Little purple onions

A picture that shows what I mean by shallots & pearl onions. The brown, oval things are shallots. The tiny ones at the bottom are pearl onions.

Sambar onions

Ms Nutrax: you have been bluffing, at times, almost from the outset on TT. (Don't we all? No.) And I thought it quite funny - what you got away with, that is.

But your bluff on the JR thread is one too far.

Tony, I have no idea what on earth you mean.

They are what people in India call shallots, whether I'm from Australia doesn't really come into the equation. As far as I'm aware, the picture was of a Thai shallot - purely for the colour, not the variety.

Tony, I have no idea what on earth you mean.

I was p'haps being unkind, Nutrax - but I was simply suggesting that you sometimes post, with apparent authority, on a subject about which you know little and care more.

Thanks everybody. Looks like Indian shallot is the one. Can't find any aussie reference to them. The only shallots I get here are the ones referred to as French.

tony, nutrax doesn't claim to have universal knowledge. She is however a superb researcher with a LOT of knowledge.

Indian shallots are widely used in other SE Asian countries in sauces and dips.
Sliced thinly into rings with a squish of dark sweet soy sauce,diced hot birds eye chillies/garlic flavoured sweet/salty chilli sauce,a squeeze of lime juice,a sprinkle of brown palm sugar and sometimes a bit of pounded "galangar" ginger root paste.
Great with beef or mutton satay as well as charcoal grilled fish,squid,crabs,prawns and mussels.Yum!

tony, nutrax doesn't claim to have universal knowledge. She is however a superb researcher with a LOT of knowledge.

I agree, phoggi.

I'd agree, shallots.

Locals all over South East Asia call them red onions though.

I think they're like a cocktail onion the ones I've seen.