After exploring the diverse world of “Dals of India”, we’re happy to embark on a new culinary journey through Asia.

In this series, we’ll go into the rich cultural heritage of Asian pulses, exploring traditional recipes, cooking techniques, and the stories behind these beloved dishes. Join us as we discover the flavors, aromas, and traditions of Asia’s pulse culture!

Pulse cultivating in Asia is primarily practiced in India which is the world’s largest producer of pulses.  Other countries in Asia that grow pulses include Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal.  These few countries are known countries for producing pulses.  As we proceed, let us find out about the other Asian countries who may be involved in pulse cultivation.

There are 48 countries in Asia, which can be divided into 6 topographical zones: North Asia, Central Asia, East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and West Asia. We’ll explore each of these zones, one country at a time.

Hollow Structure: Onion leaves remain hollow throughout their three stages of growth.

Parallel Veins: Onion leaves have parallel veins, a characteristic feature across all growth stages.

Epidermal Peel: A protective epidermal peel covers onion leaves throughout their development.

“Life is like an onion; you peel it off one layer at a time, and sometimes you weep.” – Carl Sandburg

“Life is like an onion: you peel off layer after layer and then you find there is nothing in it.” – James Huneker

“An onion can make people cry but there’s never been a vegetable that can make people laugh.” – Will Rogers

2 cups sliced onion

½ tsp grated ginger

½ tsp grated garlic

2 tbsp finely grated coriander leaves

1-2 finely chopped green chilies

¼ tsp turmeric powder

½ cup besan (Gram flour)

1 tbsp rice powder

Water if needed

Salt to taste

Refined oil for frying

1. Slice onions thinly, add ½ tsp salt, and gently squeeze.
2. Let it sit for 10 minutes, squeezing occasionally, to release the onion juice.

3. Meanwhile, prepare the aromatics: grate garlic and ginger, chop green chilies and coriander leaves.

4. Mix them with the onions and put it aside for about 5-10 minutes.

5. Add besan (gram flour), rice powder, and turmeric powder.

6. Mix well, using the released onion juice to bind the mixture. If needed, add 1-2 tsp water.

7. Let it stand for a few minutes. (If it is too dry, add water with a teaspoon one spoon at a time.) The mixture should look as in the picture.

8. Heat oil to medium heat.

9. Take half a dessert spoon of the mixture and gently release it into the heated oil with the help of another spoon. Don’t overcrowd.

10. Fry in batches with a few at a time until both sides are golden brown.

1 large onion

50 gm urad dal (white lentil)

2 tbsp all-purpose flour (maida)

½ tsp pepper

¼ tsp paprika powder

Salt to taste

Refined oil for frying

1. Soak urad dal in water for 4 hours or overnight.
2. Drain and grind into a fine paste with water

3. Mix the dal paste with water to achieve a pancake-like consistency.

4. Add pepper, paprika, and salt to taste and keep it aside.

5. Peel and slice the onion into ¼-inch thick rings and separate the rings.

6. Soak them in cold water with ½ tsp salt for 30 minutes (refrigerate if desired).

7. Mix pepper, paprika powder and little salt to the flour.

8. Coat each onion ring in flour, then set aside to dry for 15-20 minutes.

9. Heat oil to medium heat and maintain the temperature.

10. Dip flour-coated onion rings in the urad dal batter and fry until golden brown.

11. Drain excess oil on kitchen tissue.

1 large onion

50 gm urad dal (white lentil)

2 tbsp all-purpose flour (maida)

