A shallot is a more mildly-flavored vegetable than an onion, making them ideal for salads and eating raw. They also have a bit of a garlic essence that onions don’t have, so even though they’re mild, they still have a nice, distinctive flavor. I like shallots for this recipe because I want the sesame and French beans to be the stars of the show, and onion would be a bit overpowering. But if you have trouble finding shallots in your food store, you can simply replace them with either pearl onions or small red onions. Just use only 8 oz. of onion once sliced.