Kula Sweet Onions
Estimated Inventory, 10 ct : 0
Description/Taste
Kula onions are small to medium in size and have a squat, globular, and sometimes stout shape. The bulb is covered in a thin, papery skin that ranges in color from light yellow to brown, and is flaky, dry, and brittle. Underneath the skin, the translucent, white flesh is crisp, juicy, and firm and has many layers of white rings. Kula onions are not overly pungent and have a mild, sweet, and nutty flavor, as they lack the stark sulfuric compounds of other commonly found onion varieties. When cooked, Kula onions are tender and sweet with notes of caramel, hazelnut, and vanilla.
Seasons/Availability
Kula onions are available in the early spring through early winter.
Current Facts
Kula onions, botanically a part of the Amaryllidaceae family, are a variety of sweet onion that is a hybrid of a short day, yellow granex onion. Also known as the Maui onion, this sweet onion is named for its growing region, Kula, and is grown on the upper slopes of Haleakala, a dormant volcano on the island of Maui, Hawaii. Kula onions are one of the first spring onions to appear and are considered one of the sweetest varieties in the world. Kula onions are available in limited quantities as they are cultivated on less than four hundred acres of land and growers in Maui have trademarked "Kula grown" as a way to differentiate this particular sweet onion variety. Favored for their sweet flavor, juicy texture, and ability to be consumed raw, Kula onions are versatile and used by chefs and home cooks for many different culinary applications.
Nutritional Value
Kula onions contain vitamins B6, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, folate, and vitamin C.
Applications
Kula onions are best suited for both raw and cooked applications such as dry-roasting, grilling, caramelizing, frying, sautéing, and braising. Known for their sweet flavor, Kula onions are commonly used fresh and are layered in sandwiches, chopped into salads, sprinkled with salt and consumed raw as a snack, or mixed into poke with fresh fish, seaweed, and spices. The onions can also be barbequed on skewers with meat, tossed into soups, casseroles, and stews, fried into rings or roasted and coated in balsamic vinegar and fresh herbs. Kula onions pair well with cardamom, cloves, celery, chicories, curry, foods cooked over a wood-fire especially chicken, steak, and pork, foods rich in umami such as mushrooms, yeasty breads, seaweed, ripe cheeses and braised meats, roasted nuts, asparagus, pineapple, shelling beans, smoked fish, pickled vegetables, citrus and chiles. The bulbs will keep 1-2 months when stored whole in a cool and dry place. When sliced, they will keep up to four days when sealed and stored in the refrigerator
Ethnic/Cultural Info
In Maui, a free festival is held every April or May in the Whalers Village at the Ka’anapali Resort to celebrate the onions grown in Kula. Drawing thousands of attendees since 1990, the festival has live entertainment, gourmet meals, recipe contests, cooking demonstrations, and onion-themed games and prizes all dedicated to the promotion of the sweet bulb. There is even a raw Kula onion eating competition to highlight the sweet and non-pungent flavor of the variety.
Geography/History
Kula onions are native to Maui, Hawaii and have been cultivated on the slopes of Mt. Haleakala, a dormant volcano, since the early 20th century. Today Kula onions are available in limited quantities at grocery stores in Hawaii and at select specialty grocers and online retailers in the mainland United States.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Kula Sweet Onions. One
is easiest, three is harder.| Gastronomy |
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Sweet Onion and Anchovy Pastries |
| Closet Cooking |
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Herb Roasted Onions |
| White on Rice |
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Sweet Onion Crack Dip |