1 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp paprika powder

Salt to taste

Refined oil for frying

1. Wash and soak urad dal in water for 4 hours or overnight.
2. Drain and grind into a fine paste with water.

3. Mix the dal paste with water to achieve a pancake-like consistency.

4. Add pepper, paprika, and salt to taste and keep it aside.

5. Wash, peel, and cut off the top of the onion, leaving the root end intact.

6. Place the root side of the onion on a small bottle cap to prevent cutting through the onion.

7. Cut the onion vertically into halves, quarters, and then eighths, creating petal-like sections.

8. Soak the onion in cold water with ½ tsp of salt for 30 minutes in the fridge. 

9. Take the onion out of the cold water and separate the onion sections gently.

10. Mix flour, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/4 tsp paprika and salt to taste in a bowl.

11. Coat the onion evenly, getting between the petals then set aside to dry for 15-20 minutes.

12. Heat oil to medium heat and maintain the temperature.

13. Dip the flour-coated onion in the urad dal batter and make sure each section is brushed with the batter.

14. Fry the onion in medium-hot oil for 3-4 minutes, tuning it occasionally, until golden brown.

15. Remove and drain on kitchen paper.

Beyond the bulb, onions hold a rich history and a flavorful presence in the kitchen. While their storied past is fascinating, their culinary uses are a true delight. For those who love cooking, onions offer a chance to share joy with loved ones. Whether you’re a seasoned chef or a kitchen novice, onions are a versatile ingredient waiting to be explored and savored.

According to various sources, onions have a rich history that spans thousands of years. The possible birthplace of onions is often attributed to the regions of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

However, some researchers suggest an alternative origin story, tracing onions back to Iran and West Pakistan.

Onions have been an important crop for thousands of years, with cultivation dating back over 7,000 years. Evidence of onion cultivation can be found in ancient civilizations such as Egypt, Greece, and Rome. While ancient Egypt made extensive use of onions, some historians believe that the Greeks and Romans introduced onions to Europe, who likely acquired the onion from the East in Central Asia.

Ayurvedic texts written by Charak Samhita (200 BCE – 300 AD) show onions were valued for healing. Yet, some considered onions and garlic ‘Tamasic’ and unhealthy, preferring ginger. Historically, India’s diet reflected this, with ginger dominating and onions/garlic being rare. The Mughal Empire (1526-1857) shifted this, making onions a staple. Now, modern research confirms onions’ benefits, echoing ancient wisdom – ancient meets modern!

Onions, particularly spring onions, have been a staple ingredient in Chinese cooking for centuries and are also valued in traditional medicine. Onion cultivation in China dates back to around 6000 BC, with onions being grown alongside other vegetables. This long history highlights the significance of onions in Chinese cuisine and culture.

Onion plants produce a flower cluster, or inflorescence, consisting of numerous small flowers.

In our last post, we explored the onion plant’s unique flowering process, where a tall, hollow stalk (scape) emerges from the center, topped with a conical bud enclosed in a protective spathe. Inside the bud, hundreds of tiny flowerets await their turn to bloom.

Slowly the onion’s protective spathe gives way as buds mature, bursting open to reveal the emerging inflorescence. Over 5-6 days, the buds unfurl, standing tall with the empty spathe providing base support (picture 4).

After a few days, the flowers begin to bloom, adding a vibrant touch to the plant.

The onion’s flower cluster, or umbel, is supported by a sturdy stalk called the peduncle or scape. This umbrella-like structure consists of tiny stalks (pedicels) holding hundreds of small flowers (florets), often over 200! The term ‘umbel’ originates from the Latin word ‘umbra’, meaning shade or shadow, reflecting its umbrella-like shape.

Each delicate flower on the inflorescence featured, 6 white petals with green stripes, 6 stamens (anther and filament), and a central pistil (stigma, style, and ovary), all supported by slender pedicels.

What Secrets Lie Within?

When I dissected an onion floret, I was amazed to find a three-celled ovary, each cell containing two ovules. This intricate design reveals the potential for seed production in each delicate flower.

Onion Floret’s Ovary. We didn’t notice the onion floret’s ovary had three cells until we dissected it. This tiny detail reveals the intricate design of the flower.

A. Initial bloom

B. Buds awaiting bloom

C. Full bloom

D. Gradual drying

Onion seeds are usually ready to harvest after the inflorescence dries out, which takes about two to three months.

However, we couldn’t wait that long and collected 2-3 inflorescences after a month. Despite the seeds being slightly damp and brown, we were thrilled to see them.

A month later, we collected the remaining flower clusters and gently crushed each floret to release mature black seeds, marking a successful seed harvest.

As I examined my onion plants, I was thrilled to notice the emergence of the first flower bud. This unexpected development sparked excitement, and I was eager to learn more.

