In America onions which are storable for long period, are classified as dry. Popular types are the large Spanish varieties and Italian reds . Small-sized varieties are particularly suitable for picking . Green onions are very young onions and include leeks, shallots, chives and scallions. As spring onions , or scallions , they play their part in salads, in Oriental cooking.
Onions are available all the year.
Shallots are most abundant in spring and summer. A thick sauce made from pureed oysters and sold bottled. It is widely used in Chinese cooking, and will keep indefintely when refrigerated. This rice parboiled to remove its surface starch, thus leaving most of the nutrients and vitamins in the grains, unlike other white rice varities. It provides the best of all possible options, since it has the nutritional value of brown rice, without its chewy texture and longer cooking method.