Crispy Onion Bhaji Pakoda Recipes

ONION BHAJI

Steps:

• Make the batter, mix all of the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl with water to create a batter with a consistency similar to heavy cream (double cream in the UK). You might need to add more water than written in the ingredient list above.
• Slice the onions into thin slices and separate them just a little.
• Add the onions to the batter.
• Stir the onions with the batter so that it coats the onion slices well.
• Heat canola or vegetable/corn oil to 355°F (180C°), then using 2 spoons of your hands start dropping clusters of onions in the batter (about 3-4 at a time), and fry for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.
• Using a spider or slotted spoon, remove the bhajis from the oil, and place on a plate lined with paper towels. Enjoy hot on their own, or serve with a yogurt mint raita.

ONION PAKODA | ONION PAKORA

Steps:

• Slice onions moderately thin and add them to a mixing bowl.
• Add chilies, ginger, curry leaves, pudina and salt to the same mixing bowl.
• Nicely squeeze the onions with your fingers few times without mushing them up.
• Leave it aside for 5 minutes. This helps the onions to release some moisture.
• Then sprinkle besan, ajwain, cashews and more salt if needed.
• Mix everything well to coat the onions with the flour. The mixture will be fairly dry at this moment.
• Add water 2 tbsps each time and mix the flour to make a moist mass of dough.
• The dough must be tight yet very moist and not soggy like batter else they absorb lot of oil while frying.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a kadai until very hot.
• Be careful as it is too hot. Pour this to the dough.
• Immediately the oil will sizzle. Mix the dough with a spoon and not hand as the oil is too hot.
• Heat oil in the same kadai or fry pan for deep frying the pakoda.
• Check if the oil is hot enough in the kadai by sliding a tiny piece of dough first.
• It has to rise and not sink in the oil. Next it should not brown too quickly. This is the right temperature.
• When the oil is hot enough, regulate the flame to medium high.
• Take a small amount of dough and make small pakoda with your fingers and slide them gently in the hot oil.
• Do not add too many pakodas in the pan. They should have some space in the pan to swim around & fry well.
• While frying stir & if needed flip the onion pakodas occasionally for even frying.
• Fry them till they turn crisp & golden. Then transfer them with a ladle to an absorbent tissue placed in a plate or to a colander.
• Continue to make more onion pakoda in batches with the rest of the dough.
• Serve onion pakoda hot with a cup of tea or coffee. You can also serve them with Coriander Chutney, Mint Chutney or Green chutney.
• Or sprinkle some chaat masala or any ground seasoning of your choice.

CRISPY ONION BHAJI / PAKODA

Steps:

• In a large pan or kadhai heat enough oil for frying.
• Add enough oil so that the bhajis will not touch the bottom of the pan while being fried.
• Peel and thinly slice the onions. Make sure they are all sliced evenly.
• With the back of the knife crush garlic and roughly chop it.
• Roughly chop the curry leaves.
• In a big bowl add sliced onion, garlic, curry leaves, besan, rice flour, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt, hing, baking soda, and salt.
• Mix well and let it rest for 10 mins. Mix it again. The mixture will be moist and would start coming together.
• Add a teaspoon of water at a time and mix well until the batter is not too dry. You should be able to hold a spoonful of it and it should hold a loose shape.
• Take a couple of teaspoons of hot oil and mix it with the batter well using a spoon.
• To make sure that the oil is hot enough for frying, drop small amount of batter in the oil. The drops should have bubbles and rise up. This shows the oil is hot enough to fry.
• Using a spoon or with your hand take about a tablespoon of batter, form a loose shape and carefully drop it into the oil.
• Avoid overcrowding the pan with too many slices put together. Cooking a few at a time ensures even cooking of the onions.
• Flip the pakodas halfway through and allow to brown it evenly on both the sides.
• When the batter turns brown, take them out using a slotted spoon and put them on some tissues to soak the excess oil.
• Serve with sauce, chutney or raita