Onions

A versatile vegetable belonging to the allium family, onions have a pungent flavour and aroma and are one of the key ingredients, along with garlic and ginger, used in almost every Indian dish. They are grown all over the country, except in arid areas, where they are bought in.

Globe onions are the most commonly used variety for Indian cooking, although smaller, sweeter shallots are also used in some dishes that call for onions to be left whole, such as Do-piaza. Spring onions (scallions) are often added to some dishes towards the end of the cooking time, or to raitas, to add colour and for their mild taste.