Onion Dishes

[Monica Bhide]

Do you cook any dishes where the onion is the focal point? Ofcourse I am speaking in the context of Indian or Indian inspired cuisine.... Onion pakodas, onion raita, sirke wale pyaz ( onions in vinegar)---

do share.. what type of onion do you select for this dish? Why?

Do you use baby onions or pearl onions?

Inquiring minds want to know

[gingerly]

bharvan piaz aka stuffed onions (i like stuffing things!)

[scott123]

Now this is a topic I can seek my teeth into

Every dish I make is an onion dish. Whatever the recipe says, I always triple the onions, at least. I also caramelize them every time, again, regardless of the recipe.

My aloo ghobi (now just ghobi) get's smothered in onions, as does my butter chicken and my saag paneer. And not just in Indian food either. If it's a savory dish, it's getting crammed with an obscene amount of onions.

Oh onions, my fair onions

I weep for thee

The unfolding mystery

A shrowded veil

Sizzling symphony

Pungent

Brash

Don't you dare burn on me!

The journey to caramelization may be arduous but the view from the top is magnficent

Edited June 29, 2004 by scott123 (log)

[gingerly]

sniff..

[Vikram]

I think you'll find quite a few dishes made with the small Madras onions (have we decided if these are shallots or not?) Onion sambhar is the best of all sambhars, and made to perfection by our maestro at home. In fact I almost never eat dosai with sambhar and chutney outside home, because nothing quite compares to his dosai with onion sambhar.

There's also a curry made with these Madras onions, I ate a very good version at Dakshin in Madras once - very intense, almost to the point of being a pickle. I will say though that onions cooked alone have a wonderful caramelly sweet-savouriness, that can get lost when too many other spices are added.

I mean, its there, providing the background notes and that's why its the infamous single sauce that provides the basis for all curries in bad Indian restaurants, but that pure intense sweet undiluted onioness - for that I have to make an onion jam or just fry them up Western style.

Vikram

[Richie111]

I made murgh do piazza once. I know there is some debate on the etymology of the words "do piazza" but I have heard it means double onions. Largish onion chunks are included in the dish in addition to the base being made with onions. It came out very tasty, and one of my guinea pigs even said it was the best "curry" he had ever eaten.

As for the types of onions, because I enjoy the taste of the onions, I tend to use Vidalia onions which are readily available to me at the grocer and I find them both tasty and a little stronger than some of the sweeter ones.

Richie

[Monica Bhide]

The journey to caramelization may be arduous but the view from the top is magnficent

Scott this is priceless - your signature line perhaps

[chefvinod]

My mom makes a dish from Kerala called "Ulli Theeyal" where Shallots (small button onions ) is the main ingredient. The other ingredients she uses are corriander seeds and coconut ground to a fine paste, ginger, garlic, curryleaves, green chillies, mustard seeds, Hinge(Asafoeteda),curry leaves and tamarind.

[Monica Bhide]

My mom makes a dish from Kerala called "Ulli Theeyal" where Shallots (small button onions ) is the main ingredient. The other ingredients she uses are corriander seeds and coconut ground to a fine paste, ginger, garlic, curryleaves, green chillies, mustard seeds, Hinge(Asafoeteda),curry leaves and tamarind.

Hello ChefVInod! Nice to see you in the India forum. Can you tell us a bit about the method of preparation of this dish. Having cooked with your mom for the eGCI classes, I know her talent. My mouth is already beginning to water!

[easyguru]

Onion bhaji (sabzee) not bhaji ( dumpling) is a common dish in many parts of Maharashtra. It is consumed during the summer as onions are considered as anti dote to heat. Aam ras poli with onion bhaji was a regular menu at our place in summer.

The onion bhaji is simple and here is a recipe we use. The only diffrence is that onions in USA have more moisture and do not have the intensely strong flavor common in Indian onion.

4 large onion cut lengthwise

1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder

Garlic pods 3-4 cut to flakes

1 tsp Turmeric

Mustard

Oil

Salt

Heat oil and put mustard and after half a minute add the garlic flakes, fry for few minute add onion, turmeric and red chilli powder, salt and 1/4 cup water. Cook for 20-25 minutes on low heat till most of the water evaporates. You have to stirr it ocassionaly so that it does not burn. The final product has a slightly sweetish taste.

The other common dish of onion is onion zunka which is made with besan, onion, garlic and green chillis.

[Monica Bhide]

Onion bhaji (sabzee) not bhaji ( dumpling) is a common dish in many parts of Maharashtra. It is consumed during the summer as onions are considered as anti dote to heat. Aam ras poli with onion bhaji was a regular menu at our place in summer.

