Onion Bhajis (Plain Flour Recipe)

Crispy, chewy, salty, it's the onion bhaji. These glorious takeaway superstars have long been a favourite of mine. They're such a delicious side to have with a curry. Like most Indian food they're naturally vegan and so great!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Diet Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword bhaji, bhaji recipe, easy bhaji, onion bhaji, plain flour bhaji, vegan bhaji recipe

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Total Time 20 mins

Servings

Calories 509

Ingredients

4 Medium Red Onions
Sunflower Oil for frying about 200 - 400ml

Batter

150 g Plain Flour
2 Teaspoons Turmeric
2 Teaspoons Garlic Powder
2 Teaspoons Cumin Powder
1 Teaspoon Paprika
1 Teaspoon Ginger Powder

Instructions

Peel and chop the red onions in half. Then finely slice them into thin half moon crescents.
Mix all the batter ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Then, whilst whisking the bowl contents, pour over 180 ml of water. Mix until the batter is smooth. It should be thick and gloopy. Add a splash more water if the batter feels too stiff.
Tip the chopped red onion into the mixing bowl. Mix well until the red onions are well incorporated into the batter.
Ready an oven tray or large chopping board. Then scoop a 2 inch ball of bhaji batter out of the mixing bowl and shape into a rough patty with your hands. Place the patty onto your tray or board. The patty should be about 4 - 5 cm in width. With patties this size you should get 12 shaped bhajis out of the batter, but, feel free to make them as big or small as you want.
Once all the bhajis are shaped. Heat the oil in a large heavy pan (I like to use a dutch oven or Le Creuset pot) over a medium-high heat. You need enough oil in the pan to cover about half the thickness of your bhajis. This is normally about 200 - 400 ml depending on the width of your pan.
After a few minutes, pluck an excess red onion slice from your batter bowl or one of your bhajis, and toss into the pan. Once the red onion starts to vigorously bubble and spit, your oil is hot enough to cook with.
Using a metal spatula, scrape about 4 - 5 bhajis (one at a time) into your pan. Fry for around 3 minutes or until the underside side begins to crisp and take on a lovely golden brown colour. Flip the bhajis and cook the opposite side for 3 minutes more until evenly crisp and golden brown.
When the each batch of bhajis are cooked, remove from each from the pan and place onto a fresh oven tray cover with a kitchen towel or paper. Salt them immediately.
Repeat the frying process until all your bhajis are nicely fried.

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