Ancient texts reveal garlic's reputation as a powerful energy booster. The laborers who built Egypt's pyramids relied on it for stamina, as did Roman and Greek soldiers marching into battle. In Western folklore, garlic held even mystical properties—believed to ward off evil spirits and supernatural forces.

Once garlic claimed its place at the dining table as one of the five essential aromatics, it revolutionized modern cuisine—households now consider it virtually indispensable. In Taiwan, garlic serves as a versatile seasoning, excellent both raw and cooked. Chinese cooking showcases it in fragrant stir-fry bases and slow-simmered broths. The culinary tradition also features sugar-pickled garlic as a distinctive appetizer, while aged black garlic is prized as a health tonic with deep, complex flavors.

Some Dishes Simply Can't Do without Garlic Shoots

Garlic belongs to the lily family—a perennial herb with narrow, flat, pale green leaves. The entire plant is edible, from the pungent underground bulb that boosts immunity to its tender green shoots.

When garlic is planted in autumn, it produces young green shoots. After reaching a certain stage, these stems and leaves are called garlic shoots (or green garlic), which can be eaten as vegetables and make excellent companions for Hakka savory tangyuan (glutinous rice balls), spicy hotpot dipping sauces, and cured pork dishes. As garlic matures, it sends up curving flower stems called garlic scapes from the center of the plant—these have a crisp, tender-sweet texture and can be stir-fried or prepared as cold salads.

Yunlin County dominates Taiwan's garlic production with 90% of cultivation area, followed by Changhua and Tainan. Main varieties include Hemei and Large Black. Local farmers typically plant in September–October and harvest in March–April, leaving a four-month supply gap filled by imports.