How to make Bhaji Onion
Use our Bhaji Onion Recipe to make onions the star of your table - they don't just have to be the base of a meal.
There are so many things you can do with onions, other than just adding them to your stews, soups or pasta sauces. Make crispy onion rings. Parboil them in a cream sauce. Roast smaller ones till they’re caramelised. And for the braver amongst you, eat them like an apple!
Or make Bhaji. These lovely fritters are a deep-fried appetizer and totally addictive!
Get the ratios of the batter right, and you'll be on your way to crisping up a batch of these firm favourites in no time at all. And make sure you get the temperature of the oil right, as if it's too hot, they'll fry too fast and be gooey inside, while if it isn't hot enough, they'll be oily and soft. So do a sizzle test with a piece of batter first before adding them to the oil.
Bhaji Ingredients
- 60g gram flour
- 30g rice flour
- 1 T ghee or butter, melted
- Juice of ¼ lemon
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp cumin seeds, coarsely chopped
- ¼ tsp fennel seeds
- 1-2 hot green chillies (optional, and to taste), finely minced
- 2 tsp root ginger, finely grated
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- Small bunch of coriander, chopped
- 2 fresh curry leaves, chopped (optional)
- 2 onions, halved, core removed and thinly sliced
- Vegetable oil, to cook
Sift the flours together in a medium mixing bowl, then stir in the ghee and lemon juice. Add just enough cold water to bring it to the consistency of double cream. Add the spices, aromatics and herbs and salt to taste. Stir in the onions so they are well coated.
Heat the oil to 180oC, or if you don't have a cooking thermometer, do the sizzle test, ensuring that the batter floats. Shape tablespoon-sized amounts of the mixture into balls by hand, then drop into the oil. Don't overcrowd the pan! Stir carefully to stop them sticking, for about four minutes until they're crisp and golden. Drain them on a piece of kitchen towel and pop into a pre-warmed oven to keep them toasty while you cook the next lot. Serve with chutney or pickles - and enjoy!
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