Hiroe Rose
Sep 20, 2016
What's so special about cooking onion? What's the big deal? You might say.
But here are a few tips which are good to know.
Onion is actually related to lily family. They can be eaten raw or cooked.
There are many kinds of onions, but I'd talk about the most common, round one with thin orange/brown skin and white flesh - yellow onion. They give such a wonderful sweetness when slowly cooked until transparent and tender. However, if you want them to be crispy, like in Wok, cook them quickly in high heat.
When buying, pick the ones with dry, papery skin, and heavy for its size.
White onion has slightly milder flavor than yellow onion.
When buying, pick the ones with dry, papery skin, and heavy for its size.
Red onion tends to change color when cooked (into blue/green.) They are red in the naturally acidic onion, but when the red onion encounters alkaline environment, it changes color into blue-green. Thus, I'd recommend eating red onion raw - in salad, for example. They are much milder in flavor than ones with orange/brown skin.
When buying, pick the ones with dry, papery skin, and heavy for its size.
Shallot onion is super mild, and they can be eaten raw or cooked. They are formed more like garlic than onions with multiple cloves. They are wonderful for making sauces as well. Banana shallot is longer as its name, and easier to slice, but it's the same shallot.
When buying, pick the ones with dry, papery skin, and heavy for its size
Scallion, green onion, and spring onion are the same onion with long hollow green leaves. They give wonderful accent in dishes as well as flavor.
When buying, pick the fresh, crisp, firm ones.