Baked onion bhajis

Falafels have had their moment; make a big batch of my healthy bhajis for tonight’s dinner party and wrap the leftovers in a garlic naan for tomorrow’s lunch. Best. Wrap. Ever.

I love an onion bhaji as much as the next man, but they can be an absolute mess to make at home. I’ve started baking them as opposed to deep-frying for that very reason and I would probably say this is the side dish I make the most on repeat now to accompany my Friday night curry.

Salting the onions first and leaving them for a good 20 minutes is key to drawing the moisture out and creating a light and crispy batter which is also gluten free.

Be sure to serve the bhajis alongside my quick and easy cucumber raita, which is so good you could probably bottle it! Any leftovers can then be used to make a bhaji and raita naan wrap for tomorrow’s lunch.

How To Make Baked Onion Bhajis

• Chef Catling’s recipe notes
• Recipe: Baked onion bhajis
• Frequently asked questions

Tips & Notes To Know

• Salt your onions first: Doing so draws the moisture out and helps them soften, making for a better texture in the batter.
• Don’t make your batter too wet: The water content in the onions is usually enough to bind the bhajis. Only add a tiny splash of water if the mixture is too dry, otherwise you’ll make the bhajis soggy. The batter should cling, not drip.
• Shape loosely: Don’t compact them too tightly – keep them rough and jagged so they crisp up around the edges.
• Make ahead: You can prepare the bhajis in advance and even freeze them for another time. Just add an extra 5 minutes to the baking time when cooking from frozen.

Baked onion bhajis

Serves: 4-5 Prep time: 10 mins, plus 1 hour resting time Cook time: 35 mins 35 mins

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Ingredients

1 white onion, finely sliced
2 red onions, finely sliced
1/2 tsp smoked salt
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
75g gram flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 green chilli, finely chopped
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp garlic granules
1 tbsp fresh coriander, finely chopped

For the raita
150ml Greek yoghurt (0% fat)
1/2 cucumber, grated
Large handful of fresh mint, finely chopped
1/2 lemon, juiced

Instructions

Step 1
Place the sliced onions in a bowl and coat with the smoked salt. Leave to sit for an hour, then squeeze the onions to release the excess water.

Step 2
Preheat the oven to 200C and line one baking tray with baking parchment. Heat a small frying pan and toast the cumin and coriander seeds until fragrant and starting to pop. Tip into a pestle and mortar and crush to a powder.

Step 3
Sift the gram flour and baking powder into a clean bowl, then add the green chilli, turmeric, garlic granules, fresh coriander, and the crushed cumin and coriander. Season with salt and stir in the onions and the onion juice.

Step 4
Bring the mixture together with your hands, adding a little water if it feels too dry. Lightly oil your hands and roll the onion bhajis into 10 equal-sized balls. Place on the baking tray and brush the tops with olive oil. Bake the onion bhajis for 30-35 minutes, turning halfway, until crisp and caramelised.

Step 5
To make the raita, combine the Greek yoghurt with the grated cucumber, mint and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and serve alongside the onion bhajis for an easy starter or side dish.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Raita?

Raita is a quick and refreshing Indian side dish, made from unsweetened yoghurt, fresh herbs and finely-diced vegetables or fruit (think cucumber, carrot or mango).

Traditionally it is served as a cooling condiment to complement a spicy curry or biriyani, but why stop there? One of my favourite recipes uses a cucumber raita in my spin on a prawn sandwich, made with crab.

What Is Gram Flour?

Sometimes referred to as besan or chickpea flour, gram flour is a staple in Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine and is made from protein-rich yellow split peas or chickpeas that have been ground to a fine powder.

Unlike plain flour, it is naturally gluten free and is typically used as a binding agent to make onion bhajis, pakoras and falafal. You can find it in all major supermarkets, often in the gluten-free or international foods sections.