As far as I understand it, the flavor and smell of garlic that we experience is made of mostly volatile compounds that get broken down with heat. So the longer garlic is cooked the less of that pungent smell and flavor is in your final dish. So if you want more garlic flavor in your dishes, you can add it later in the cooking process.
What causes this? As pungent as garlic is, why is there never enough in the dish, no matter how much I add?
As far as I understand it, the flavor and smell of garlic that we experience is made of mostly volatile compounds that get broken down with heat. So the longer garlic is cooked the less of that pungent smell and flavor is in your final dish. So if you want more garlic flavor in your dishes, you can add it later in the cooking process.