Garlic is one of the most commonly used ingredients in cooking worldwide that adds a flavor and a mouthwatering aroma to any dish, which only intensifies when the garlic is cut. Some recipes call for minced garlic, while others require chopped garlic, and although they may sound similar, there is a difference.

The smaller the pieces, the stronger the flavor, and for chopped garlic, there is no need to be precise — just cut the cloves into small pieces. For a minced cut, roughly chop the cloves and then keep chopping or use a garlic press to cut the pieces into the perfect size, which MasterClass says should only be as big as "a pearl of couscous."

Whether chopping or mincing garlic, prep by cutting off the root end of the clove and, using a chef's knife held on its side, press down the heel of your hand on the blade's side to crush the garlic on a cutting board. Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay recommends using salt to keep the clove from slipping while cutting or pulsing it in a mini food processor.