In India, summer is very hot but winter is mild-to-moderately cool. The chilly months are the perfect time to relish a variety of seasonal vegetables in different colours and tastes. Spring onion is one such winter-special vegetable.
The tubular green leaves grow directly from the bulb and are used or cooked in a variety of dishes. The lovely, hollow, green vegetable makes its way to salads, sandwiches, seafood dishes, curries, noodles and even chutneys.
Stir fried spring onions are also a favourite to relish with roti or chapatis. In this article, I will share some funny and tasty recipes that use spring onions.
Uses of Spring Onions in Bengali & Indian Cooking
Peyajkoli bhaja is the easiest recipe that you can cook with spring onions. Sometimes, potatoes are also added to the fries and then, it is called aloo-peyajkoli bhaja.
The mild, sweet taste works well with a plateful of steaming rice and a bowl of lentils (preferably pink lentils or moong dal). Spring Onion and Aloo Bhaja is a veg dish liked by many Bongs.
Prawn and spring onion stir fry? Have you ever given it a try? If not, please try in your kitchen. Toss some ginger (Julian cut preferred) and voila!! You can enjoy it with roti or rice.
Aloo-peyajkoli torkari is another simple-to-cook yet delicious-to-taste recipe that works best with roti, chapatti or even luchi/paratha. A dash of turmeric and coriander powder is enough to flavour it up.
Spring onions are a favourite choice to whip up winter salads. The crunchy bites that it brings to salads make a simple dish truly scrumptious.
They are also a part of gorgeous sandwiches. An assortment of colourful winter vegetables shrouded under the snow of mayonnaise and sheet of shredded cheese – oh, how can I go on describing the delight without munching on the crunchy vegetables with creamy layers bedded between two pieces of bread?
Though pyajkali is not usually used in meat preparations, it often goes into a variety of fish recipes. Seafood delicacies taste truly awesome if cooked with this green vegetable. Pomfret curry is a common seafood dish that makes a generous use of spring onions.
Mushroom and spring onion curry is not a regular dish in Indian households but can definitely do justice to the finical foodie that you are. Exchange of flavours makes them tastier and gives a unique and ultimate spin to the dish.
Spring onion finds versatile uses in South Indian cuisines. It is lovingly used in making salads, curries and even chutneys.
Have you ever heard of spring onion pickle? Well, I have only recently. I always keep saying the Indians are the masters (better to say gifted artists?) of pickle making. Throw them anything and they will turn it into pickles.
What Part of Spring Onions Should You Use?
This green vegetable has two main parts – a small white bulb and a long, slender green top.
Both parts are edible either raw or cooked. They have flavours similar to onions’ though not very sharp.
Do You Need to Peel Spring Onions?
Usually, they don’t need peeling. However, if the outer layers appear papery or brown, you should peel it off.
Make sure to trim spring onions and rinse them properly.
Questions & Answers:
How Does Spring Onions Taste?
Young, freshly picked spring onions taste mildly sweet.
How Do You Eat Spring Onion?
You can eat spring onions raw or cooked.
How Far Up Do You Cut a Spring Onion?
All the way up to the end you can cut the spring onion.
Should You Fry Spring Onion?
Yes, a slender tube is cut into small pieces and stir fried. Spring onions taste very good.
How Do You Cut Spring Onions for Stir Fry?
I prefer small-to-medium sizes for stir fry. However, avoid chopping.
What are the Spring Onions Called in Different Languages?
Spring onion is called gandana/kanda in Hindi, peyajkoli in Bengali, cheriya in Punjabi, ulli paraka in Telugu, pallari vengayam in Tamil, chuvannulli/cheriya ulli in Malayalam.
