Onions

Onions are considered as a basic ingredient or the fundamental of Indian cooking for making any gravy, curry or bhuna dishes. The flavor and aroma of onion turns any normal dish into mouth watering and delicious one. The size, taste and color of onions depends upon its variety. Onions are available in three colors i.e red, yellow and white.

The word onion has come from the Latin word unio, which means single or one. Its because the onion is producing only a single bulb and isn’t it strange? when we cut the onion, it consists a union of many separate and ordered layers.

Yellow onions is most probably of tangy sweet flavor and is mainly used for making french soups and side dishes. For grilling and charbroiling, the red onions are used and the white onions are usual to use for any type of traditional and modern dishes. The nice and rich transparent or golden brown color comes out after saute the white onion which gives ultimate taste to the recipes.

You can cut the onions in various different ways to make the variety of recipes, they can be chopped, sliced, shredded, powdered, etc. The onions can be used for making the salads, pickles, chutneys, soups, gravies and so on. They are the good accompaniments or side servings as the fried rings, kachumbers, chip onions and many more.

The production of onion is just like a bulb onion, which is known as matured onion when grown fully. The most often used onion is the bigger and mature onion bulb, where as they can be eaten in their minor stage also.

In Indian onion is available in so many ways such as canned onions, pickled onions, chopped onions and sometimes you will get the powdered one, caramelized, frozen and fresh. Unlike there are different types of onions, they are to be stored in different ways as well.

The onions which are used for cooking purpose and having little sweet flavor are to be stored at room temperature, whereas the leeks and green onions are to be refrigerated.

The onion powder is to be used for flavoring and seasoning the recipes. It is the finely grounded and dehydrated onions and has the various colors like white, red, toasted and yellow. Clinically or scientifically the onion is known as Allium cepa.

It is true that onions are the reason of our tears sometimes. But we can not deny that the delightful and amazing taste buds of our recipes are of no mean without these tears. While choosing the onions make sure that they should be dry enough, the skin must be bright and shiny. The wet and powdery patches on the skin of onions is the symbol of spoiled ones. These onions are of inferior quality.

USES OF ONIONS:

1. The chopped onion is to be used for making variety of soups, raitas, gravies and bhuna masala recipes.
2. It is truly said that any kitchen and any type of cuisine is incomplete and impossible without the smell and fragrance of the onions. They are to be used almost in every recipe.
3. The slices of onions has a great use for making brown onions, for making red gravies. The slices are also used for making salads, kachumbers, wraps and rolls.
4. The kanda bhajiya are onion bhajiya which is the most leading chaat recipe of Mumbai and is impossible to make without these onions.
5. The onion rings and wedges are great side dish’s to serve in any cocktail or mocktail parties.

STORAGE:

1. The Onions should be stored at dry place and should be kept away from all the vegetables. Its because the moisture or water of onions spreads very fast and can damage your other veggies.
2. The leftover onion should be kept in air tight container and refrigerate for few days. Use it as soon as possible.

BENEFITS:

1. People who are suffering from the problem of high cholesterol or heart disorders having the valuable benefits from the consumption of onions.
2. Onion is one of the best source to provide phosphorous, manganese, folate, copper, molybdenum and vitamin B6 to your body.
3. They are extremely good source of chromium, dietary fiber and vitamin C.
4. The smell and taste of onions are being identified as the great substances for fighting the cancer.
5. The equal ration of onion juice and honey is a great remedy for cough, cold, influenza and bronchitis.