Learn how to make Mayu, or scorched garlic oil at home with just 4 ingredients! Black garlic oil is smoky, earthy, rich and will elevate your bowl of ramen to the next level.

Prepping for my ramen week, I wanted to introduce a condiment that I think a lot of people look over because 1) the ramen shops they’ve gone to don’t carry it, 2) they don’t know what it is or 3) just automatically grab the bottle of ra-yu without batting an eye at the bottle next to it.

Whats this special condiment? Mayu. Also known as scorched garlic oil, black garlic oil or burnt garlic oil. It’s hard to purchase in stores so I wanted to share how to make it easily at home.

What is Black Garlic Oil?

Mayu, or burnt garlic oil is a Japanese condiment that is made by scorching garlic in oil. Typically found in ramen shops next to its more commonly known cousin ra-yu (chili oil), it adds another layer of flavour to the broth.

What does it taste like?

On its own, it tastes like what you would expect it to taste like: bitter burnt garlic. However, when adding it to ramen it magically transforms into a smoky, earthy and rich flavour and enhances whatever broth you add it to.

ingredients for black garlic oil on a neutral backdrop

How to Make Black Garlic Oil

The Ingredients

To make mayu, you’ll need:

Garlic: about 2 heads or 24-25 cloves
Neutral oil: Oil: Vegetable oil, canola oil, grape seed oil or peanut oil.
Sesame Oil (optional)
Chili Oil (optional)

You can adjust the flavour based on your preference. Some are made with just garlic while others add sesame oil, chili oil or both. I like the the combination of all three oils for a richer and bolder flavour with a bit of spice.

Other Variations

You can even take this a step further and add scallions and ginger. If using scallions, fry them first as they have the most water content. Once they begin to brown, add in the ginger and/or garlic. Then blend everything until smooth. Make sure nothing is actually smoking or burning or the taste will be overpowering.

step by step how to make black garlic oil for ramen

The Directions + Tips

Making the perfect mayu is all about timing and being able to control the burning. Be sure to use a non-stick pan.

Micro grate the garlic: You can also do this with garlic slices or whole garlics but it does take longer to fry. I personally like grating it because I feel like I have more control over the burn and I don’t have to blend it later on.
Frying: Add the garlic and oil to a cold pan. Start with medium high heat to get the oil going. Once it starts to brown, reduce the temperature to medium low so that it can fry slowly to retain as much aromatics and flavour. As soon as it becomes just black, turn off the heat and remove it from the stove.
Mix together: Stir in the sesame oil and chili oil. And thats it!

If using whole or sliced garlic, once cooled blend it until smooth. Once cooled, it will keep refrigerated in an air tight container for up to 2 days. However, I highly recommend freezing it to prevent any bacteria from forming. I freeze them into mini ice-cube trays for easy access.

creamy vegan ramen with tofu katsu on top

How to use black garlic oil

This unique condiment is most commonly used for ramen, specifically tonkotsu ramen. However, you can really add it to anything you like! Here are some ideas:

fried rice
stir fried noodles
crispy tofu
avocado toast
white sesame tantanmen
black sesame tantanmen

I hope you’re left inspired to try scorched garlic oil! It will change your ramen game and add another level of flavour you never knew existed. Ramen week is comin’ atcha at the end of November so have a bottle of this ready!!

SAVE IT FOR LATER! ↓

If you recreate this black garlic oil recipe let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment and rating below or by tagging me on Instagram @Okonomikitchen, I love seeing all of your tasty recreations!
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