We know that you’re not crying because of that sad book you just read or the gut-wrenching movie from the other night: It’s the onion you’re slicing. Onions release a gas that is meant to sting our eyes — and while there are lots of tricks when it comes to cutting an onion without crying, that doesn’t stop the onion from having that harsh taste when we eat it raw. While that odor does soften when the onion is cooked, if you plan on tossing a red onion into your salad that potent taste will remain. So what’s the solution? Add those slices to a bowl of ice water.
Here’s what to do: Place slices of raw onion in a bowl of ice water. The flavor of the onion will mellow out as it sits in there. Give it 5 to 10 minutes, and that potent taste from the enzyme in the onion will mellow out, thanks to the cold water, leaving you with a sweet slice of onion in response. The post-ice-bath onions are perfect for tossing into your salads, like a fresh tomato salad or a pasta salad.
This trick works well for all onions, but is popularly used for red onions, yellow onions, and white onions. These onions are popularly consumed in raw form as well as cooked form, hence why this trick works well for these varieties. They also tend to be less potent in general, which is why people tolerate eating them raw. However, with this particular ice-water trick, that taste of the onion will tamper down even more, making the taste in that salad a little more balanced.
People online are loving this particular trick. Some folks are also sharing a few of their tips to help with that strong onion flavor, like adding salt or a splash of vinegar (which gives the onion a slightly tangy taste that pairs well with the sweetness and masks that original potent flavor as well).
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