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Culinary Dictionary
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| Category: Vegetables and fungi |
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Red Onion | ||
 Red onions, sometimes called purple onions, are cultivars of the onion with purplish red skin and white flesh tinged with red.
Appearance and Taste: Onions tend to be medium to large in size and have a mild to sweet flavor. They are often consumed raw, added for color to salads, and grilled or lightly cooked with other foods. They may loose their redness when cooked. The red color comes from anthocyanidins such as cyanidin. Origin: The onion is believed to have originated in Asia. History: Onions grew in Chinese gardens as early as 5000 years ago and they are referenced in some of the oldest Vedic writings from India. In Egypt, onions can be traced back to 3500 B.C. There is evidence that the Sumerians were growing onions as early as 2500 B.C. One Sumerian text dated to about 2500 B.C. tells of someone plowing over the city governor's onion patch. Nutrition Fact: Red Onions are very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium. It is also a good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin B6, Foliate, Potassium and Manganese, and a very good source of Vitamin C. |