Small but mighty crispy fried onions

Ever tasted the same dish and found out it tastes totally different and you spend hours figuring out why or how that is possible?

It is likely that a small but super powerful ingredient is causing this confusion or havoc: fried onion

Throughout history there has been many variations of fried onions used in different cultures and regions. They can be crispy or soft (technically described as sautéed vs deep-fried).

I have personally seen the more soft fried onions being used in European and American dishes compared to Asia, where crispy fried onions are more widely incorporated into dishes.

So, let's get back to the main question you were wondering about. What is the importance of fried onions in everyday cooking?

Besides the visual impact the beautiful golden colours of fried onions bring to any dish (as a garnish), they impart a flavour on the dish that is contrasting and significantly contributes to its tastiness.

So remember, the trick to giving your food more taste, is to add 1 or 2 tbsp of your already fried onions to the dish you're making. To help you start experimenting with crispy fried onions, here are a few dishes that you can add them to:

• When making a herb/vegetable infused rice dish, remember to add fried onions after the rice has simmered and you've turned the heat to low
• In currys/stews, when roasting the meat or vegetables add the fried onions before adding liquid or water