A wonderful onion bhaji recipe using red onions, with a tangy fresh coriander and yoghurt dip. I love bhajis, as they are naturally allergen and gluten-free, but anyone who knows me knows that I’m not exactly keen on deep frying! So this is a way of doing them that is not so oily, and can be cooked in a regular frying pan. They are a cinch to make at home; and even better, you can choose which oil you use.
The recipe is another gem from Lucy Shardlow who is part of our NatureDoc HQ team and these bhajis also pair beautifully with her super Date and Tamarind Chutney.
Ingredients
Bhaji Mixture
- 2 Red Onions (large)
- 100 g Gram Flour (chickpea/besan)
- 1 tsp Curry Powder
- 0.25 tsp Turmeric
- 0.5 tsp Salt
- 0.5 tsp Gram Masala
- 0.5 tsp Ground Cumin
- Chilli Powder (you can also use hot sauce. Just add what heat you need)
- 120ml Water
- 4 tbsp Odourless Coconut Oil (or olive oil, ghee or organic sunflower oil)
Coriander Raita Dipping Sauce
- 40 g Coriander Leaves
- 1 Lime (juice only)
- 1 clove Garlic
- 1 tbsp Greek Yoghurt (plain)
- 0.5 inch Fresh Ginger (peeled & grated)
- 1 tsp Coconut Sugar (optional)
- 1 Green Chilli (optional)
- 0.5 tsp Salt
Units
Instructions
Bhaji Mixture
- Slice red onions onto a mixture of circles and semi-circles and pull them apart.
- Add all dry ingredients to a mixing bowl and combine. Stir in the water and mix into a smooth paste.
- Add onions and coat in the batter.
- Heat the oil in a frying pan and test to see if it’s hot enough by adding a small piece of onion…if it fries with bubbles around it, you’re ready to go.
- Each bhaji needs a big tablespoon of onion mixture. Place one-three tablespoons in the frying pan, leaving a space between them. These should be much flatter than ordinary bhajis.
- Fry for 4-5 minutes each side until golden. Remove with spatula and place on sheet of paper towel.
- If making in batches keep the bhajis in a warm oven. Ideally serve fresh.
Coriander Raita Dipping Sauce
- Whizz all the ingredients up in a blender and serve.
Recipe Notes
- Serve with Date and Tamarind Chutney
- The dipping sauce lasts in the fridge for 3 days.
- Dairy-free: swap yoghurt to plain coconut yoghurt.
