Red onions

The first thing in the pan in half the world's recipes.

What to do with it

Classics built on it

MalaysianAssam laksaThick rice noodles in a sour, spicy broth of flaked mackerel and tamarind, heaped with pineapple, cucumber, onion, mint and torch ginger flower, with sweet prawn paste on top.No one here has made it yetMalaysianSataySkewers of turmeric-marinated meat grilled over charcoal, with a sweet, spicy peanut sauce, rice cakes, cucumber and onion.No one here has made it yetFilipinoSisigPig's face and ears boiled, grilled and chopped fine with onion, chilli and calamansi, served on a sizzling iron plate.No one here has made it yetSri LankanPol sambolFresh grated coconut rubbed with chilli, red onion, Maldive fish, lime and salt until pink and fragrant.No one here has made it yetEthiopianDoro watChicken stewed slowly in onions, berbere and niter kibbeh until dark and thick, with whole hard-boiled eggs.No one here has made it yetEthiopianMisir watRed lentils cooked in a berbere-spiced onion base until soft and thick — the everyday fasting stew.No one here has made it yetEthiopianTibsCubes of beef or lamb seared hot with onion, green chilli and spiced butter — quick, where wat is slow.No one here has made it yetEthiopianTihloBalls of dough made from roasted barley flour, dipped one at a time into a hot, spiced stew or berbere sauce.No one here has made it yetEthiopianZigniBeef stewed long with a mound of onions, berbere and spiced butter, often with tomato — red, thick and hot.No one here has made it yetCatalanEsqueixadaA summer salad of raw salt cod torn into shreds, with tomato, onion, peppers and black olives, dressed with olive oil.No one here has made it yetGreekSouvlakiSmall pieces of pork or chicken grilled on skewers, eaten from the stick or wrapped in pitta with tomato, onion, tzatziki and chips.No one here has made it yetGreekHoriatikiVillage salad: ripe tomato, cucumber, onion, green pepper and olives, with a slab of feta, oregano and plenty of olive oil — and no lettuce.No one here has made it yetPeruvianCevicheRaw white fish cut into chunks and cured briefly in lime juice with red onion, chilli and salt.No one here has made it yetPeruvianLomo saltadoStrips of beef stir-fried in a wok with onion, tomato, soy and vinegar, served with chips and rice.No one here has made it yetPeruvianPan con chicharrónPork simmered then fried in its own fat, in a crusty roll with fried sweet potato and salsa criolla.No one here has made it yetPeruvianSalsa criollaRed onion sliced thin and soaked, dressed with lime, ají, coriander and salt.No one here has made it yetPeruvianArroz con patoDuck browned and braised with beer, ají and a purée of coriander, then rice cooked in the green broth until it's full of flavour.No one here has made it yet