If you have a lot of shallots and don’t know what to do with them — and you’re afraid they’ll go bad — the best thing to do is turn them into crispy fried shallots.
如果你有很多紅蔥頭，不知道該如何處理，又怕它壞掉，最好的方法就是做成紅蔥酥。
A spoonful on rice, noodles, or vegetables changes everything.
一匙放在飯、麵或青菜上，味道就完全不一樣。
Ingredients: 1 lb red shallots, peanut oil (enough to cover the shallots), and a pinch of salt (optional).
材料：紅蔥頭1磅、花生油（適量，要能蓋過蔥片）、鹽少許（可加可不加）。
Step 1. Slice Thin
步驟一：切薄片
Peel the shallots and slice them thin, about 1–2 mm. Separate the rings with your fingers.
紅蔥頭去皮，切成薄片，約 1–2 毫米，用手把蔥圈撥開。
Step 2. Air-Dry the Slices
步驟二：晾乾
Spread the slices on plates or trays and air-dry for 1 to 2 hours, until the surfaces feel dry and the edges start to wilt. Toss them once or twice so the undersides dry too.
把蔥片鋪在盤子或烤盤上，晾乾 1 到 2 小時，直到表面摸起來乾、邊緣開始變軟。中間翻動一兩次，讓下面也乾。
Step 3. Heat the Oil
步驟三：熱油
Pour peanut oil into a pot — enough to cover the shallots — and heat it to about 150–160°C.
花生油倒入鍋中，油量要能蓋過蔥片，加熱到約 150–160°C。
Why so much oil: the oil must cover the slices. Any slice above the oil line is not frying – it steams and stays pale while the slices below brown, and the batch comes out uneven. A good depth of oil also holds its heat: a shallow layer drops in temperature the moment the cool, wet slices land, and then they simmer in their own water – slower, and soggy, not crisp. Covered, the slices float and move freely, and every slice cooks at the same heat. Skimp on the oil and there’ll be little shallot oil left for the noodles – and that oil is what makes the noodles.
為什麼油要多：油量必須蓋過蔥片。露出油面的蔥片不是在炸，是在蒸，會慢乾、顏色淡，下面的卻已經上色，整鍋不均勻。油夠深，溫度才穩：油太淺，冷又濕的蔥片一下鍋，油溫就掉，變成在自己的水裡煮，更慢，而且不脆、是軟的。油蓋過蔥片，蔥片浮得起來、可以翻動，每一片受熱一樣，顏色才均勻。油放少了，剩下的紅蔥油也少，拌麵就不夠用——而拌麵靠的就是那個油。
Step 4. Fry Slowly
步驟四：慢火炸
Fry in two or three batches. Do not put everything in at once, or the oil temperature drops and the shallots steam instead of fry.
分兩到三批下鍋。不要一次全下，油溫會掉下來，蔥片會變成用蒸的，而不是炸的。
Step 5. Watch the Color
步驟五：看顏色
Stir gently now and then. At first the oil bubbles hard — that is the water leaving. Then it becomes quiet. The color comes only at the end, and it comes fast.
步驟五：偶爾輕輕攪拌。剛開始油會大滾，那是水分在跑；接著會安靜下來。顏色最後才來，而且來得很快。
Step 6. Strain
步驟六：濾油
Take the shallots out at pale gold, not golden. They darken one more shade as they cool on the tray.
蔥片呈淡金色就要撈起來，不要等到金黃色。它們在盤子上冷卻時，還會再深一個色。
If you see pieces that have already turned color, pick them out with chopsticks and put them in the strainer to drain off the oil.
如果看到已經變色的、用筷子夾起來、放進濾網滴油。
Step 7. Cool Until Crisp
步驟七：放涼變脆
Spread them on a tray to cool completely. Only when fully cool, put them in a clean, dry, airtight jar. Keep at room temperature, about one month.
撈起後攤開在盤子上完全放涼。完全涼了以後，裝進乾淨、乾燥、密封的罐子。室溫保存，約一個月。
Step 8. Jar & Store
步驟八：裝罐保存
Strain the oil and keep it — this is shallot oil. It keeps about two weeks in the cupboard, or one to two months in the fridge.
鍋裡的油濾掉渣，就是紅蔥油。放在櫃子裡約可保存兩週，放冰箱可保存一到兩個月。
To serve: a bowl of hot rice, a spoonful of shallot oil, a little light soy sauce, a pinch of sugar and white pepper. Mix, then put the crispy shallots on top last, so they stay crispy.
吃法：熱飯一碗，加一匙紅蔥油、少許醬油、一點糖和白胡椒粉，拌勻，最後把紅蔥酥灑在上面，這樣才會脆。
Also perfect on noodles: toss hot noodles with shallot oil and soy sauce, then pile the crispy shallots and scallions on top.
拌麵也一樣好：熱麵拌紅蔥油和醬油，最後撒上一大把紅蔥酥和蔥花。
The whole secret is patience: dry first, fry slowly, and stop one shade early.
整個秘訣就是耐心：先晾乾，慢慢炸，早一個色就停手。
