Don’t cry anymore! Three ways to cut an onion without tears (and a Japanese onion dressing recipe)
Hi everyone,
Do you often use onions in your cooking?
Japanese dishes often use it such as nikujaga (beef and potato stew), curry rice, miso soup and gyu-don (beef bowl). Onion is a really useful ingredient. However, I used to feel like I didn’t want to use it because when cut onions, my eyes get painful! So, I’ll show you three ways to cut onions without tears which I searched on internet and I was curious to put to the test.
Plus there’s a Japanese onion dressing recipe at the end, please check it out.
THE REASON WHY TEARS APPEAR WHEN CUTTING ONIONS
First of all, why do tears come out?
The main reason is one of the onion’s components, called "allyl sulfide". When you are finely chopping onions, the cells are damaged and allyl sulfide comes out. This attacks our ocular and nasal mucous membrane, so tears come out to protect them.
THREE WAYS TO CUT An ONION WITHOUT TEARS
I tried the first two ways at home and reviewed them for myself.
1. COOL IT IN A REFRIGERATOR for 30 MINUTES
EFFECT: It can limit the emission of allyl sulfide.
2. HEAT IT UP IN A MICROWAVE FOR 30 SECONDS
EFFECT: Allyl sulfide is weak to heat, so it disappears when heated.
MY IMPRESSION
Both ways absolutely work when chopping. But the first way, the first time I took it out of the fridge, I left it on chopping board for a few minutes. It didn't work at all, so I tried it one more time and I immediately used the cool onion after taking it from a fridge and it was working! I recommend immediately using it after taking it from the fridge.
The second method was working at the beginning, but as I kept chopping, my eyes were getting painful so I recommend the first way. But it might depend on person, so please try both and you can decide it which is the best.
3. USE A SHARP KNIFE
EFFECT: If you use a knife that can cut well, you can cut onion cells without destroying them, and suppress the emission of allyl sulfide. Before you cut it, sharpen the knife.
Adapted from: 玉ねぎが目にしみない3つの方法。涙が出ない裏ワザを紹介, もう泣かされない！タマネギの切り方［涙予防］編
SO EASY！ JAPANESE STYLE ONION DRESSING
Chopped onions can be used for a delicious dressing with a great texture from the onion, and it can be used with anything like Japanese cold pasta, salad and hamburg steak sauce.
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
1 onion
SEasonings
13.5g sugar
6g salt
50ml mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)
100ml Vinegar
50ml soy sauce
50ml salad oil
method
1. Heat sweet sake in a microwave oven at 600W for 30 seconds, remove the alcohol. Cool it down.
2. Chop the onion into small pieces.
3. Mix with onions and all ingredients.
4. Leave it in a fridge for 8-12 hours.
5. All done! You can enjoy it for 3-4 days. Please keep it in the fridge.
Onion has a lot of health benefits like fighting colds and flu, high blood pressure and diabetes. It is often used cooking around the world. So please try the three method if you cut onions while crying and see if it helps.
Writer: Yuki Takatani
Reference:
*１玉ねぎが目にしみない3つの方法。涙が出ない裏ワザを紹介。, もう泣かされない！タマネギの切り方［涙予防］編
*２万能すぎる！玉ねぎドレッシングの基本レシピ＆人気の活用アレンジ - macaroni