You can find tamarind paste in Oriental stores. It gives the onions a delicious, intense sweet-and-sour taste.

　　

Ingredients

serves 6

　　1 pound shallots or pickling onions or simply small onions

　　3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

　　1 tablespoon tamarind paste

　　1 tablespoon sugar

　　

Step 1

Poach the onions in boiling water for about 5 minutes (this makes them easier to peel) and peel them when just cool enough to handle.

　　

Step 2

In a pan just large enough to contain them in one layer, sauté the onions in the oil, shaking the pan and turning them to brown them lightly all over.

　　

Step 3

Add the tamarind and the sugar and half-cover with water. Stir well and cook, covered, over low heat for about 25 minutes, or until very soft, adding water so that it does not dry out, and lifting the lid to reduce the sauce at the end.

　　

Step 4

Serve cold.

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