Onion Bhaji
also called onion bhajee · bhaji · pyaz pakora · onion pakora · kanda bhaji · bhajia
- Curry House
- serves 12
- about 45 min
- Flatbreads & Pancakes
Three ways to read this recipe
The table
| 1 lb(450 g; halved and sliced thin)yellow onions | salt and stand 20 min, until they weep | toss through, no water yet | fry 5 min a batch, at 340°F |
| 1 1/2 tspkosher salt | |||
| 3/4 cup(80 g; besan)gram flour | |||
| 2 Tbs(20 g)rice flour | |||
| 1/2 tspground turmeric | |||
| 1 tspKashmiri chile powder | |||
| 1 tspcumin seeds | |||
| 1/2 tspajwain | |||
| 1 Tbs(grated)fresh ginger | |||
| 3 Tbs(chopped)cilantro | |||
| 4 cups(950 mL)neutral oil | |||
| Gram flour is not a substitute for anything here — it fries crisp where wheat flour goes soft it is why this tastes of a curry house rather than a chip shop. Pakora is the same batter around something else: potato slices cauliflower florets whole green chiles spinach leaves. Rice flour is the shop trick for a shell that is still crisp when the plate reaches the table. These are the first deep-fried things on this site and they want to be eaten standing up | |||
What to lay out
Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.11 things to get out.
1salt and stand 20 min, until they weep
2toss through, no water yet
goes in with what step 1 made
3fry 5 min a batch, at 340°F
goes in with what step 2 made
Cooking it
Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.
The clock
- Start to finish
- at least 25 mintwo waits that overlap count once
- Needs you
- 5 minof the steps that give a time
One of the 3 steps never says how long it takes, so both numbers are floors. The recipe itself says 45 min.
salt and stand 20 min, until they weep
20 minwalk awayfrom the start
toss through, no water yet
not timed20 min in
fry 5 min a batch, at 340°F
5 minneeds you20 min in
- needs you
- you can walk away
- never timed
Drawn to scale, so a long wait really does take up the room it takes. The shortest stretches keep a sliver so they stay visible; their times are printed beside them.
Goes with
See how it is written
>> title: Onion Bhaji
>> category: Flatbreads & Pancakes
>> tags: indian, onion, gram flour, fried, starter
>> counters: Curry House
>> aka: onion bhajee, bhaji, pyaz pakora, onion pakora, kanda bhaji, bhajia
>> pairs-with: mint-chutney, papadom
>> servings: 12
>> time: 45 min
>> step.1: salt and stand 20 min, until they weep
>> step.2: toss through, no water yet
>> step.3: fry 5 min a batch, at 340°F
Rest @yellow onions{1%lb}(450 g; halved and sliced thin) under @kosher salt{1 1/2%tsp} ~stand{20%min}, turning them once, until the bowl has an inch of water in the bottom and the slices have gone floppy.
Toss @gram flour{3/4%cup}(80 g; besan), @rice flour{2%Tbs}(20 g), @ground turmeric{1/2%tsp}, @Kashmiri chile powder{1%tsp}, @cumin seeds{1%tsp}, @ajwain{1/2%tsp}, @fresh ginger{1%Tbs}(grated) and @cilantro{3%Tbs}(chopped) through @&(~1)wept onions{}, water and all, and work it with your hand until every strand is coated in a thick paste. Add no water. The onions have already given you exactly enough, and a batter you can pour makes fritters that are heavy in the middle.
Fry @&(~1)coated onions{} in @neutral oil{4%cup}(950 mL) at 340°F (170°C) ~fry{5%min} a batch, dropped in craggy tablespoonfuls and turned once, until deep gold and crisp at every loose end.
Gram flour is not a substitute for anything here — it fries crisp where wheat flour goes soft, and it is why this tastes of a curry house rather than a chip shop. Pakora is the same batter around something else: potato slices, cauliflower florets, whole green chiles, spinach leaves. Rice flour is the shop trick for a shell that is still crisp when the plate reaches the table. These are the first deep-fried things on this site and they want to be eaten standing up.