Scallion facts for kids
Scallions (also known as green onions or spring onions) are cool vegetables from the Allium family. This family also includes garlic, shallots, leeks, and chives. Scallions have a milder taste than most onions you might be used to.
Unlike regular onions, scallions don't grow a big, round bulb at the bottom. Instead, they have long, hollow green leaves that grow straight up from a small white base. Both the green leaves and the white part are eaten. You can enjoy them raw or cooked. People often chop them up and add them to dishes, just like they would with onions or garlic.
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What's in a Name?
The words scallion and shallot are actually related! They both come from an old Greek word, askolonion. This word seems to have come from the name of an ancient city called Ashkelon. The plant itself originally came from areas east of Europe.
Different Kinds of Scallions
Many different types of plants can be called "scallions." Here are some of them:
- A. cepa: This is the common onion. Young plants of this type are often harvested early, before a big bulb forms, and sold as scallions.
- 'White Lisbon' and 'White Lisbon Winter Hardy' are popular types.
- Calçots are a special kind of onion from Spain, often eaten grilled.
- A. cepa var. aggregatum: These are usually called shallots, but sometimes their young plants are also used as scallions.
- A. chinense: This type is also used as a scallion.
- A. fistulosum, also known as the Welsh onion: This onion never forms a bulb, even when it's fully grown. It's mostly grown as a scallion or "salad onion" in many parts of the world. In Asia, it's very important and used both fresh and cooked.
- A. × proliferum: This unique onion grows small bulbs on its stems and is sometimes used as a scallion.
How People Use Scallions
Scallions are super versatile! You can cook them or eat them raw. They are great in salads, salsas, and many Asian dishes.
- Around the World:
* In Mexico and the Southwest United States, people grill whole scallions, sprinkle them with salt, and eat them with cheese and rice. They are called cebollitas and often served with grilled meat. * In Catalan cuisine (from Spain), calçots are a special type of onion. They are grilled and dipped in tasty sauces like salvitxada or romesco sauce. This is part of a fun event called a calçotada. * In Japan, tree onions (wakegi) are often used as a topping for dishes like tofu. * In China, scallions are commonly cooked with ginger and garlic in many vegetable and meat dishes. The white part is usually stir-fried, and the green part is chopped to decorate the food. * In Vietnam, Welsh onions are used to make dưa hành (fermented onions) for the Tết New Year. A sauce called mỡ hành (scallions fried in oil) is used in dishes like cơm tấm. Scallions are also a main ingredient in cháo hành, a rice porridge used to help with the common cold. * In India, scallions are eaten raw as a starter. In northern India, they are used to make fresh chutneys with coriander and mint. They are also cooked as a vegetable with flatbreads like Chapatis and Rotis. * In the United Kingdom, especially Northern Ireland, chopped scallions are added to mashed potatoes, a dish called champ. They are also a popular addition to potato salad. * In the southern Philippines, scallions are ground with ginger and chili pepper to make a spicy condiment called wet palapa. This is used to flavor dishes or as a topping. * At the Passover meal (Seder), some Persian Jews playfully tap each other with scallions before singing "Dayenu". This reminds them of the hard times their ancestors faced.
- Scallion Oil: Sometimes, the green leaves are used to make scallion oil. The leaves are chopped, lightly cooked, and then mixed with oil. This flavorful oil is used as a garnish to make dishes look and taste even better.
Other Names for Scallions
Scallions have many different names around the world! Some common ones include spring onion, green onion, table onion, salad onion, onion stick, long onion, baby onion, precious onion, wild onion, yard onion, gibbon, syboe, and shallot. Sometimes, people might confuse them with young shallot plants, which are also harvested before they form a large bulb.
Images for kids
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A Korean haemulpajeon (seafood and scallion pancake)
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See also
In Spanish: Cebolla de primavera para niños
