Zizhou Allium belongs to Liliaceae Allium. 2-3-year-old herb, named after its red skin, has been growing in northern Shaanxi for thousands of years. The Duke of Zhou said something and dreamed of red onions in northern Shaanxi. Zizhou red onion has strong growth ability, which is not only cold-resistant, but also drought-resistant. There is a local proverb: "Drought does not kill onions, and hunger does not kill soldiers every year." Zizhou red onion grows in mountainous dry land, which is green and pollution-free. It is an out-and-out original ecological semi-wild red onion.
Zizhou County is located in the hinterland of the Loess Plateau in northern Shaanxi, bordering the Mu Us Desert in the northwest, with deep soil layer and loose soil. The annual sunshine hours are 2543 hours, the annual average precipitation is 434mm, the annual frost-free period is 170 days, and the natural environment is dry and sunny, which is especially suitable for the growth of Zizhou red onion, making Zizhou red onion grow thick, tender, spicy and fragrant.
Zizhou scallion is not eaten raw like Guanzhong and Shandong white-stemmed scallions. Not to mention eating it raw, the smell of Zizhou red onion will make people feel pungent and straight into their nostrils. If you chop it with a kitchen knife, you will be choked to tears by the pungent onion. Zizhou red onion is only used as a "seasoning", and Zizhou people can't cook without it. The oil at the bottom of the pot is burning red. Throw chopped red onions into the pot, and with a "sting", a smoke will come out of the pot, and the strong aroma will spread in the kitchen, so the whole room will be filled with the smell of onions. As Zizhou people say, "No dish is so fried that it doesn't smell good".
People in Zizhou can hardly eat without onions: mutton stew can't do without onions, dumpling stuffing can't do without onions, cooking can't do without onions, stew can't do without onions, and cooking "eight bowls" can't do without onions, which is our usual home cooking, and we have to cut a small dish of chopped green onion to taste.
Onion is pungent and warm, and it has the function of activating yang and detoxifying when entering the lung and stomach meridian, so it is a dual-purpose product for medicine and food. The history of onion medicine can be traced back to the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. For example, Zhuangzi said, "Drinking onions in spring clears the five internal organs." It is recorded in the ancient medical book "Lin Yi Yao Yao": "The raw onion is a layman, but it is scattered when soaked in water, and it is left in the middle when cooked." Zizhou red onion contains a variety of nutrients necessary for normal physiological functions of human body, which can be roughly divided into the following aspects:
1. Odor substance
Such as methyl sulfide, mercaptan, thioether and a small amount of citric acid and malic acid.
2. allicin
Garlic capsaicin is the main component of volatile oil in onion bulbs, which has bactericidal effect and has certain curative effect on tuberculosis, dysentery, diphtheria and traumatic infection. The crystal substance separated from it can kill 0 trichomonas at 1: 1 10,000.
Prostaglandin A
Prostaglandin A can dilate blood vessels and reduce blood viscosity, so it can lower blood pressure, increase coronary blood flow and prevent thrombosis. Bulbs and leaves of scallion contain prostaglandin A, which can be used for health care of patients with hypertension, hyperlipidemia and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.
4. vitamins
Every 100g onion contains vitamin C 10-20-20mg, vitamin B 160mg, B250 and vitamin A4 mg. Can be used for treating night blindness, corneal dryness and ulcer, and has the effects of promoting wound healing, promoting normal development of teeth and bones, enhancing human body resistance, preventing and treating common cold and resisting cancer.
5. Amino acids
Onion bulbs and leaves contain a variety of amino acids, including "essential amino acids" that the human body cannot synthesize. According to experts' determination, every 100g onion contains protein1.3g.
6. minerals
The bulbs and leaves of red onion contain many trace elements. According to scientific determination, every100g of red onion contains 49 mg of calcium, 47 mg of phosphorus, 16 mg of iron and more manganese. Therefore, red onion has a good effect on promoting fracture healing, preventing anemia and improving cardiovascular function.
7.Kita ingredients
Onion contains polysaccharide, fatty acid, carotene and other substances, including linoleic acid, arachidonic acid, palmitic acid and other essential fatty acids, which can effectively reduce the cholesterol content in blood.
Zizhou onion can be used as medicine all over the body, and its bulb has detoxification function, which can be used to treat typhoid fever, headache, abdominal pain, constipation, dysentery and so on. Leaves have the effects of expelling pathogenic wind, sweating, detoxicating and detumescence, and can be used for treating common cold, headache, nasal congestion, fever and anhidrosis, apoplexy, edema, ulcer and traumatic injury. Squeezing onion juice has the functions of removing blood stasis, detoxifying and expelling insects.
Zizhou red onion is not only a good dish, but also a good medicine. Its delicate meat, rich flavor, strong spicy taste and good medicinal properties have been regarded as health care products since ancient times. Zizhou Onion has been sold to Dingbian, Jingbian, Hengshan, Yuyang, Yan 'an, Xi, Ningxia, Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Guangzhou and other places, and the consumer groups have expanded year by year. Zizhou red onion is the king of onions and has the reputation of "royal onion", which is favored by consumers.