Onion Bhaji

Ingredients

• 140g gram flour
• 1tsp salt
• 1tsp ground cumin
• 1tsp ground turmeric
• 1tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1/2tsp chilli powder
• 2tsp lemon juice
• 2tbsp vegetable or groundnut oil, plus enough for deep-frying
• 2-8tbsp water
• 2 onions, thinly sliced
• 2tsp coriander seeds, lightly crushed

Method

Sift the gram flour, salt, cumin, turmeric, bicarbonate of soda and chilli powder into a large bowl. Mix in the lemon juice and oil and then very gradually stir in just enough water to form a batter with a similar consistency to that of single cream. Now mix in the onions and the crushed coriander seeds.

Heat enough oil for deep-frying in a wok or deep-fat fryer until it reaches 180C or until a cube of bread browns in 30 seconds. Without overcrowding the pan, drop in spoonfuls of the onion mixture and fry for 2 minutes. Then use tongs to flip the bhajis over and continue frying for a further 2 minutes or until golden brown.

Immediately remove the bhajis from the oil and drain well on kitchen paper. Fry the remaining batches of bhajis and serve with chutney or pakora sauce