Data source: USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy, FDC 170499 (Shallots, raw).
Fun facts
- Shallots have about 7.9g of natural sugar per 100g according to USDA. When fried, that sugar caramelizes, which is why fried shallots are both fragrant and slightly sweet.
- 100g of shallots has about 72 kcal, but a tablespoon of minced shallot, about 10g, is only around 7 kcal.
- Vietnam is known for shallots from Vinh Chau (Soc Trang) and Ly Son. At Tet, northern families serve pickled shallots alongside jellied pork and square sticky rice cakes.
- Shallots appear in 309 kOBE recipes, from broths and braises to scallion oil and fried shallots sprinkled over sticky rice and noodles.
Choosing and storing
Choose firm, heavy bulbs with dry, shiny reddish purple skins, no soft spots, no mold and no green sprouts. Store them somewhere dry, airy and dark, away from potatoes, since the two spoil each other faster. Peeled shallots keep a few days in a sealed container in the fridge. Homemade fried shallots keep about a week in a sealed jar somewhere cool and dry.
Cooking it well
Slice shallots evenly so every piece cooks at the same time. Start them in warm oil over medium heat and stir often; lift them out as soon as they turn pale gold, because residual heat will darken them further. The leftover shallot oil is wonderful for tossing noodles or stir frying greens. Like garlic, shallots burn quickly, so do not walk away from the stove.
