How to cook onions correctly and how much: a guide for beginner cooks

Onions are widely used in cooking and folk medicine, not only fresh, but also boiled. Boiled onions are good for the body and nutritious. It is important to cook it correctly, preserving most of the essential microelements and vitamins. To do this, it is worth considering the cooking time for one or another cutting method, as well as choosing the right raw materials for cooking.

Some facts about boiled onions

Boiled onions retains most nutrients and brings no less benefits to the body than raw.

Benefits and harms

The beneficial properties of boiled vegetables are as follows::

• supplying the body with vitamins and microelements;
• strengthening the immune system;
• anti-inflammatory effect in ENT diseases;
• normalization of the pancreas;
• purification of blood from cholesterol;
• rapid healing of wounds;
• bactericidal effect;
• expectorant effect;
• normalization of salt metabolism and removal of excess fluid;
• reduction of muscle spasms;
• strengthening blood vessels;
• increased appetite.

However, this product if consumed in excess, may cause:

• increased stomach acidity and heartburn;
• gas formation in the intestines;
• headache;
• decreased muscle tone;
• lethargy and drowsiness;
• in rare cases, allergies.

KBZHU

100 g of product contains:

• calories – 44 kcal;
• proteins – 1.4 g;
• fat – 0.2 g;
• carbohydrates – 8.8 g.

Boiled onions are suitable for dietary nutrition – it has a low glycemic index.

Application

Boiled onions are used in folk medicine:

1. Boiled onions, crushed into pulp, mixed with honey, are used in the fight against wet cough in children.
2. Boiled onion gruel treat boils, acne, calluses and warts.
3. Due to its positive effect on the gastrointestinal tract, boiled onions are included in diets for pancreatitis, stomach ulcers and gastritis.
4. It is used in the complex treatment of diabetes due to its glycogen content, which normalizes blood glucose levels, and iodine, which improves metabolic processes in the body.

In cooking it is used as an original side dish. or fillings for pies not only as part of other products, but also separately. Vegetable broth is made from it, which is used to make soups or sauces. It is also added to salads if fresh onions are contraindicated.

How many minutes does it take to cook onions?

Cooking time depends on the cutting method (whole, in parts, rings, half rings, small pieces) and the utensils used (pots, steamers):

1. In a saucepan. Onions cut into several pieces will be cooked within 5 minutes after boiling; half rings or small squares will be ready in 2-3 minutes.
2. In a steamer. The vegetable will be ready in 5-7 minutes. Before adding raw materials, it is better to lubricate the steamer grate with vegetable oil.
3. Entirely. Boiled onions are used as cups for salads and other appetizers. The cooking time depends on the size of the heads: small and medium ones are cooked for 5-7 minutes, large ones for 7-10 minutes.

Watch the cooking time - overcooked onions lose their shape, taste and most of the nutrients, becomes watery and falls apart.

Interesting things on the site:

Useful properties of stewed onions

How to fry onions correctly

How to cook onions correctly

Before you buy an onion, inspect it carefully. Signs of a quality vegetable:

• the head is elastic and dense;
• the husk is golden brown;
• the vegetable itself is dry, without the smell of mold, stains, rot;
• the tail of the onion is also dry.

Before cooking, the raw materials are prepared:

1. The root part and top are cut off with a sharp knife.
2. Then the husks are removed. As a rule, this vegetable has two layers of husk - upper and lower. You can peel the entire onion or remove only the top layer. It depends on the dish where boiled onions are used. For example, if it is boiled in broth, then the bottom layer of husk is left to give the dish a golden color.
3. Next, the damaged parts of the onion are removed and left whole or cut into pieces. The knife is moistened with cold water so that the onion juice does not sting the eyes.

If you keep the onions in cold water before cooking about 20 minutes, they will cook faster.

Cooking instructions

Procedure:

1. Pour 500-1000 ml of water or broth into a saucepan and place on the stove.
2. Wait for the liquid to boil. At this stage, you can add 1 tsp to it. salt. If the product is boiled in water, add 1-2 tbsp if desired. l. vegetable oil, which will make the vegetable softer while maintaining its shape. If boiled onions are served as a side dish, for example, with meat, various spices and aromatic herbs are added to the water.
3. When the water boils, place chopped or whole onions into the pan and cover with a lid. Cook for 2-10 minutes in boiling water.
4. When using a double boiler, place the raw materials in the oiled bowl of the device, pour water into the reservoir and set the desired mode.

How to check readiness

A whole cooked vegetable is pierced with a knife.: If it goes in easily, the bulbs are ready.To check the doneness of chopped onions, fish out a piece and taste it on your teeth or pierce it with a toothpick/fork. The cooked onion is soft, easily chewed into a pulp, and the tip of a sharp object enters it without difficulty.

Conclusion

Boiled onions are a healthy and tasty vegetable that is used not only for medicinal purposes and in cooking, but also as an independent dish. The main thing is to choose a good quality product and strictly adhere to the cooking time.