Shallot

A shallot is a type of onion.

It grows in small groups. The skin can be red or gold.

The inside is often white or pink.

People grow them in the spring or fall. The plants have roots and green leaves.

They grow big in the summer.

Shallots taste like onions but are mild. They can make your eyes tear up. People use them in many tasty dishes. They are a fun food to try!

A shallot is a type of onion.

It is part of a group called Allium. This group includes garlic, leeks, and chives.

Shallots grow in clusters. They look like garlic with many small cloves. The skin can be gold, gray, or red. The inside is white with pink or green tints.

Farmers grow shallots in the spring or fall. They plant small parts called offsets in the soil. The plants have roots, leaves, and flowers.

They grow big during the summer. Some bugs, like leek moth larvae, can hurt the plants.

Shallots taste like onions but are more mild. When you slice them, they let out things that make eyes tear up. People use them in many ways. In Asia, they fry them to make crispy chips. In India, they are used in many curries. You can also eat the green leaves. They taste a lot like chives.

A shallot is a special kind of onion.

For a long time, scientists thought it was a different species. They called it Allium ascalonicum. However, in 2010, they changed this. They decided the difference was too small to matter. Now, it is part of the common onion group, Allium cepa.

This group also includes garlic, leeks, and chives. The name shallot comes from old words for onions. Some of these words come from an ancient city called Ascalon.

Growing shallots is a careful way of farming. Farmers do not usually use seeds. Instead, they use small parts called offsets. These offsets are planted in the soil. In some places, farmers plant them in the autumn. In other areas, they plant them in early spring. Usually, they plant in September, October, February, or March. The tops of the bulbs stay just above the ground. The plants grow during the summer. You must watch out for leek moth larvae. These tiny bugs can eat the leaves or the bulbs.

Shallots have a very interesting look.

They grow in clusters like garlic. This means one bulb has many small cloves inside. The skin color can change a lot. It might be golden brown, gray, or rose red. Inside, the flesh is off-white. Sometimes it has green or magenta tints.

A raw shallot is mostly water. It is about 80% water. It also has carbohydrates and protein. It is a good source of vitamin B6. It also has manganese and vitamin C.

People use shallots in many delicious ways.

They taste like onions but are much milder. If you slice them, they make your eyes tear up. This happens because they release substances that irritate the eyes. In Asia, people fry them until they are crispy. These are called bawang goreng in Indonesia. They are used as chips on noodles or rice. In India, tiny shallots are used in many curries. In Iran, people grate them into thick yogurt. They are also used to make a sour side dish called torshi.

There are many different types of shallots around the world.

The French red shallot is a very common one. There is also the Persian shallot from the Zagros Mountains. This one is called musir. Another type is the French gray shallot. This is also called the true shallot. It grows wild across parts of Asia. In Europe, people often use Pikant or Ed's Red types. Each place uses them to make their own special meals. From Nepal to the Philippines, shallots are a key part of cooking.

The shallot is a specific cultivar group of the onion.

For a long time, scientists classified the French red shallot as its own species. They used the scientific name Allium ascalonicum to describe it. However, this changed in 2010 due to new scientific understandings. Researchers decided the differences were too small to justify a separate species. Now, the shallot is classified as Allium cepa var. aggregatum. This means it is a variety of the common onion. It belongs to the larger Allium genus. This group includes many familiar plants like garlic, leeks, chives, and scallions.

Understanding the physical structure of a shallot is helpful. Like garlic, shallots grow in clusters of offsets. These offsets form a head made of multiple small cloves. The outer skin color varies depending on the specific type. You might see skin that is golden brown, gray, or rose red. Inside, the flesh is usually off-white. This flesh can also have tinges of green or magenta. A complete shallot plant consists of several distinct parts. These parts include the roots, bulbs, leaves, stalks, and flowers.

Cultivating shallots requires specific timing and care. Most farmers do not grow them from seeds. Instead, they use offsets to propagate the plants. The planting schedule depends on the local climate. In long-season areas, farmers often plant offsets in the autumn. This usually happens in September or October in the Northern Hemisphere. In other regions, the main crop is planted in early spring. This typically occurs in February or early March. When planting, the tops of the bulbs should remain slightly above the ground. Farmers often pull the soil away once the roots have taken hold. The plants reach maturity during the summer months. One must be careful not to plant them on ground that was recently manured. Farmers must also protect the plants from leek moth larvae. These larvae can damage the plant by mining into the bulbs or leaves.

The nutritional profile of a raw shallot is quite specific. It is composed of 80% water. The remaining portion includes 17% carbohydrates and 2.5% protein. It contains a negligible amount of fat. In a standard 100-gram serving, a raw shallot provides 72 calories. It is considered a rich source of vitamin B6. Specifically, it provides 27% of the Daily Value (DV) for this vitamin. It also provides moderate amounts of manganese at 14% DV. Additionally, it offers 10% DV of vitamin C. No other micronutrients are found in significant amounts.

Shallots are highly valued in global culinary traditions. They have a flavor similar to onions but are much milder. If you slice a raw shallot, it will release substances that irritate the eyes. This chemical reaction causes the production of tears. In Southeast Asian cooking, shallots are often used as elementary spices. In Indonesia, they are finely chopped and fried until golden brown. These crispy chips are known as bawang goreng. They are used as a condiment for dishes like fried rice or noodles. In the Philippines, the bulbs and leaves are used for a spicy condiment called palapa. In Iran, grated shallot is often mixed into dense yogurt. It is also used in torshi, which is a sour vegetable side dish. In India, tiny varieties are used in curries and sambar. In Kashmir, they are used in Wazwan cuisine to prevent curry from turning black.

There are several distinct types of shallots recognized globally. The term "shallot" often refers to the French red shallot. Another variety is the Persian shallot, or musir. This type comes from the Zagros Mountains in Iran and Iraq. There is also the French gray shallot, known as Allium oschaninii. Some people call this the "true shallot" or griselle. This variety grows wild from Southwest Asia to Central Asia. In Europe, the most common types are Pikant, Atlas, and Ed's Red. Different regions use these specific varieties to achieve unique flavors in their traditional recipes.

The history of the name shallot is also quite interesting. The names "scallion" and "shallot" come from the Old French word "eschalote." This term traces back to the Latin word "ascalonia," or Ascalonian onion. This name was taken from the ancient city of Ascalon. In some places, the name usage varies by location. For example, in New South Wales, Australia, the term shallot refers to a scallion. In Quebec, English-speaking people also use the term this way. Pronunciation also changes based on geography. In most English-speaking nations, the emphasis is on the last syllable. However, in the United States, people often emphasize the first syllable.