How to Store Onions

Onions are one of the most commonly used ingredients in delicacies all around the world. Be it vegetarian or non vegetarian food, onions are an integral part of most recipes. Many of us generally buy onions in bulk and have a hard time when they spoil within a few days. The primary reason behind them rotting soon is their inefficient storage. So storage being the key, let's look at the easier way to do it.

Onions get easily spoiled in humid and damp areas. Hence it is extremely important to keep them in cool and dry places. A room with 40 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal, as this is the temperature they need to remain fresh and crunchy.

Ventilation is also an important factor. Instead of using a polythene bag or closed jars, it is advisable to store them in a mesh bag or pantyhose that will allow them to breathe easily. You can hang the bag in an airy, dry, and dark place to minimize contact with water or humidity.

Another precautionary measure is to not store them with potatoes or other vegetables as they can absorb the moisture from these and therefore spoil faster.

Following are some of the steps that would help you in retaining onions for more than six months from the date of purchase.

• Firstly, make sure that you buy a good variety that is known for its longevity. For example, yellow onions can be stored easily for long and easily retain their texture and crunchiness.

• While buying, ask for old onions and not the fresh ones. The fresh produce may be slightly wet, and there's a possibility of them getting spoiled easily. The older produce is more likely to be dry and that saves a lot of your time, as you do not have to dry them again.

• If you buy fresh onions with leaves, then you need to dry them thoroughly, and this process may take four to five weeks. You need to spread the onions on the terrace or balcony, where you get more sunlight. You need to separate them from the leaves, which you can use in preparing salads.

• Once the onions have dried completely, remove the excessive flakes or loose matter and put them in a mesh bag or wire basket, or any other airy container. You can also slip onions in the pantyhose and tie the knot between each onion.

• Then hang it in a cool, dry place and cut below the knot whenever you need them.

Storage is quite easy, as all you have to take care of is of the location where you store them.

If you find slimy or discolored onions, immediately separate them from the others and throw them away. It is also not advisable to eat these, as they are rotten and can damage your health. In warmer places, onions can sprout and it is alright to eat the sprouted ones, as health experts term them safe for consumption if they have a green center.