THE BLOOMING of onions, unlike in other crops, does not always bring cheer to farmers. Once the plant sends up a flower stalk, usually around winters, the bulb, which is its commercially important part, stops growing. As a precautionary measure, farmers snip the flower stalks, which are then used as a vegetable.
The flower stalks of onion (Allium cepa) are, however, not easily available in urban vegetable markets and so command a high price. I recently purchased about 200 g of the stalks for ₹30 from Chittaranjan Park market in south Delhi. The market caters to the Bengali community, who are particularly fond of the vegetable and refer to it as peyaj koli. One of their favourite recipes is the quick stir-fried stalks (see recipe).
Though more pungent than the leaves of the green or spring onion, the flower stalks of onion have a mild flavour when compared with the bulbs. Many, therefore, prefer using the flower stalks in soups and salads. The buds at the tip are usually discarded, but they too have a distinct onion-like aroma and can be infused in oil and vinegar to be used as a condiment.
Though the centre of origin of onion is not known for sure, it is believed to have originated somewhere in Central Asia 5,000 years ago. The word peyaz comes from the Persian language. The maximum diversity of Allium species is found in a belt from the Mediterranean basin to Iran and Afghanistan, suggesting that this is the primary centre of origin.
This story is from the December 16, 2023 edition of Down To Earth.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the December 16, 2023 edition of Down To Earth.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
In leading role again
MOVIES AND WEB SERIES ARE ONCE AGAIN BEING SET IN RUSTIC BACKGROUNDS, INDICATING A RECONNECT BETWEEN CINEMA AND THE COUNTRYSIDE
One Nation One Subscription comes at a huge cost
As top US universities scrap big deals with top scientific publishers, India’s ONOS scheme seems flawed and outdated
Return of Rambhog
Bid to revive and sell the aromatic indigenous paddy variety has led to substantial profits for farmers in Uttar Pradesh's Terai region
Scarred by mining
Natural springs of Kashmir drying up due to illegal riverbed mining
Human-to-human spread a mutation away
CANADA IN mid-November confirmed its first human case of avian influenza, with a teenager in the British Columbia being hospitalised after contracting the H5N1 virus that causes the disease. The patient developed a severe form of the disease, also called bird flu, and had respiratory issues. There was no known cause of transmission.
True rehabilitation
Residents of Madhya Pradesh's Kakdi village take relocation as an opportunity to undertake afforestation, develop sustainable practices
INESCAPABLE THREAT
Chemical pollution is the most underrated and underreported risk of the 21st century that threatens all species and regions
THAT NIGHT, 40 YEARS AGO
Bhopal gas disaster is a tragedy that people continue to face
A JOKE, INDEED
A CONFERENCE OF IRRESPONSIBLE PARTIES THAT CREATED AN OPTICAL ILLUSION TO THE REALITY OF A NEW CLIMATE
THINGS FALL APART
THE WORLD HAS MADE PROGRESS IN MITIGATING EMISSIONS AND ADAPTING TO CLIMATE IMPACTS. BUT THE PROGRESS REMAINS GROSSLY INADEQUATE