Welsh Onion

Name: Welsh onion (Allium fistulosum), also called Japanese bunching onion, negi, cong or green onion. Despite the name, it is not from Wales — “Welsh” comes from an old German word meaning “foreign.”

Description

The Welsh onion is native to Siberia and north-western China and has been cultivated in East Asia for over two thousand years. Unlike the common onion, it does not form a swollen bulb but a thick, hollow stalk and leaves that can be harvested over a long period, and it is very hardy in cold weather.

It is one of the most important vegetables in Japanese and Chinese cuisine, where it is eaten raw, grilled, in soups, hot pots and noodle dishes, and it is the plant most often sold as scallion or green onion in Asia. The long, thick white stems of Japanese negi are used in dishes such as yakitori.

Main nutrition value

Welsh onions provide vitamin K, vitamin C, folate and some beta-carotene in the green leaves, and are low in calories.

How best to be consumed

Welsh onions are used both raw and cooked, with the white and green parts used differently.

1. Slice thinly over noodles, soups and rice dishes as a garnish.
2. Grill thick white stems on skewers until charred and sweet, as in yakitori.
3. Simmer in hot pots, stews and soups, where they turn sweet and soft.
4. Use the green tops for garnishes and the white for cooking.
5. Grow in a pot or garden, since the plants are hardy and keep producing.

Overconsumption could cause…

Welsh 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. Toxicity to dogs and cats.

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

Related foodsWhite OnionSpring Onion / ScallionSweet OnionChivesYellow OnionOnion

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