Onions are just one of those foods that can enhance almost any dish. Whether it’s a tart , soup or chutney, this reliable, versatile staple adds a delicious, aromatic flavour. They also have some great health benefits, containing fibre, potassium and vitamins C and E.
Score.
But prepping them is one of the biggest, most dramatic ordeals in the kitchen. Our eyes are starting to water just thinking about cutting up some onions.
So, we’re sharing our top tips to keep the tears at bay.
1 Freeze or refrigerate before cutting
This one isn’t totally fool-proof, but it does help minimise the sting from watery eyes, and that is always a good thing.
While you should never permanently store your onions in the fridge (it makes them go soft), we recommend you pop them in the fridge for about 10 minutes before you start preparing your meal.
2 Peel and cut under cold water
This onion cutting hack produces excellent results. It’s almost like water to a flame, drowning out those tear-inducing enzymes.
However, do take care when it comes to slicing up the onion, as it will be a little more slippery than normal and bits can easily wash away.
Try this French onion tart recipe.
3 Use a sharp knife
The sharper the knife, the quicker you’ll chop the onion, because a blunt knife isn’t cutting up anything. You’ll release fewer enzymes into the air, and that means fewer tears.
Just watch your fingers!
4 Cut out the core
Start by cutting off the bottom core of your onion and tossing it, ASAP!
This is the part that releases the gas so the quicker you’re rid of it, the better.
But, if all else fails…
5 Wear goggles
It may seem totally ridiculous, but it actually works! Just like when you go for a swim, the goggles keep out the gas from the onions and stop you from tearing up the same way it keeps out the water from the pool.
We suggest doing this when absolutely no one is around, though. Stopping the onion induced tears may not be worth the embarrassment of being caught with goggles on.
Words by: Claudia Poposki.
This first appeared on foodtolove.com.au.
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