To save chopping time when cooking with garlic, use a garlic press. Don't bother peeling the garlic. Just place the unpeeled clove in the chamber of the press, close it with gentle pressure, and scrape off the emerging garlic paste with a knife. In the event if the holes of the garlic press got clog, you can actually unclog it without a cleaning attachment. Just use a toothpick. Or scrub out stubborn shards of garlic with a toothbrush.

You can also make ready-to-use garlic cloves to save time. Cover peeled cloves with olive oil and store in a closed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. The oil will keep air away from the garlic, and when the garlic is used up, you will be left with garlic-infused oil that is wonderful on salads, whipped into mashed potatoes, drizzled over pasta, or blotted by bread.

** Asian Recipes **