What happens if you fry red onions instead of white and is it possible to do so?

There are situations when, when preparing a dish, you have to select replacement products. We started stewing meat for lunch, but we didn’t have any white onions on hand, only purple ones.

The question arises - is it possible to fry red onions? From the article you will learn: whether it is worth using sweet salad onions in hot dishes, what products they are combined with and what to cook from them.

Chemical composition and nutritional value of red onion

Red onions owe their color to glycosides - quercetin and other flavonoids. These plant substances are characterized by antioxidant and bactericidal effects.

The product contains a lot of ascorbic acid, B vitamins, sulfur and chromium. These components make it a valuable product for the prevention of diseases of the heart, blood vessels, liver, genitourinary system, and endocrine system.

Red onions are often called “Crimean” or “Yalta”, however, this variety includes many other varieties with varying degrees of heat, bitterness and sweetness.

Phytoncides and essential oils contained in red onions kill fungi, viruses and bacteria, improve appetite, speed up metabolism.

The table shows the chemical composition of red onion (per 100 g).

Nutritional value of the product per 100 g:

• calorie content - 32 kcal;
• proteins - 0.8 g;
• fats - 0 g;
• carbohydrates - 7.6 g;
• fiber - 0.9 g;
• water - 91.24 g.

Is it possible to fry red onions and what to cook them with?

Red onion Suitable for frying in vegetable oil, just like regular onions. However, culinary experts consider this method of using the product wasteful, given the high cost of red onions compared to white onions in yellow husks.

It is important to remember that during heat treatment, onions lose more than half of the ascorbic acid it contains. The amount of folic acid, calcium and magnesium is also reduced. To get full set of useful substances, purple onions are preferably consumed raw.

It is not advisable to use this product for preparing clear soups and broths so as not to spoil the appearance of the dish. The vegetable goes best with fresh tomatoes or tomato paste in borscht, purple bean and lentil soups.

In Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine, red onions are caramelized. To do this, sprinkle it with granulated sugar and simmer for a long time in olive oil or butter. Then the onion is used as a component of thick soups, filling for pies, and various sauces.

Advice. Cut the onion into thick rings, drizzle with vegetable oil and grill.This appetizer will be a harmonious addition to meat cooked over charcoal.

With potatoes

Red onions give potatoes a special taste and aroma: when fried, they become sweet, like sugar. When preparing this side dish, it is important to consider the cooking time of each ingredient. Onions cook much faster than potatoes, so they are placed in the pan 5-7 minutes before the end of cooking.

Boiled potatoes can be seasoned by frying red onions with a little garlic. To do this, simmer the onion slices in butter for 2-3 minutes, add chopped garlic in any way and season the potatoes. Sprinkle fresh dill or parsley on top.

With meat

To prepare roast pork and veal, it is important to consider the cooking time of the ingredients. First, place the prepared meat in a frying pan, brown it over high heat, then simmer under the lid for 10-20 minutes, depending on the type, add chopped onion and fry until the dish is ready.

When preparing liver and chicken, first add onion, fry for 2-3 minutes, then add the main ingredient. This is due to the speed of cooking chicken meat and liver.

With mushrooms

Champignons and oyster mushrooms are cooked at the same time as onions. Due to their denser structure, wild mushrooms are fried separately. Add the prepared onion 10 minutes before the end of frying.

Advice. Place the mushrooms in a frying pan in a small layer, cook over high heat and add salt at the end of cooking to get a fried or stewed dish. Mushrooms, especially champignons, release a lot of liquid during heat treatment, and salt enhances the release of juices.

With seafood

When preparing squid, mussels, shrimp and other seafood, first fry finely chopped onion for 1-2 minutes, then add the remaining ingredients. All dishes are cooked over high heat for no longer than 10 minutes, otherwise the seafood will become tough.

With eggs

Scrambled eggs with tomatoes and onions are loved and prepared by many housewives. No special culinary skills are required here. Just cut the red onion into rings, lightly fry in butter, add chopped tomatoes and beat in the eggs.

Taste Differences Between Fried Red and White Onions

Most people don't notice any difference in taste between fried red onions and regular onions. However, purple becomes sweeter after frying. Visible differences relate to appearance - Yalta onion acquires a brown or brown tint. To hide the unattractive color, fried onions can be mixed with tomato sauce. This is an excellent solution both in taste and in appearance.

White onions are most often used for frying. It retains its structure, loses its pungency and bitterness, acquiring a sweetish taste. The vegetable is suitable for preparing crispy snacks for beer; when fried over intense heat, it becomes covered with a crispy crust. The most famous snack for an intoxicating drink is onion rings in batter.

If you don't have white onions on hand, you can replace them with red ones. It is suitable for preparing many dishes, dressing for borscht and soups, warm salads.

