街市THE WET MARKET
Shallots
乾蔥
Small red-purple shallot bulbs, fried first for fragrance: the base note of the sizzling chicken claypot, braised chicken with mushrooms and soy sauce chicken. Asian and Vietnamese grocers sell them by the bag, cheaply; supermarkets sell the brown French shallot loose, dearer, and it does the same job.
Preparation
Peel; fry whole or sliced until fragrant.
Availability in Australia
Easy to find
Australian name · red Asian shallots
Where · Asian and Vietnamese grocers, by the bag
What to ask for · Say red Asian shallot; the supermarket French shallot does the job
If it is not there · The white of spring onion plus a little onion
Where · Asian and Vietnamese grocers, by the bag
What to ask for · Say red Asian shallot; the supermarket French shallot does the job
If it is not there · The white of spring onion plus a little onion
