Shallots, scallions, spring onions and leeks, the differences

What about shallots? In the Philippines, we call them sibuyas Tagalog. Shallots are small onions but just because an onion ... SkiptomaincontentSkiptoheaderrightnavigationSkiptositefooterYouarehere:Home/KitchenTales/PantryStaples/Shallots,scallions,springonionsandleeks,thedifferences:illustratedandexplainedShallots,scallions,springonionsandleeks,thedifferences:illustratedandexplained OverdinnerinCadizlastmonth,talkturnedtofoodandourhostremarkedthattherearealotofinterestingrecipesonforeignfoodshowsbuttheingredientsareproblematic,likescallions. Whattheheckarescallions,hesaid,pronouncingthewordexaggeratedlyasscaaaaaylions.Betweenmouthfulsoffood,Isaidtheyweresibuyasnamura,alsocalledspringonionsorgreenonions. Sibuyasnamura(tenderorprematureonion)maybeamisleadingtermasitsuggeststhattheonionsarepluckedbeforethebulbsaresufficientlymatureinordertoharvesttheleaves. Strictlyspeaking,scallionsdon’tformbulbssotheyreallyareharvestedfortheleaves.(However,inthePhilippines,itisn’ttotallyuncommonforacooktosnipofftheleavesofastill-growingonionandusethemashewouldregularscallions.) Scallions,alongwithonionandgarlic,belongtothegenusAllium.Allpartsoftheplantareediblefromtherootstothedarkgreentops.Somestalksareprettythin(asinlessthanaquarterofaninchindiameter)whileotherspecimensarelarger. Butscallionsarescallionsandthelargersizedoesn’tqualifythemasleeks.Insomesupermarkets,largescallionsaresoldas“onionleeks”butwhetherthatisamistakeinterminologyorahybridplant,Ihavenoidea. Leeks,althoughtheyalsobelonggenusAllium,arenotthesameasscallions. Leekslooklikeverylargescallionsbuttheyareconstructeddifferently.Thelowerportionoftheleekconsistsofbundledsheaths.Unlikescallions,onlythewhiteandlightgreenpotionoftheleeksareedibleasthedarkgreenportionsaretoofibrous.Theymay,however,beaddedwhenmakingbrothfromscratch. Whataboutshallots?InthePhilippines,wecallthemsibuyasTagalog. Shallotsaresmallonionsbutjustbecauseanonionissmalldoesn’tautomaticallymakeitashallot.Themosttellingcharacteristicoftheshallotisthat,likegarlic,asinglebulbcontainstwoormoreclovesorsegments.Theskincanbereddish,brownishorgrayish. Thestrictdistinctionsaren’treallyfollowedinpractice.Therearepartsoftheworldwhereshallotsandsmallredonionsareusedinterchangeablyandthereareculinaryculturesthatrefertoscallionsasshallots. So,whyisitimportanttoknowthedifferenceofonefromtheothers?Becausetheyhavedifferentuses.Youhavetotasteeachonetoknowwhichgoesbestwithwhat.Whenperusingarecipeandtheingredientscallforshallotsbutyoufeelthattheauthorisreferringtoscallions,youcandecidewhethertofollowtherecipetotheletterornot. Recipeswithshallots,scallionsorleeks: ChiliChickenWithFreshPineapple(PininyahangManok)ChiliGroundPorkandCucumberStirFrySweetandSpicyTofuChicken,LeeksandPotatoSoupCrouchingtiger,hiddensalmon Published:June16,2014•Lastmodified:June16,2014♥PantryStaples,Fruits&Vegetables FurtherReading HowToCookChinese-styleFriedRice QuailEggsinAsianCuisines SymbolicFoodfortheLunarNewYear SidebarExperienceAsia ThaiCucumberSaladwithSweetandTangyChiliDressing TwoReasonstoGoBacktoJapan TheAuthenticBatTrangCeramicVillageTourandPotteryClass Thai-styleMeatballsinCoconutCurrySauce 3MushroomGarlicNoodles