Dishes with red onions

Red or purple onions are added to many hot or cold dishes. Sauces with it acquire a pleasant sweetish taste, and in fresh salads it has a pleasant crunch.

Nectarine and tomato ketchup

This sauce is delicious, sweet-spicy and a little spicy.

Ingredients:

• nectarines - 5 pcs.;
• tomatoes - 5 pcs.;
• red onion - 1 pc.;
• garlic - 5 cloves;
• ginger - a thumb-sized piece;
• cane sugar - 100 g;
• apple cider vinegar - 100 ml;
• tomato paste - 1 tbsp. l.;
• bay leaf - 1 pc.;
• chili pepper - 1 pc.;
• cardamom - 2 boxes;
• coriander beans - 1 tsp;
• salt - 1 tsp.

Preparation:

1. Grind coriander, cardamom and bay leaf in a mortar. Large factions must remain.
2. Place the spices in a saucepan, pour in the vinegar and add sugar. Cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves.
3. Cut tomatoes and nectarines into large pieces and place in a saucepan.
4. Chop the chili and garlic, cut the onion into small cubes, put in a pan and add the paste.
5. Bring to a boil and cook over low heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring the ingredients.
6. Pass the mixture through a sieve or puree in a blender. Pour into the pan and cook for another 15 minutes.
7. Pour the hot sauce into clean 250g jars and seal. After cooling, store in the refrigerator.

Chickpea salad

This recipe makes a delicious and satisfying salad. It is good both as a side dish for meat and as an independent dish.

Ingredients:

• boiled chickpeas - 300 g;
• pitted olives - 100 g;
• Crimean onion - 1 pc.;
• tomatoes - 1 pc.;
• parsley or cilantro - 1 bunch;
• lemon juice - 1 tbsp. l.;
• olive oil - 2 tbsp. l.;
• salt, pepper - to taste.

Preparation:

1. Place boiled chickpeas in a deep bowl, add finely chopped onion and herbs.
2. Cut olives into slices, tomatoes into slices. Add ingredients to chickpeas.
3. Season the salad with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Let it brew for 20 minutes.

Chicken fillet with lemongrass

The subtle and pleasant aroma of lemongrass complements the tender chicken fillet, and lime adds refreshing citrus notes.

Ingredients:

• chicken fillet - 300 g;
• red flat onion - 1 pc.;
• lemongrass - 2 stems;
• garlic - 3 cloves;
• lime - 3 pcs.;
• soy sauce - 3 tbsp. l.;
• cane sugar - 1 tbsp. l.;
• ground coriander - 0.5 tsp;
• chili pepper flakes, salt to taste;
• mint - to taste;
• vegetable oil - 2 tbsp. l.

Preparation:

1. Cut the fillet into small pieces, place in a deep bowl and add onion, cut into half rings. Add spices, soy sauce, lemongrass.
2. Cut the lime into pieces and add to the bird. Stir and refrigerate to marinate for 2 hours.
3. Fry the prepared chicken pieces in oil for 5-7 minutes. Place the contents of the marinade in a frying pan and simmer, covering with a lid, for 15 minutes.
4. Serve with a side dish of rice and sauce.

Pico de gallo - Mexican sauce

This is a cold sauce that is served as a side dish for tacos and fajitas or as an appetizer on its own. The sauce has a refreshing and at the same time spicy taste, and is included in the list of unchanging dishes of traditional Mexican cuisine.

Adjust the heat as you wish by adding less pepper. In Mexico, the sauce is combined with heavy cream, sour cream, and black bean paste. These products slightly extinguish the fire in the mouth, the severity increases gradually.

Ingredients:

• tomatoes - 3 pcs.;
• purple onion - 2 pcs.;
• sugar - 2 tsp;
• coarse salt - 1 tsp;
• lime juice - 1 tbsp. l.
• chili pepper or cayenne, jalapeno, habañero - 1-2 pcs.;
• Extra virgin olive oil - 3 tbsp. l.;
• garlic - 2 cloves.

Preparation:

1. Cut the onion into small cubes, place in a bowl, add sugar, salt and lime juice. Stir and leave to brew.
2. Finely chop the garlic with a sharp knife and add it to the onion.
3. Pour boiling water over the tomatoes and remove the skin, remove the stem and cut into small cubes.
4. Finely chop the hot pepper along with the seeds and add to the tomatoes.
5. Combine tomatoes with onions, season with oil, stir and serve.

Conclusion

Do they fry red onions? Of course, yes, especially when there was no white onion at hand. When heat treated, the product becomes sweet, like caramel, but at the same time changes color from purple to brown or brown.

The product is fried together with potatoes, meat, mushrooms, seafood, following the rules for placing ingredients in a frying pan. Potatoes and red meat take longer to cook, so add onions 5-7 minutes before the dish is ready. Tender poultry, liver, and seafood cook quickly, so the components are fried almost simultaneously.