Description:
Onions are believed to have originated in Central Asia but are now cultivated practically all over the world. It is perhaps the most widely eaten vegetable worldwide. The Indian variety of onions are white pink or purple and range in size from small to large. The flavour of onion depends on the variety of the onion. Usually the darker coloured ones are sharper than the lighter coloured ones.
How to select:
Onions are plants whose bulb is used in cooking. The bulb is formed of white fleshy leaves covered with thin, brittle skin.
Use:
They are used to make gravies for curries, in stocks, soups, sauces, salads, raitas and as a garnish. Onions may be eaten raw, broiled, boiled, baked, creamed, steamed, fried or pickled. They are used in soups and stews and combination with vegetables and meats.
How to store:
store it in a cool dry place.
Health benefits:
Onions are low in calories yet add abundant flavour to a wide variety of foods. With only 30 calories per serving, onions are sodium, fat, and cholesterol free, and provide dietary fibre, vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium, and other key nutrients.
Some varieties of onion are listed below :
Spring Onions
Sold in bunches with their green stalks left on. They are either served raw and salted or in salads (the stalks are also used for flavouring).
Shallots
These are the very small onions (almost the size of a clove of garlic) which are extensively used in South Indian cooking.
Onions are available fresh, dried, powdered or flaked.
Onions are used in Indian cookery to flavour, thicken, colour, garnish or accompany dishes. They can be boiled or fried and ground to a paste, used as a base for curries, fried until dark brown as a garnish or simply sliced and served as a salad. They go well with tomatoes, ginger and garlic.
|
