, hope ya'll come through again.
Posted by sleepytime
Member since Feb 2014
3740 posts
Posted on 3/12/25 at 8:22 am to
I tried making it a few times and it never tasted right. I just buy it from Costco now.
Posted by 3oliv3
Member since Aug 2016
744 posts
Posted on 3/12/25 at 8:24 am to
Costco sells a toum that I think is pretty mild compared to what I make at home or get at a restaurant. It’s in the refrigerated dips section in a container with a yellow lid.
Posted by Penn
Jax Beach
Member since Jan 2008
23543 posts
Posted on 3/12/25 at 8:29 am to
Following

I found a good one my first go, the tries after that have been too strong
Posted by Saskwatch
Member since Feb 2016
17475 posts
Posted on 3/12/25 at 9:04 am to
I get it from Costco as well
Posted by Dam Guide
Member since Sep 2005
16264 posts
Posted on 3/12/25 at 9:14 am to
quote:

Costco sells a toum that I think is pretty mild compared to what I make at home or get at a restaurant. It’s in the refrigerated dips section in a container with a yellow lid.


This is the Toom brand I mentioned in my post. It is not good compared to what I have had from a real Lebanese shop. Once I have had that real deal, this one will no longer work.

Trader Joe's also sells it, it's a bit better than Toom.
Posted by LSUBoo
Knoxville, TN
Member since Mar 2006
102491 posts
Posted on 3/12/25 at 12:39 pm to
I make my own probably once a month.. it's always potent at first then mellows.

You could try making it with minced garlic instead of fresh. Might be awful, but would reduce the potency.
Posted by cgrand
HAMMOND
Member since Oct 2009
43086 posts
Posted on 3/12/25 at 12:47 pm to
if by potent you mean too much raw garlic flavor try roasting the cloves first. I can never get a homemade tzatziki sauce right, for example, unless I use roasted garlic
This post was edited on 3/12/25 at 12:48 pm
Posted by Duane Dibbley
Red Dwarf
Member since Nov 2011
1680 posts
Posted on 3/12/25 at 1:14 pm to
Have you tried using elephant garlic? It has a milder taste than regular garlic. Maybe substituting some elephant garlic for some of the regular garlic will help give it a milder taste.
Posted by Dam Guide
Member since Sep 2005
16264 posts
Posted on 3/12/25 at 1:22 pm to
quote:

if by potent you mean too much raw garlic flavor try roasting the cloves first. I can never get a homemade tzatziki sauce right, for example, unless I use roasted garlic


Yeah that is what I am going for, thats why someone gave me the rec to blanch the garlic in boiling water to knock out the allicin that gives it that raw flavor and make it milder.
Posted by Dam Guide
Member since Sep 2005
16264 posts
Posted on 3/12/25 at 1:23 pm to
quote:

Have you tried using elephant garlic? It has a milder taste than regular garlic. Maybe substituting some elephant garlic for some of the regular garlic will help give it a milder taste.


I have not, I need to find a better source of garlic I think. I have heard big box vs homegrown makes a big difference as well in flavor.
Posted by sleepytime
Member since Feb 2014
3740 posts
Posted on 3/12/25 at 2:15 pm to
Try mellowing the garlic in your recipe. Heat the minced/sliced garlic up in oil on low heat(150-180 degrees)for about 20 minutes and that will cook off most of the bitter compounds. Allicin cooks off around 140 degrees. Let is set until it's cooled off to the desired temp and follow the recipe as usual. That should help tremendously.
Posted by tewino
Member since Aug 2009
2428 posts
Posted on 3/12/25 at 2:52 pm to
I would try soaking the garlic in lemon juice for about 30 minutes. That will tame the raw garlic taste. That’s what I do when I make hummus.
Posted by Sir Drinksalot
Member since Aug 2005
16822 posts
Posted on 3/12/25 at 8:02 pm to
Or you could try using the big bag of already peeled garlic from Sam’s/costco/restaurant depot.

It’s not as potent as whole fresh garlic, and it’s cheap. And what else are you going to do with a giant bag of garlic before it goes bad.
Posted by busbeepbeep
When will then be now?
Member since Jan 2004
19131 posts
Posted on 3/12/25 at 9:54 pm to
You said you already cutting out the germ. That's the most important part to make it less sharp or spicy tasting. Maybe a little more neutral oil in the recipe.

I follow Chef Kamal's procedure, but as said, the Toom product at Costco is good, a lot better than the kind Trader Joe's has.

if you find the Toom store brand to be too potent, then you probably prefer something that is more of a garlic aioli which adds egg into the procedure.

Toum is meant to be potent. A little bit goes a long way. Primary use for me is pairing with chicken, either shish tawook style kabobs or a chicken shawarma wrap.



This post was edited on 3/12/25 at 10:01 pm
Posted by Dam Guide
Member since Sep 2005
16264 posts
Posted on 3/12/25 at 10:09 pm to
quote:

I follow Chef Kamal's procedure, but as said, the Toom product at Costco is good, a lot better than the kind Trader Joe's has. if you find the Toom store brand to be too potent, then you probably prefer something that is more of a garlic aioli which adds egg into the procedure.


It’s been mentioned in the thread, but Toom isn’t comparable to the real deal. It’s too processed tasting. The stuff I get from Minnesota is real deal Lebanese shop toum. It’s got a robust garlic taste, but it’s doesn’t have that garlic bite and you can devour it plain on Lebanese flat bread. That’s what I am looking to make.
Posted by littlebird92
Louisiana
Member since May 2018
256 posts
Posted on 3/12/25 at 10:13 pm to
I recently ordered some toum from a company called Shawarmaji. It's super fresh and really, really good. They make it in small batches and it's family owned.
Posted by BigDropper
Member since Jul 2009
8127 posts
Posted on 3/12/25 at 10:20 pm to
quote:

blanch the garlic in boiling water
This would be my suggestion, and boil the garlic until it changes textures, 10-15 minutes to soften the aggressiveness of fresh garlic.
Posted by Dam Guide
Member since Sep 2005
16264 posts
Posted on 3/13/25 at 12:12 pm to
quote:

This would be my suggestion, and boil the garlic until it changes textures, 10-15 minutes to soften the aggressiveness of fresh garlic.


I'm going to try some small batches and make slight changes. First, I am going to try and quick blanch, 1-2 minutes and let it dry completely afterward to help with emulsifying it. Also going to switch to a canola oil. I tried sunflower and grapeseed oil based on recommendations, but going to go more neutral.

Will keep people updated, current recipe I am doing is

1 tsp of salt
40 ml of fresh lemon juice
200 ml of canola oil
70g of peeled garlic clove with no germ
This post was edited on 3/13/25 at 12:14 pm
Posted by LSUBoo
Knoxville, TN
Member since Mar 2006
102491 posts
Posted on 3/13/25 at 5:59 pm to
quote:

Maybe a little more neutral oil in the recipe.



I make it with vegetable or canola oil. Olive oil is a little too overpowering in my opinion.

I'll put some herbs in too occasionally. Rosemary is a great addition.
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