5-minute Garlic Aioli

I have made this Garlic Aioli so many times in the last two months and every time I have forgotten to click a decent picture. We will be traveling next month so I wont be able to post many new recipes. So, today I thought maybe I should just get a few pictures from google and upload the recipe. 

Few months back Debarshi and I went to Red Robin’s (Yum!). We were both craving for burger and fries and thought bottomless fries would be perfect to satisfy our potato cravings. The waiter brought garlic fries with some garlic aioli and immediately I thought, why haven’t I been making this dip? It was delicious and paired very well with the burger and fries. So, I looked up the recipe and guess what? It just takes 5 minutes to prepare this garlicky dip. Plus, since it has almost no carbs you can also enjoy it on a low carb diet. 

Have questions? Below I have answered some of the questions I thought may help you:

What does Garlic aioli taste like?

This dip is prepared with mayonnaise hence it will look and taste like mayo. However, it’s the addition of salt, pepper, lemon juice and garlic which really elevates the flavors.

How long can I keep it refrigerated?

Since this recipe uses mayo and no raw eggs, you can easily keep the aioli for up to 10 days in the fridge. Although if you do like it, it will be gone within a few days.

Why 5 minutes?

This aioli is so easy to make that you wont have to put in more than 5 minutes to prepare this. All you have to do is peel and mince the garlic then whisk everything together. I often prepare this fresh before packing Debarshi’s tiffin in the morning. This packs a real raw garlic punch and adds flavor in even blandest of foods. Plus, you get the satisfaction of preparing this from scratch!

Do I have to cook it?

No! Just peel and mince the garlic cloves and whisk it with the other ingredients. 

What can I serve with this dip?

I love to serve it with my Shrimp Stir Fry and you can also enjoy it with:

• Bread
• Crudités (assorted raw vegetables served as an hors d'oeuvre)
• As a Sandwich spread
• Grilled/ Fried Fish
• Burgers
• Fries
• Tater Tots

Now let’s discuss the recipe:

Ingredients:

• Mayonnaise – ¾ cup 
• Garlic - 3 cloves, minced
• Lemon Juice - 1 ½ tablespoons 
• Salt – ¼ teaspoon 
• Ground Black Pepper – ½ teaspoon 

Directions:

• Mix the Mayonnaise, minced Garlic, Lemon Juice, Salt and ground Pepper in a bowl. Whisk it till smooth. 
• Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Other Chutneys, Condiments and Dips you may like:

• Dhania Chutney (Cilantro Chutney)
• Creamy Cream Cheese Dip
• Bread Dipping Oil with Parmesan and Herbs
• Guacamole with Goat Cheese and Bacon
• Spinach Dip
• Sour Cream Dip
• Mayo Mustard Sauce with Herbs
• Fresh Homemade Salsa

Doing low carb diet? Try this dip with the following:

• Mughlai Kabab
• Grilled Salmon with Shrimp and Peppers
• Quick Weeknight Dinner - Shrimp Stir Fry

Quick Weeknight Dinner - Shrimp Stir Fry

Prepare this quick and healthy Shrimp stir fry for your weeknight dinners. This delicious dinner gets ready within 15 minutes. Serve with homemade garlic aioli.

I think this stir-fry is the perfect solution to enjoy a warm hearty dinner when we are running late from office or not feeling well. Instead of thinking of a take-out why not prepare something which is fresh, nutritious and in your budget. You can substitute the shrimp with chicken or add sausage of your choice. This is so versatile that you can easily mix and match the ingredients and enjoy this whenever you want. I always keep a frozen shrimp bag in the freezer and whip up quick dishes with that. They thaw quick and you can easily peel the tail off.

I also keep a pack of frozen vegetables in the freezer, they come handy as well.

The Garlic adds a ton of flavor in the dish as well and the garlic sauce makes it scrumptious. Do not substitute the butter with canola/ vegetable oil because it contributes to the flavor. Also, use a good quality non stick pan or wok so that the delicate shrimp and vegetables don’t stick on the bottom. 

I have been so busy lately, Debarshi got me the latest Game of Thrones book – Fire and Blood and it is so interesting that I have not been able to write much for my blog. I finally put down the book for a breather to prepare this stir fry for dinner and that’s when I thought, I should add this recipe on my blog. 

You can leave the tails on or off according to your personal preference. If you are adding the shrimp (not cutting into cubes), make sure to cook them through. How will you know? The color will change to pink. If you are increasing the portion, make sure to fry the shrimp in a single layer so that every piece gets a chance to cook through properly. Also, do not overcook, keep the vegetables handy and as soon as the shrimp changes color, add them.

This delicious stir fry also comes handy when you are trying to control your carb portions. So all low carb (keto) dieters can enjoy this as it is. For the happy carb lovers, some fried rice/ noodles pairs deliciously.

Ingredients:

• Butter – 2-3 tablespoons
• Bay leaf - 1
• Garlic – 2, minced
• Whole Red Chili - 2
• Jumbo Shrimp – 6, peeled and deveined and cut into bite size cubes
• Mixed vegetables – 1 cup
• Soy Sauce – 1 teaspoon
• Salt – ½ teaspoon (or to taste)
• Freshly ground Black Pepper – ½ teaspoon

Directions:

• Heat a large skillet over medium heat.
• Add Butter and as soon as it melts add the Garlic, Bay Leaf and Red Chili (crush it).

• Add Shrimp and season with Salt and Pepper. Cook until pink, about 5 minutes. 

• Add the mixed vegetables - broccoli, peas, carrots, bell pepper and increase the heat to high. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the moisture evaporates. 

• Add the Soy sauce and mix.
• Serve hot with homemade Garlic Aioli.

 

Tip: Be quick while frying the vegetables as we don’t want to over cook the Shrimp. If there is too much water, transfer the cooked Shrimp (pink in color) to a bowl. If you think that by the time the sauce will reduce the vegetables will overcook, simply transfer the sauce to another pan and heat on high. Sauté the vegetables to dry them up. Transfer to the bowl along with the shrimp. Once the sauce reduces to a few teaspoons pour it over the shrimp and vegetables. Do not throw out the sauce because it may look like a watery mess but it has all the lovely fragrances of spices and garlic.

Some tips and recipes you can prepare with Shrimp:

• Buying and Preparing Shrimp
• Grilled Salmon with Shrimp and Peppers
• Keto Pizza with Shrimp and Basil Pesto
• Buttery Lemony Garlicky Shrimp Scampi Pasta
• Chow Mein recipe
• Keto Pizza with grilled Chicken and Shrimp
• Creole Jambalaya - a quintessential New Orleans classic dish
• Chingri Malai Curry (Shrimp Curry with Coconut Milk)
• Chingri Alur Dalna (Shrimp and Potatoes Gravy)
• Grilled Shrimp Plate with Fire Roasted Corn Salsa
• Jalapeno Shrimp
• Spicy Shrimp and Zucchini Curry