These Indian appetizers are a total classic and completely scrumptious. They are sweet from the onions and flavorful from all the spices. You can keep them completely vegan by serving them with mango chutney and not with cucumber raita but my raita is delish too and I would highly recommend. If you want to make them gluten free you can easily sub the flour for chickpea flour. Here is my recipe bellow for the bhaji’s and also the cucumber raita.
1 whole large sweet onion, sliced thinly in to strips
1 cup flour (could use chickpea flour or GF flour)
1/3 cup water, (if your batter is a little too dry you can add a splash more
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 jalapeño finely diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
Sliced your onion finely in to strips and place in a bowl with your spices, garlic, jalapeño, flour and water. Mix to combine. If the batter is a little stiff, add a splash more water.
In a cast iron skillet over a high heat, heat your choice of oil. I would recommend a vegetable, peanut or avocado oil.
Spoon a large tablespoon of the mixture in to the oil. Make in batches of 4.
Fry on each side for 5 minutes until golden. Place on a paper towel to drain the oil and then salt with flakey sea salt while they are still hot. Serve immediately or to keep them hot and crispy place in to a hot oven at 400 degrees while you do the next batch.
Serve warm with mango chutney and my cucumber raita which is a cool Indian yogurt sauce.
For the raita you will need:
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/3 of an English cucumber, grated (or you can use 2 small Persian cucumbers)
5 mint leaves finely diced plus a little for topping the dip.
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
In a bowl, stir together your yogurt with your grated cucumber, garlic, salt and pep. Serve as a dipping sauce with naan bread, onion bhaji’s, vegetable samosa’s or my lamb koftas. Enjoy this cooling and refreshing dip alongside your spicy curry!