ONION – NOT THE HERO BUT A POWERFUL CHARACTER ACTOR

 

Onions have been used in cooking for thousands of years, with records going as far back as 5000 BC in ancient China. There are records of dishes containing onion from ancient Egypt, Persia, and India, along with China and most historians assume onions were most probably first domesticated in the region between East Asia and the Arabian Peninsula. Since then onions have been brought to all the continents through trade and/or conquest.

 

They are an easy growing crop, store very well, grow abundantly, are cheap, and provide a lot of flavor to any dish. In fact, onions are better as a secondary vegetable, like the canvas on which other vegetables and meat can showcase their flavors. The oniony smell we get a whiff of is actually sulphur. When onions are cooked they release their pungency, and the more you cook them the stronger the smell. Shallots are milder than onions, but still have a nice flavour to them. They may also remind you a little of garlic, but they’re an overall milder option. Green onions and spring onions are the same, and they’re both just an underdeveloped, young onion that’s just sprouted. Leeks are like oversized green onions. They’re a little milder than regular onions, but have a bit of a ‘fresh’, green flavour to them. They’re also way more fibrous.

 

The power of the onion lies in its versatility. It’s versatile because it can be used to give flavor to both hot and cold preparations. Added raw, it gives foods a sharp bite that excites the palate. That sharpness begins to fade when cooked and becomes very sweet when caramelized. Unless you absolutely burn them, onions never lend bitterness to foods. Instead they fill the middle palate with flavor, especially when paired with other aromatics like carrots, celery, garlic, ginger and chili peppers. That’s why onions make up the bulk of the flavor foundation in most cuisines. Sofrito, mirepoix, the trinity, call it what you like, they’re all based on onions that have been sweat or caramelized to sweetness. That sweetness, paired with the other aromatics, fills the middle ground in the flavor of most dishes. Without it, you’d get lots of bright acidic and deep spice notes in food, but little in-between.

 

After all, what would bhel puri be without onions? Chole Bature without rings of raw onions, can you even imagine? A Rogan Josh with the onions missing, is it even legal? Take away the onions from these delicacies and you have taken away their soul. That’s why onions are so powerful. They round out the flavor profile of your food. Be it a Mutton Biryani or Achari Aloo, onions are always in the background, making the dish what it is. Once in a while onions have a lead role, such as in onion bhajjias where the succulent, tangy sliced onions dipped in a batter of besan are deep fried into crisp fritters, to be savoured with mint chutney. More often than not, though, onions are invisible artistes – you don’t see them but you know the show holds up because of them – not the hero of the movie but a powerful supporting actor like Gabber of Sholey!

 

Every time, the price of onions goes high, Delhi comes to a standstill because onions, potatoes and tomatoes are the backbone of Indian cooking. Escalating onion prices have toppled governments and so, though certain religious groups like the Jains do not consume onions, their prices are very closely monitored by the government lest they land in existential crisis.  Once, during an onion crisis, a newspaper report noted that “India consumes on an average 40 lakh tons of onion a year and 3000 tons is the daily demand of Delhi alone!”

 

Benefits of Onion

Besides being a popular vegetable used in curry and salad, sandwich and jhal muri or an additive to biriyani and kebab onions have many other benefits. Onion has been suggested to be effective in treating a broad range of disorders, including asthma, inflammatory disorders, dysentery, wounds, scars, keloids and pain. In addition, different studies have demonstrated that onion possesses numerous pharmacological properties, including anti-cancer, anti-diabetic and anti-platelet properties as well as the effect on bone, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, nervous, respiratory, and uro-genital systems effects such as anti-osteoporosis, anti-hypertensive, antispasmodic, anti-diarrheal, neuro-protective, anti-asthmatic and diuretic effects. Here are a few common benefits of onion:

1. They Can Calm Colic - If you have a colicky child, then we bet you’ve tried everything you can think of to ease the constant crying. One age-old remedy suggests giving the child a teaspoon of onion water. To do this you can simply boil an onion in a pot of water. It’s a bit of a strange idea, but plenty of mothers out there swear by this miracle tonic.
2. They Can Soothe a Sore throat – If you do not reach for a cough syrup all the time you should definitely try eating a few slices of raw or pickled onions. As onions are known for their antibacterial powers, this veggie generally works best if you have some sort of infection.
3. They Can Cool Sunburn -  To heal your sunburn faster, apply a generous layer of onion juice to the affected areas. You can either extract the juice by blending an onion, or you can buy a bottle of it from your local health store.
4. They Can Reduce a Fever - Ancient Chinese medicine states that onions are natural anti-pyretics but only when used topically. It’s actually best to keep them as close to your feet as possible. Simply throw a couple of pieces in each sock at night, and by morning, you should feel much better, with a smelly feet though.
5. They Can Help You Sleep Better - Insomnia is a crippling condition and  if you’re looking for a natural way to help you fall asleep, cut up an onion and place it in a glass beside your bed. Every time you wake up or find yourself sleepless, take a sniff of the onion. It’s definitely worth a try.
6. They Can Help Relieve Bee Stings - If you or a loved one ever end up getting stung by a bee, simply slice up an onion and hold it to the sting. The onion’s natural antibacterial properties will help remove the toxins from the sting, making it hurt less.
7. They Can Repel Mosquitoes - Not only are mosquito bites extremely annoying, they can also cause serious health issues like malaria, dengue and chikungunia. Unfortunately, many people use sprays that can be just as harmful as the bugs themselves. So, instead of relying on chemicals to keep these biters at bay, just rub some onion juice on your exposed area. Mosquitoes hate the smell.
8. They improve the quality of scars – When scars are in their formative stages the Allium Cepa helps their maturation and prevents them from getting hypertrophied and itchy. It may not treat keloids once they are formed but it can surely prevent their formation.

 

And you thought that onions were only to add taste and flavor to your food!