This finely pulverized dust packs an allium wallop, but with less of a sulfuric bite than fresh chopped cloves, so it’s an excellent option for adding a garlic note without offending eaters who aren’t huge fans. You can tell any fresh garlic snobs out there that the people of West China were preserving garlic centuries ago—though it wasn’t long before the root, which grows easily in most places, spread around the world. Another benefit of the powder? It’s easily dissolved into light-colored dishes like vegetable mashes.