Chinese onion

A perennial herb 30–60 cm tall; the bulb (stem base) is oblong-ovoid, swollen at the base, ivory-white to pale purple, growing in clusters; leaves are flattened cylindrical, hollowish, narrow, pointed, with a thin waxy pale blue-green bloom; flowers are small in a terminal umbel with narrow, pale purple to lilac-white petals; it rarely sets seed and is propagated vegetatively by daughter bulbs. The whole plant has the mild pungent bite typical of Allium; the bulb is crisp and aromatic when eaten.

Chinese onion is native to East Asia and has long been cultivated in China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam as well as throughout Southeast Asia; in Vietnam it is widely grown in the deltas and midlands, with specialised areas in the west and central coast. Bulbs are harvested late in the year and pickled sweet-sour to accompany fatty meat, bánh chưng and bánh tét at Tết — a characteristic culinary tradition; they are also eaten as pickles, stir-fries and flavouring. In traditional medicine the bulb is pungent, bitter and warming: it warms the stomach, moves qi, relieves bloating, promotes urination and eases frequent urination; regular consumption is said to improve cold tolerance. The leaves are used to wrap grilled meat or as a marinade.