Spring Onion / Scallion

Also known asScallion · Spring Onion · Bawang Daun · 青葱

Name: Spring onion or scallion — a young onion with a small white base and long green leaves, eaten whole. In Britain and Australia the term “spring onion” is usual, while in North America it is “scallion” or “green onion.” Strictly, the term spring onion can also mean a young common onion with a slightly swollen bulb.

Description

Spring onions or scallions are usually Welsh onion (Allium fistulosum) or young common onion (Allium cepa), harvested before the bulb forms. They are mild enough to eat raw and have been used in Asian cooking for thousands of years, and also in European and Mexican cuisines.

The name scallion comes from the ancient port of Ashkelon, via Latin and French, the same origin as shallot. They are an everyday garnish and a base for many sauces, in Chinese cooking especially.

Main nutrition value

Spring onions provide vitamin K, vitamin C, folate and some vitamin A, especially in the greens, and are very low in calories.

How best to be consumed

Spring onions are used raw as a garnish and lightly cooked in stir-fries.

1. Slice thinly over noodles, soups, rice, tacos, eggs and salads.
2. Stir-fry briefly, adding the white parts first and the green at the end.
3. Grill whole and serve with Romesco, as in Spanish calcotada.
4. Make a ginger and scallion oil or sauce, a Chinese classic.
5. Regrow the white roots in a glass of water on a windowsill.

Overconsumption could cause…

Spring onions are safe in food amounts.

1. Bloating, gas or heartburn, since alliums contain fermentable carbohydrates (fructans) that bother many people with IBS.
2. Allergic reactions or skin irritation in a small number of people sensitive to alliums.
3. Possible effects on blood clotting from their vitamin K for people on warfarin, so keep intake steady.
4. Foodborne illness linked to raw scallions in some outbreaks, so wash well.

GroupsAllium VegetablesAllium (onion family)Low fatLow sodiumRich in folateRich in vitamin KFresh

Related foodsSweet OnionChivesWelsh OnionWhite OnionYellow OnionOnion

Wikipedia — Scallion, used for origin, naming and history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scallion