The onion bhaji is simple and here is a recipe we use. The only diffrence is that onions in USA have more moisture and do not have the intensely strong flavor common in Indian onion.

4 large onion cut lengthwise

1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder

Garlic pods 3-4 cut to flakes

1 tsp Turmeric

Mustard

Oil

Salt

Heat oil and put mustard and after half a minute add the garlic flakes, fry for few minute add onion, turmeric and red chilli powder, salt and 1/4 cup water. Cook for 20-25 minutes on low heat till most of the water evaporates. You have to stirr it ocassionaly so that it does not burn. The final product has a slightly sweetish taste.

The other common dish of onion is onion zunka which is made with besan, onion, garlic and green chillis.

my mother in law makes something similar with spring onions and roasted besan. Its addicting

[chefvinod]

1)Peel and slit shallots into two.

2)Dry roast corriander seed and grated coconut and grind to a fine paste.

3) Heat oil, add mustard seeds, curry leaves and Hing(Asafoeteda)

4) Saute the shallots till translucent, saute green chillies, garlic and ginger.

5)Add red chilly powder, turmeric and the ground masala of corriander and coconut. Saute for a few minutes till the raw flavor of the masala is gone add some water and cook till done. Finish off with tamarind pulp and salt to taste.

Bon Apetit!

[Monica Bhide]

One of my personal favorites is onions stuffed with kheema. I learnt this from my father - prepared kheema is stuffed in hollowed out onions and then the onions are panfried with whole spices. A bit of water is then added to the dish and it is covered to soften the onions a bit. I am working on a variation where I can place the stuffed onions under the broiler to caramelize them a bit

[Vikram]

Does onion mean the whole plant? If so then add spring onion greens, something that I'm mildly addicted to. They have a great blend of saladness and the hint of onion pungency. I love eating them cooked the Gujju way - heat oil, add some chopped up onion and green chillis and saute, then add the chopped greens, cover and let sweat a bit, then remove cover and add some salt and roasted besan into which you've mixed turmeric, chilli powder, dhania-jeera powder and just a little oil which you mix till breadcrumb consistency. Fry the whole lot over a high heat, just a little. The dish looks like a mess, but tastes great.

Vikram

[scott123]

your signature line perhaps 

Signature line? *gulp* That's a pretty big step for me. Let me think about it

[bague25]

Onion bhaji (sabzee) not bhaji ( dumpling) is a common dish in many parts of Maharashtra. It is consumed during the summer as onions are considered as anti dote to heat. Aam ras poli with onion bhaji was a regular menu at our place in summer.

The onion bhaji is simple and here is a recipe we use. The only diffrence is that onions in USA have more moisture and do not have the intensely strong flavor common in Indian onion.

4 large onion cut lengthwise

1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder

Garlic pods 3-4 cut to flakes

1 tsp Turmeric

Mustard

Oil

Salt

Heat oil and put mustard and after half a minute add the garlic flakes, fry for few minute add onion, turmeric and red chilli powder, salt and 1/4 cup water. Cook for 20-25 minutes on low heat till most of the water evaporates. You have to stirr it ocassionaly so that it does not burn. The final product has a slightly sweetish taste.

The other common dish of onion is onion zunka which is made with besan, onion, garlic and green chillis.

We make this bhaji adding the very tiny prawns that you get in Bombay...also some whole cumin the spice list is added...

[sandgaw]

Onion bhaji (sabzee) not bhaji ( dumpling) is a common dish in many parts of Maharashtra. It is consumed during the summer as onions are considered as anti dote to heat. Aam ras poli with onion bhaji was a regular menu at our place in summer.

The onion bhaji is simple and here is a recipe we use. The only diffrence is that onions in USA have more moisture and do not have the intensely strong flavor common in Indian onion.

4 large onion cut lengthwise

1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder

Garlic  pods 3-4 cut to flakes

1 tsp Turmeric

Mustard

Oil

Salt

Heat oil and put mustard and after  half a minute add the garlic flakes, fry for few minute add onion, turmeric and red chilli powder, salt and 1/4 cup water. Cook for 20-25 minutes on low heat till most of the water evaporates. You have to stirr it ocassionaly so that it does not burn.  The final product has a slightly sweetish taste.

The other common dish of onion is onion zunka which is made with besan, onion, garlic and green chillis.

I was going to post the exact same thing! Grandmother used to make this bhaji minus the turmeric, garlic, and water. I guess it was the purest onion dish one could make with only oil and chili powder added to it. It was nicely caramelized but the onions somehow maintained the crispyness, have no idea how.

BTW this recipe went very well with hot Jowar (anyone know the English name for this?) rotis, called bhakri in Maharashtra.

[easyguru]

We make this bhaji adding the very tiny prawns that you get in Bombay...also some whole cumin the spice list is added...