A bunch is an organized way of storing garlic, which gives us more benefits than aesthetic beauty. When creating a bunch, you will have the advantage of picking your teeth every time it is necessary and the garlic will stay fresh for more weeks thanks to good ventilation. It may turn out that the creation of a bunch is a little complicated at the beginning, but once you learn the basic tricks, the braids are quickly made.
Clean the heads. It is not necessary to clean the garlic of El Ajero before curing it, but it is necessary to clean remains of earth and other elements before braiding it. In some cases, you can run your fingers over the heads to remove dirt and other debris. If the heads are particularly dirty, you can use a soft cloth to clean them.
Cut the garlic. To get a good bunch, you have to cut your heads before you start braiding them. In general, there are long, disheveled roots attached to the heads, so you should cut them to about 6 mm. The roots are not very thick, so you can use normal scissors to cut the garlic.
Soak the stems. When making the bunch, the heads must be flexible to make it easier to braid them. The best method to make them more flexible is to submerge them in water. Fill a bowl or sink with warm water and submerge the garlic so that only the leaves are submerged. You should avoid soaking the heads. Let the leaves settle for 15 to 30 minutes or until you feel more flexible.
Choose the three largest heads and cross them. To make an attractive bunch, you need approximately 12 heads. While you choose the ones you are going to use, you must separate the three bigger heads so that you start doing the bunch with them. Place them on a flat surface with one head in the center, one on the left and one on the right. The leaves of the central head should point towards you, while the leaves of the other two should be crossed over each other to form an “X” over the central head.
Start adding more heads. You must place a fourth head on the group formed so that it coincides with the central head. Use the remaining rope to secure the fourth head to the pile and make the task easier when you start to braid it. Then, put two more heads and align them with the two crossed diagonal heads.
Start twisting the garlic. With all the leaves of the heads aligned, it’s time to start braiding. Be sure to hold both groups of sheets for each section as you begin to braid. Put the two leaves on the right side and cross them under the middle leaves so that they become the center pieces. Then, place the two leaves on the left and cross them under the middle leaves. Repeat this procedure one to two times more.
Add more heads Once you have started the bunch, you can add three heads. You must align the leaves with the formed ends of the braids as it was done with the second group, so that one is aligned with the left section, another with the central and another with the right. Begin to braid again for one or two passes and repeat the process until you have added all the heads.
Finish braiding and ensure the whole bunch of garlic. After you have added all the garlic, you must continue to braid the leaves until you reach the end. Use another rope to tie the end and secure the entire bunch. Cut the end of the roots with scissors so that they are uniform and neat. Then, the bunch will be ready for you to hang it in the kitchen.