Shallots

Although European shallots, familiar to most Westerners, are available in American supermarkets, they are larger and closer in flavor to onions than Asian shallots. The drastically different size can cause major flavor variances when using a foreign book in your home, especially if the recipe has fifteen shallots, like the Malaysian chicken stew. Southeast Asian-style shallots are small, with a redder skin and usually have only one bulb, about one inch in diameter. They’re transformed into crispy shavings, which are a favorite garnish for anything from fried rice to noodle soups. Raw shallot slivers are tossed into salads, or pounded into semifine pastes that act as thickeners for sauces and soups.