Onion Bhaji

One of the iconic appetizers of the British Curry House are onion bhaji.  These are closely related to pakoras, in which the vegetables are merely sliced and cooked much like in Japanese tempura.  In bhaji, however, the vegetables are chopped and mixed into the spiced chickpea batter, making for an addictive savory fritter.  Here we share our adaptation of an onion pakora recipe presented in Pat Chapman’s 2007 India Food & Cooking which we have adapted into a vegan bhaji. 

1 cup besan (chickpea or gram) flour
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teasponn coriander, ground
½ teaspoon cumin, ground
½ teaspoon cumin, whole seed
½ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon ajowan, whole seed
2 tablespoons cilantro, finely minced
2 teaspoons dry fenugreek leaf, crumbled
½ teaspoon dry mint leaf, crumbled
2 green chillies, seeded and finely minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Water
One large onion, peeled, quartered and cut into 1/2” wide strips
Canola oil for deep frying

Heat oil to 375° F in a deep frier or cast iron skillet.

Mix all the batter ingredients together, adding just enough water to make a thick but somewhat pourable paste.  Toss with the onion strips.

Drop 2 tablespoons of batter and onion mixture at a time into the hot oil until the fryer is filled.  Cook for 5 minutes until the bottom side is well browned.  Turn over and cook another 4-5 minutes until the other side is cooked.  Remove from oil and drain on paper toweling.  Serve warm. 

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