Vegetables
Spring Onion / Scallion
Spring onions have slender white bases and long hollow tubular green leaves.
- 繁體中文
- 蔥
- English
- Spring Onion / Scallion
- Bahasa Indonesia
- Daun bawang (蔥)
- Tagalog
- Sibuyas na mura (蔥)
What is it?
Spring Onion / Scallion is a food item commonly encountered in Hong Kong homes and markets.
How to identify it
Look for cylindrical white-to-pale-green sheaths, hollow dark-green leaves and only a small undeveloped bulb.
- Spring onions have slender white bases and long hollow tubular green leaves.
- Look for cylindrical white-to-pale-green sheaths, hollow dark-green leaves and only a small undeveloped bulb.
- Spring onion leaves are hollow tubes; Chinese chive leaves are flat and solid.
Common confusion
Spring onion leaves are hollow tubes; Chinese chive leaves are flat and solid.
Common Hong Kong household uses
Use in a recipe that specifically names this vegetable; this page identifies the market item only.
Preparation or handling
Wash thoroughly under clean running water before cooking; do not use soap, special detergent or produce wash.
Storage
Wash only immediately before cooking or eating; if pre-washing is necessary, dry thoroughly and follow the label or supplier storage directions.
Helper tip
Use the Hong Kong name and check the physical features or original label when buying. Look for cylindrical white-to-pale-green sheaths, hollow dark-green leaves and only a small undeveloped bulb.
What Ma’am or Sir may say
唔該要蔥，俾我睇清楚先。The employer wants Spring Onion / Scallion and asks for it to be checked before purchase.
Useful market phrase
唔該要蔥，俾我睇清楚先。Does the image look correct?
Last reviewed
Sources
- Hong Kong Food and Environmental Hygiene Department — Public Market Items - Gourds
- Hong Kong Food and Environmental Hygiene Department — Gourds and other vegetables Cantonese pinyin
- Hong Kong Food and Environmental Hygiene Department — Public Market Items Multilingual Booklet
- Hong Kong Centre for Food Safety — Pesticide Residues in Food - Frequently Asked Questions
- Hong Kong Centre for Food Safety — Safe and Fresh: Practical Tips for Storing Vegetables