📝 About This Recipe
A quintessential staple of Indian street food and British curry houses, these onion bhajis are the ultimate crispy indulgence. Thinly sliced onions are tossed in a fragrant, spiced chickpea flour batter and fried until they achieve a stunning lacy, golden crunch. These savory fritters are naturally gluten-free and offer a complex profile of earthy turmeric, warming garam masala, and a hint of citrus that makes them absolutely irresistible.
🥗 Ingredients
The Bhaji Mixture
- 3 pieces Large Red Onions (very thinly sliced into half-moons)
- 1.5 cups Gram Flour (Besan) (sifted)
- 1/4 cup Rice Flour (for extra crispiness)
- 1 tablespoon Fresh Ginger (finely grated)
- 2 pieces Green Chilies (finely chopped, seeds removed for less heat)
- 1/2 cup Fresh Cilantro (finely chopped)
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice (freshly squeezed)
- 2-3 cups Vegetable Oil (for deep frying)
Spices and Aromatics
- 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri Red Chili Powder (or mild paprika)
- 1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds (toasted)
- 1/2 teaspoon Ajwain (Carom Seeds) (optional, aids digestion)
- 1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala
- 1 teaspoon Sea Salt (adjust to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Place the thinly sliced onions in a large mixing bowl and sprinkle the sea salt over them. Using your hands, massage the salt into the onions for about 1-2 minutes until they begin to soften and release their natural moisture.
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2
Allow the onions to sit for 10 minutes. This 'sweating' process is crucial as the onion liquid will form the base of your batter, requiring less added water and resulting in more flavor.
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3
Add the grated ginger, chopped green chilies, and fresh cilantro to the bowl with the onions.
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4
Incorporate the dry spices: turmeric, red chili powder, cumin seeds, ajwain, and garam masala. Stir well to ensure every onion strand is coated in the aromatic spice mix.
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5
Sprinkle the sifted gram flour and rice flour over the onion mixture. Add the lemon juice.
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6
Mix everything together by hand. The goal is a thick, sticky coating that binds the onions together. If the mixture is too dry and crumbly, add water 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches a dropping consistency. Do not over-water; it should not be a runny batter.
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7
Heat the vegetable oil in a deep pan or wok over medium-high heat. To test if it is ready, drop a tiny bit of batter into the oil; it should sizzle and rise to the surface immediately without browning too fast.
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8
Using two spoons or your fingers, carefully drop small, golf-ball-sized clumps of the onion mixture into the hot oil. Avoid making them too dense; a craggy, irregular shape creates more crispy edges.
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9
Fry the bhajis in batches of 4 or 5 to avoid crowding the pan, which would drop the oil temperature and lead to greasiness.
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10
Fry for 3-4 minutes, turning occasionally with a slotted spoon, until they are a deep golden brown and crispy on all sides.
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11
Remove the bhajis with a slotted spoon and drain them on a wire rack set over a tray or on paper towels to remove excess oil.
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12
Serve immediately while hot and at peak crispiness, perhaps with a final dusting of chaat masala if desired.
💡 Chef's Tips
For the crispiness that lasts, do not skip the rice flour; it provides a structural crunch that gram flour alone cannot achieve. Always fry in small batches to maintain a steady oil temperature of around 350°F (175°C). If your bhajis are soggy, you likely added too much water or the oil wasn't hot enough. Try to slice the onions as uniformly as possible using a mandoline to ensure they all cook at the same rate. Massage the onions with salt first—this is the secret to a flavor-packed batter that isn't diluted by excess water.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve with a side of cooling Mint and Coriander Chutney or a sweet and tangy Tamarind Sauce. Pair these with a steaming cup of Masala Chai for a classic Indian afternoon tea experience. They make an excellent appetizer for a full Indian feast alongside Butter Chicken or Lamb Rogan Josh. For a modern twist, serve them inside a soft brioche bun with spicy mayo as a 'Bhaji Burger'. A cold, crisp lager or a dry Riesling cuts through the fried richness perfectly.