Onion Bhajia Recipes

Steps:

• Soak the onion in cold water while you make the base mix. Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl, then add the chilli powder, turmeric, chopped chilli and a good sprinkling of salt. Mix in about 100ml of cold water to make a thick batter - add a splash more if it feels too stiff.
• For the raita, peel the cucumber and grate it into a sieve set over another bowl. Mix the remaining ingredients with some seasoning and the drained cucumber - squeezing out any extra moisture with your hands - then spoon into a small serving bowl.
• Drain the onion well and mix it into the batter. Heat about 5cm of oil in a wok or deep pan. Do not fill the pan more than a third full. Add a tiny speck of batter. If it rises to the surface surrounded by bubbles and starts to brown, then the oil is hot enough for frying.
• Lower heaped tbsps of the bhaji mixture into the pan, a few at a time, and cook for a few mins, turning once, until they are evenly browned and crisp, so about 3-4 mins. Drain on kitchen paper, sprinkle with a little salt and keep warm while you cook the rest. Serve with the raita.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions; cook and stir until translucent, 6 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle in chili powder and mix. Add turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon coriander, 1/4 teaspoon cumin, and 1/4 teaspoon ginger. Stir well and remove from heat.
• Combine chickpea flour, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon coriander, and salt in a bowl and mix well. Mix in the onions and tomato puree; add a little water until mixture is wet and easy to stir.
• Drizzle 1 teaspoon olive oil onto the prepared baking sheet. Place 2 tablespoons of the onion mixture onto the baking sheet for each bhaji; flatten slightly with the back of a spoon.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Drizzle remaining oil over the bhajis and continue baking until golden brown, about 25 minutes.

Steps:

• Put the vegetable oil into a large pan and heat over a medium to high heat.
• Make the batter: In a large bowl, add the chickpea flour, baking powder, rice flour, turmeric, black onion seeds, chili powder, cumin, coriander, salt and the water. Mix together well and then add the sliced onion - mix the onion through until well coated.
• Check the temperature of the oil by dropping a small cube of bread in - it should brown fairly slowly - not burn or go dark brown straight away.
• Carefully drop spoons of the bhaji batter in to the oil, do NOT overcrowd as they will stick together. Fry them in small batches for 1 to 2 minutes until they are a golden brown and crispy. Remove them with a slotted spoon and allow them to drain on a paper covered plate in a warm oven.
• Repeat until all the bhaji batter is finished and they are all cooked.
• Sprinkle over a little salt and serve straight away with coriander chutney or cucumber raita.

Steps:

• Fill a large pot fitted with a deep fry thermometer halfway with oil. Heat over medium heat until the temperature reaches 325°F (160˚C). Place a wire rack over a baking sheet and set nearby.
• Set a mandoline slicer to ¼ inch and place over a large bowl. Carefully slice the onions on the mandoline, letting them fall into the bowl below (alternatively, use a sharp knife to cut the onions into ¼-inch-thick slices and add to the bowl). Sprinkle the salt over the onions, toss to coat, and let sit for about 5 minutes to draw out excess moisture.
• Add the coriander, chili powder, cumin, and turmeric to the onions and use tongs to toss until evenly coated, using your hands to break up any pieces of onions still stuck together. Let sit for 15-30 minutes, until the onions have softened.
• Add the green chile and cilantro and toss to combine. Add ½ cup of the chickpea flour and toss to coat the onions. Add 2 tablespoons of water and continue to toss until the water is absorbed. Repeat with another ½ cup gram flour and 2 tablespoons water. Add the remaining ½ gram flour and toss until the onions are coated in a thick, homogeneous batter. If the batter is too clumpy, add 1-2 more tablespoons of water and toss until smooth.
• Use your hands to grab a small clump of the onion mixture (a bit smaller than a golf ball) and very carefully drop into the hot oil (don't compact the clump too much; the edges should be somewhat scraggly and loose). Add 1-2 more clumps, making sure not to overcrowd the pot. The oil temperature should remain between 300-325°F (150-160˚C). Fry the bhajis for 3-5 minutes, flipping once or twice as needed for even browning, until deep golden brown in color. Use a spider or slotted spoon to transfer to the wire rack to drain. Immediately sprinkle with a bit of salt. Repeat with the remaining batter, letting the oil return to temperature between batches.
• Serve the onion bhajis with red and green chutney.
• Enjoy!