Onion rings (also called French-fried onion rings)[1] is a form of
appetizer or
side dish in
British and
American cuisine. They generally consist of a cross-sectional "ring" of
onion dipped in
batter or
bread crumbs and then
deep fried; a variant is made with onion paste. While typically served as a side dish, onion rings are often eaten by themselves.
Onion strings are a variant where the onion is cut vertically first, resulting in strips rather than circles.[2]
History
A British recipe from 1802 calls for cutting onions into slices, dipping them into a batter including Parmesan cheese, and deep-frying them in lard. It suggests serving them with a sauce of melted butter and mustard.[3]
Many recipes for deep-fried onion slices or rings are found starting in the early 20th century. There are various processes:
The cooking process decomposes
propanethial oxide in the onion into the sweet-smelling and tasting bispropenyl disulfide, responsible for the slightly sweet taste of onion rings.[14]
^Yeager, Albert Franklin; Schalk, Arthur Frederick; Bolley, Henry Luke; Waldron, Lawrence Root; Stevens, Orin Alva; Webster, Robert Lorenzo; Stoa, Theodore Ellinson (1922).
North Dakota Pure Seed Law: Interpretations and Suggestions. Agricultural Experiment Station, North Dakota Agricultural College.