The cone-shaped flower bud features a protective covering called a spathe, which safeguards the delicate florets inside. The spathe itself is white with numerous parallel green veins that converge at the tip.

The scape or peduncle is the stem that supports the onion flower. It grows from the terminal bud, characterized by its long, hollow, leafless structure with parallel veins, tapering towards the end, and lined with epidermal cells internally.

Onion plants typically produce flowers in their second growth phase, following the initial phase of development from seedlings to small bulbs, known as sets.

As days passed, our pot became a hub of activity, with many more scapes emerging alongside the leaves. At first glance, it was easy to confuse the two, but upon closer inspection, we noticed that the scapes were slightly thicker and with the distinctive flower buds perched on top.

We waited for almost two weeks for the buds to unfurl. The buds grew bigger and rounder, their skin becoming almost transparent, hence the floret buds are visible from outside.

Onion bulbing occurs when the plant’s energy shifts from leaf growth to bulb formation, storing excess food in the underground bulb, which we harvest as onions. Each leaf on the onion plant corresponds to a specific layer in the bulb, with the plant’s energy storing food in concentric rings as the leaves grow.

Both sunlight and temperature play significant roles in bulbing. When leaves receive sufficient sunlight, they produce food through photosynthesis, which is then transported to various parts of the plant. Excess food is stored at the base of the tubular leaves, contributing to bulb formation. Each green leaf produces food and stores excess in its corresponding sheath.

Planting onions no more than ½ to 1 inch deep allows for proper growth and development, which is why the soil often cracks as the bulbing process begins.

Onion bulb is covered by a few layers of papery skin/peel called tunic and so  it is also known as tunicated bulb.   These papery skin protects the bulb from drying as well as keeps them safe  from insects and germs.

The roots develop from the base of the new stem, distinguishing them from the older stem. Initially delicate and white, the roots increase in number over time, spreading horizontally to anchor the plant and absorb water and minerals.

When onion sets are planted, they often quickly establish themselves, producing new roots that spread horizontally. This helps the sets to anchor firmly in the soil and begin absorbing necessary nutrients and water for growth.

The green leaves of an onion plant are long, thin, and tubular, emerging from the base of the plant to form a sheath around the developing bulb. These leaves are typically a vibrant green color and play a crucial role in photosynthesis, supporting the growth and development of the onion bulb.

Let’s examine the pseudostem of an onion plant. Notice how green leaves emerge from the tightly wrapped tubular sheaths. Upon closer inspection, it’s evident that the green leaves appear to branch out directly from these sheaths, forming the pseudostem.

As the onion sprouts grow, the green leaf tissues and pigmentation become active. The veins of the tubular sheath diverge, leading to the base of the green leaf.  This is the first green leaf of a sprout

This enlarged picture reveals the interior side of same onion leaf as above, showcasing how veins in the tubular sheath diverge and connect to the green leaf’s base. The veins appear as light green lines within the white tubular sheath. Notably, a small, elongated portion of the white sheath extends above the green veins at the leaf’s base.

The exterior side of the tubular sheath displays green veins that seamlessly transition into the green leaf.

In contrast, the interior side shows the veins diverging to the right and left, meeting the base of the green leaf.

The interior side of a mature onion leaf is displayed flat, revealing parallel and diverging green veins from the tubular sheath. These veins form a silhouette with an elliptical shape at the center, tracing the base of the green leaf. The elongated white tubular sheath provides tight support, cradling incoming green leaves emerging from the center of the plant.

When we gently pressed the white sheath to flatten it, there was a slight tear on the white sheath but revealed the converging veins on the outer side, which became more prominent and seemed to trace the base of the green leaf.

1. A thin white membrane covers the interior.

2. The arrow indicates the hollow section, housing the leaf base.

3. After removing the membrane, the hollow leaf base is exposed.

4. A cross-section cut through the membrane and leaf reveals its hollow interior.

Onion leaves are characterized by their bluish-green color, hollow and curved shape with pointed tips, and a rounded outer surface with a flat inner surface.

They exhibit parallel venation, which supports their structure and facilitates the transport of nutrients and food materials to the onion bulb for storage.

When we open up an onion leaf, we could see the parallel venation more clearly and also see the inside lined with a protective epidermal peel.