Tropical Ingredients

Shallot

Allium cepa

Sweeter and more delicate than a full onion, with a hint of allium sharpness that softens and deepens when fried.

4 min read·Updated September 24, 2026
Growing regions: Across Asia
Other names: Small red onion (regional English), Rathu Lunu (Sinhala: රතු ළුණු, "red onion"), Chinna Vengayam / Sambar Vengayam (Tamil), Bawang Merah (Malay/Indonesian), Horm Daeng (Thai: หอมแดง), Multiplier onion (broad English term)
Family Amaryllidaceae Best for Sambols, chutneys, curries, tempering, pickles

Description

The shallot is a small, red-skinned onion that grows not as one large bulb but as a cluster (aggregate) of smaller, narrowly oval-to-pear-shaped bulbs. Botanically it is not a separate species but a form of the common onion, Allium cepa, classified within the Aggregatum Group. Its skin is papery and red to purple, and each bulb is small — typically 1.5–2.5 cm across.

The flavour sits between onion and garlic: sweeter and more delicate than a full onion, with a hint of allium sharpness that softens and deepens when fried. It is the quiet workhorse of tropical cooking — almost always the first thing into a hot pan, where it releases the fragrance that defines a curry, a sambol, or a bowl of fried rice.

In Sri Lanka the small red shallot is known as rathu lunu — literally "red onion" — and is distinguished in everyday speech from loku lunu, the "big" or common onion. The Thai Department of Agricultural Extension lists its name as Horm Daeng.

Origin & History

Shallots belong to the onion lineage that has been cultivated across Asia for thousands of years. Because they multiply into clumps of small bulbs, they belong to the broader category of multiplier onions, alongside potato onions.

In South and Southeast Asia the shallot is a foundation ingredient rather than an accent. It is the onion most commonly fried at the start of Thai, Malay, and Indonesian dishes, and the traditional base of Tamil sambar, where it is called sambar vengayam. In Sri Lanka it flavours everything from coconut sambols to festive curries and is prized for its stronger, sweeter aroma compared with the larger common onion.

Uses

Culinary

  • Sambol & chutney: Finely chopped raw shallot is the sharp, bright base of pol sambol, lunu miris, and many chutneys
  • Curry base: Sliced and fried in oil at the start of nearly every tropical curry
  • Fried shallots: Crisped into golden bawang goreng as a topping for rice, noodles, and porridge
  • Tempering: Slowly cooked in oil at the end of dals and curries to release fragrance
  • Pickles: Pickled whole in vinegar — a tart accompaniment common in Indonesia and Sri Lanka

Other Uses

Grown seasonally and stored for market through the cooler months (in Thailand the main season runs January to March).

Nutritional Benefits

Shallots contribute carbohydrate, fibre and small amounts of protein, potassium and vitamin C. In most dishes the serving is much smaller than 100 g, so their nutritional role should not be exaggerated.

Like other onions and garlic, the shallot contains sulphur compounds responsible for its pungency and for the tear-inducing reaction that happens when it is cut.

Note: shallots are used as a flavouring in small amounts; they contribute aroma and minerals rather than substantial calories or protein.

How to Prepare

  1. Select: Choose firm, dry bulbs with intact papery skin and no soft spots or sprouting.
  2. Peel: Cut off the root end and tip; the thin red skin then rubs away easily.
  3. Cut: Slice thinly for frying and tempering; mince or crush into a coarse paste for sambols.
  4. Cook: Shallots brown more quickly than onion, so stir over moderate heat until soft and fragrant.
Tips: Shallots burn faster than onions — keep the heat moderate and keep them moving. A little goes a long way: their sweetness and aroma are more intense than a common onion. Store in a cool, dry, well-ventilated place (not the refrigerator); they keep about a month at room temperature.

Recipes

As Jungle Kitchen develops recipes built around shallots, they will be linked here.

Suggested applications: classic pol sambol, coconut-milk curry with a shallot base, crispy fried shallots, ginger-and-shallot tempering.

Varieties

  • Red-skinned market shallots: Small red-purple bulbs common in Thai markets, where the name is Horm Daeng.
  • Other market forms: Bulb shape and skin colour vary; choose by freshness and the dish rather than assuming every market name identifies a formal cultivar.
  • Potato onions: Related multiplier onions in the Aggregatum Group, but not simply another name for every shallot.

Fun Facts

  • Shallots grow as a clump of many small bulbs rather than one; a single cluster can be divided into individual bulbs, each of which yields a new plant.
  • The potato onion and the shallot are closely kin, both grouped under the "aggregatum" label for their habit of clustering into multiple bulbs.
  • Sinhala marks the difference vividly: rathu lunu ("red onion") for the small shallot and loku lunu ("big onion") for the common onion.