Garlic Sauce /Thom ( Condiment)

What can I tell you about this unsung hero called Toum ( Arabic) means Garlic. Garlic sauce is one condiment that one cannot go without in any Lebanese meal. And YES you can eat it and kiss your partner !!. I have not found much information on how this beautiful sauce came about so I will just relay on my memories which sometimes fail me especially in desperate moments.

I was introduced to this sauce obviously during my stay in United Arab Emirates my then home away from home. Its practically served in almost everything and I had with Falafel ( Chick Peas & Fava Bean patty) I fell in love instantly. I never really bothered to learn how to make it because it was easily available in large super markets. 

I became crazy about this sauce when I had it with grilled fish from a small restaurant in Sharjah near the beach and ever since I would order the grilled fish on every chance I had. When I was pregnant with my first child, I think all I ate was the grilled fish, I would order from work on my way home almost everyday, am not sure it was the fish or the sauce that I was after.

As soon as I knew that I would be migrating to US , I started looking for the recipe, at one time I saw it was featured in one of the weekly magazines but I was put off as soon as I saw there was an egg white in the list of ingredients. I really had no idea who to ask except of this young man who was a colleague of mine whose father owned a restaurant, but everytime asked for recipe he would bring me a big container of the ready garlic sauce...:( 

During the first few months of my stay here in Texas I started to explore the market but it was all in vain so I turned to MR YOUTUBE and there I found few recipes but there was only one that really convinced me to give it a try ; this recipe is by Dedemed and the credit goes to her. She is very clear and explains so well. Having said that, this recipes is an adaption not a replica because I have changed the quantities to what works best for me and you can do the same.

Words cannot express how incredible and tasty this sauce is when used as dip and even more great when used for marinating any kind of meat, fish, chicken for a grill! 

This is a very simple recipe it requires PATIENCE that all!!

You can do a lesser amount, I make alot coz I use alot its as simple as that!

Lets get moving to make this garlic sauce did I mention that its very addictive especially with fries or potato wedges.

Ingredients:

Fresh Garlic - 2 cups

Conola Oil - 4 1/2 cups or ( more/less) depends how strong or light you want

Lemon Juice 3/4 Cup

Salt 1 1/2 tspn

Method:

Place the the fresh garlic in a food processor ( you could use a blender, if you have strong one) start with a table spoon of lemon juice alternating with the lemon juice slowy. Once you have finished with the 1st cup of oil you can increase the oil to about 2 tbls or so but keep the lemon juice same.

P.S - if you rush into this you will end up with a very thin runny sauce, what I normally do is add some more garlic to it and start all over again...hope you will not have to do that.