Is there a difference between purple onions and white onions? in taste or nutrient content. Is one just better for salans and stuff?
Also… how do actually cook kababs? I tried to make keema again (to make kababs i mean) and the taste is not so bad (i cook-tested it twice). What I did was heat up some olive oil, put in the kabab and then covered it and left it on the lowest heat, and then turn it over 10-15 minutes later. But what happens is that while it gets really dark on top and bottom, the sides still stay very light. if that makes any sense. How do I cook it so that its even all over?
The Color of Onions
Onions come in three colors - yellow, red, and white. Approximately 88 percent of the crop is devoted to yellow onion production, with about 7 percent red onions and 5 percent white onions.
Yellow onions are full-flavored and are a reliable standby for cooking almost anything. Yellow onions turn a rich, dark brown when cooked and give French Onion Soup its tangy sweet flavor. The red onion, with its wonderful color, is a good choice for fresh uses or in grilling and char-broiling. White onions are the traditional onion used in classic Mexican cuisine. They have a golden color and sweet flavor when sautéed.
I used to see two types of onions in the UK - the one bit greenish in colour and the other in the dark red colour (like purple). And on some Indian stores, we could find "Indian onion" which is like light red colour or piyazi colour.
:hinna: one thing, i can never get simple stuff right like cutting onions. i tried to cut them very small but they were too big and were falling off hte keema. oh well. but i cooked em, and they actually turned out not so bad mashallah, im happy w/ the result
^ i just recently discovered that the food processor is great for thinly slicing onions. (yea i know im so late) It’s soooo convenient. I can thinly slice up to 3 onions without a problem but anything more then that…my hand starts to hurt and my eyes start to tear
so what are spanish onions? Ive heard that they are good for desi cooking because they are not sweet…any truth to that?
I was actually wondering about this the other day as well. Arent spanish onions just a bigger version of yellow onions
And what are sweet vedalia onions and green onions used for? The only time i ever use green onions is for kababs and shashlak… but I love their taste most… dont think theyd go very well with salan… right?
^ a friend once told me that u can use the lid from a bottle (like jam or salsa etc maybe) as a mould to shape them into perfect round shapes....line one of 'em with some plastic wrap and mould the kababs..I think it should work...:)
Yeah I also use purple onions for salads (sweet).. And yellow onions for cooking.. And I've made some non-desi dishes with spring onions.. Worked really well..! Delicious..! My cousin also uses spring onions for some sandwiches..
sara, do you make the long kebabs or the round ones? and i'm guessing you cook them in a frying pan?
you should try those george foreman type grills. they're relatively inexpensive, and it's so easy making kebabs in them. all you do in put the uncooked meat in, leave it in for 10 mins, open it up, turn them around and cook for another 5-10. and voila! all done!
and the only reason i would use the red onion is in salads. if you were to use a regular yellow onion it leaves that oniony taste in your mouth..the red onions don't do that.
like cutting onions. i tried to cut them very small but they were too big and were falling off hte keema. oh well. but i cooked em, and they actually turned out not so bad mashallah, im happy w/ the result 
