- STEP 1
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.
- STEP 2
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.
- STEP 3
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.
- STEP 4
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.
FAQs
Why are my onion bhajis falling apart? ›
The onion in this recipe should be sliced very thinly. If it's not you may find that the Onion Bhajis tend to fall apart and not really hold their shape.
What is an onion bhaji made of? ›Finely sliced onion smothered in a simple, fragrantly spiced batter and fried to crispy perfection. This recipe uses gram flour – which is a flour made from chickpeas. This means they're also naturally gluten free!
What is the difference between onion bhaji and pakora? ›The difference lies in the spices and herbs used in the batter, which can vary by region. For example, Onion Bhaji batter in southern India can contain garlic and curry leaves, whereas pakoras in north India typically have carom seeds (ajwain). So try the different variations and pick your favorite spices to add!
Are onion bhajis healthy? ›Combining thinly sliced onions with a spiced chickpea flour batter and pan-fried until crispy, these onion fritters are gluten-free, egg-free, vegan, and a healthy appetizer, snack, or side! There's nothing quite like a portion of onion bhaji to complete an Indian meal.
Can you eat onion bhajis cold the next day? ›You can eat it cold or reheat in the oven. To this day all the pies are still handmade on the original premises in Shelf, Halifax, West Yorkshire and use the finest ingredients.
Can I use normal flour instead of gram flour? ›Regular all-purpose wheat flour can often be used as a substitute for gram flour in recipes that call for binding or thickening, such as pancakes, fritters, or batters.
What do we call bhaji in English? ›borrowed from Hindi, Marathi or Gujarati bhājī "fried greens, greens, vegetables," going back to Middle Indo-Aryan (Prakrit) bhajjiā- "fried vegetables," derivative of bhajjia- "fried," going back to Sanskrit bharjita-, verbal adjective from the root of bhṛjjati "(he/she) roasts"
What is the difference between bhaji and bhajia? ›Bhajia are the Gujarati term whilst pakoreh/pakodeh is used in Hindi, Urdu and Punjabi. The term 'bhaji' is very much a Westernised term and not really used in India. In India the term bhaji refers to different forms of curries, not fritters.
What are pakoras called in English? ›Pakora (pronounced [pəˈkɔːɽa]) is a fritter originating from the Indian subcontinent.
Can you freeze homemade onion bhajis? ›You can freeze onion bhajis. Once they have cooled completely, you can store them in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag and freeze them for up to 3 months. To reheat the frozen onion bhajis, you can bake them in a preheated oven at 180°C for 10-12 minutes or until they are heated through and crispy again.
Do onion bhajis contain eggs? ›
In short, it depends! Most onion bhaji recipes seem to contain egg or milk or BOTH, but not these. My onion bhaji recipe is completely vegan! I use psyllium husk powder as a "binder" but see below for my substitution suggestions if you don't have any to hand.
Which part of the onion do I not cut? ›Working from the far edge of the onion toward your body, slice down through the onion, leaving about 1/2 inch between each cut. Do not, however, slice through the onion at the root end. (An intact root end keeps the onion from falling apart.)
Why are my onions splitting? ›Conditions for Development. Uneven irrigation of onion fields increases the incidence of this disorder. Fields that are over-irrigated, allowed to dry completely and then over-irrigated again often have many split bulbs. This condition is more prevalent in areas of the field were stands are thin or uneven.
Why do my onions keep falling over? ›As maturation proceeds, necks soften and the weight of the leaves causes the tops to fall over. "Tops down" is the physiological response that results from compounds shuttled from the onion's leaves to its scales; consequently, the bulb swells and the tops dry down.
Why do my onion rings fall apart? ›If the oil isn't hot enough, the dough will absorb the oil, creating soggy onion rings that may fall apart. Also, for the best onion rings ever, be sure not to overcrowd the frying vessel: Give your onion rings room to move around.
Why are the leaves on my onion flopping over? ›Overwatering can turn your green onion's home into a swampy mess, leading to leaves that are more slumped than a teenager on a couch. If the leaves are dropping like flies at a swatter convention, and the buds are tighter than a miser's purse strings, you're pouring too much love—and water—into your plant.