How to store garlic in hot and humid tropical climate?

Question

I live on a tropical island where it is almost 100% humidity year round and average daily temperature is something like 32 degrees celsius (89 fahrenheit) with nighttime temperatures seldom going below 27 degrees (80 fahrenheit).

I need to store garlic for a long time because I live alone and the supermarkets here sell garlic in large bags with too many to be finished in a week. But everywhere I searched online tells me to store in in cool dark place and never put it in the fridge as they sprout quickly. However there are no cool dark places in the tropics! They usually go bad so quickly and I have to waste a bunch which is a shame because I love cooking with garlic.

Answer 1

A root cellar would be the classic situation: a space dug under a building that’s deep enough that it stays cooler than on the surface. But they can hold a bit of moisture, so may not be best for dried items. (I guess you could put them in a jar, then down in the hole?)

You can also make a cooling jar by taking two unglazed pots, and filling the space between with sand. Keep the sand damp on hot days and it will result in evaporative cooling to keep the insides at a lower temperature. (But again, this is wet, so you might need to protect the garlic from the humidity)

I would recommend talking to older folks on the island. Chances are, some of them remember what techniques were used before modern conveniences to keep food from spoiling, and they would be most likely to work given your climate.

You could also preserve the garlic. It won’t be the same flavor, but black garlic (low temperature fermented/cooked?) has a much longer shelf life than raw garlic.

Another option would be to make friends with your neighbors and split a bag with them.

Answer 2

They sell the minced garlic in a jar in an oil. That one is better because you won't worry about it going bad. Look for it where the mustard and the sauces are.