How to Use Crispy Fried Onions?

It’s difficult to think of a life without onions. They are used in various recipes across the world. Chances are they’re on our shopping list more weeks than not. Once you purchase crispy onions for garnish, do you know how fried onions save time? If you are not aware of it, onions have pretty much become omnipresent. Below in this article, we will cover the How to Use Crispy Fried Onions.

Used in Several Dishes:

Fried onions are a staple ingredient in South Asian cooking. Here’s where they are used in gravies and curries. They are used for layering and adding flavour, like in Biryanis and Pulaos. They are also used as garnishing or toppings on dals and haleem. They are also used in certain kebab marinations and dam keema, and more. 

Onions originate from Central Asia; they have been known to be used in prehistoric diets, revered by ancient Egyptians, and used as a currency by Medieval Europeans. But what’s the best technique for storing fried onions? If you’re curious about how to store fired onions or prolong their shelf life, then read this post. There are three things to watch out for regarding the long-term storage of fried onions: oxygen, moisture and light.  

Freshly made crispy fried onions are usually used as garnishes in restaurants and at home. It adds flavour to your soups, salads and other Asian dishes when sprinkled on them. Hence, to ensure freshness and quality, we should make them at home. Otherwise, you can also purchase crispy onion for garnish in most supermarkets or from an online store. 

Do you want to know how to store onions?

One of the best ways to increase the shelf life and keep onions fresh is to store them whole. Place them in a well-ventilated, cool dark place, between 40-50f (4-10c). Onions will begin to sprout and rot if exposed to too much moisture and light.

You can store onions by tying their stalks to rope or string and hanging them. You can also put onions in plastic mesh tubing or old tights. Once placed in these, you need to tie a knot around each onion to allow the maximum amount of air to flow around them. 

Do not store them in a plastic bag for long as they are not breathable. Doing so will cause moisture to collect in the bag and fasten the rotting process. Alternatively, keep them in a woven basket.

Onions will last longer in dry and cool seasons due to the air’s lack of moisture. So, expect onions to have a small shelf life in the summer than in the winter, even when storing them optimally.

Half onions once cut; onions will begin to decay quickly. Therefore, they are not suitable for storing in the pantry, and they should be stored in a refrigerator instead. Chopped/sliced onions should also be stored in a refrigerator.

Key things to know about frying onions:

You should need to choose the right onions as there are six kinds of onions:

• Red onion
• white onions,
• yellow onions,
• sweet onions,
• shallots and
• Scallions / Green onions

There are many ideal onions for frying; one of them is sweet onions. They have a uniform colour throughout and the perfect amount of natural sugars that fry up to give you a uniform golden brown colour. But they don’t have thin layers, which, when you sliced, will not provide nice thin slivers. Thin layers are essential for that crispy frying. You can use any red onion, white onion or sweet onion, as long as they have thin layers. And you will have great results. 

How to know when onions have gone bad?

There are broadly three things that help to tell you when onions have gone bad. Let’s look at them: 

Appearance: Whole onions that have gone bad may start developing dark spots on their exterior layer, which will begin to grow mould. Moreover, they will also start sprouting green shoots from the top. As for half, sliced or chopped onions, you might see mould develops on them. This looks like thin white hairs. 

Feel: Whole onions should be firm and smooth. If you find they have soft areas, it is a sign that they have started to go bad. For a half, sliced and chopped onions, they will have gone bad if they have a slimy texture to them.

Smell: Onions that are starting to rot will also start to smell bad in some time. Whilst most people find that onions have already unpleasant smell, anything that doesn’t smell like onions, or smells even worse, means that they have gone bad.

Fried onions: Are they worth the time and effort?

It’s more convenient, often cheaper, and also somewhat more reliable to just buy a package of fried onions. But on the other side, you can prepare your home made crispy onions with pride. It’s easy, quick, and the result is perfectly crunchy fried onions.