Dr Mobeus
Potato and Onion Bhajis
Onion bhajis are one of those things that seem like they should be complicated, but they are actually one of the simplest things you can make. Gram flour, spices, onion and potato – that is genuinely the whole shopping list.
A bag of gram flour costs about £1.20 for 500g from most UK supermarkets and you only need 75g per batch, so the per-portion cost works out at roughly 20p per bhaji. That is significantly cheaper than the takeaway version, and you control exactly how much oil goes in.
The trick is getting the batter consistency right. You want it thick enough to hold the onion and potato together, but not so thick that the bhajis turn into dense dumplings. Add the water gradually and stop when it coats the spoon.
Potato and Onion Bhajis
Ingredients
Method
- Mix the gram flour, cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, garam masala and salt in a large bowl.
- Add the cold water gradually, whisking to form a thick batter that coats the back of a spoon.
- Stir in the sliced onion, grated potato, chopped chilli and fresh coriander until everything is well coated.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a deep frying pan over a medium heat. You want the oil hot but not smoking.
- Drop tablespoonfuls of the mixture into the pan, flattening them slightly with the back of the spoon.
- Fry for 5 to 6 minutes on each side until golden brown and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper.
- Keep warm in a low oven while you cook the remaining bhajis, adding more oil if the pan runs dry.
Tips and Variations
Squeeze the grated potato in a clean tea towel before adding it to remove excess moisture, otherwise the bhajis will be soggy. Gram flour is available in the world foods aisle of Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury’s, usually for less than the baking aisle equivalent. These are best eaten immediately but can be reheated in a hot oven for 3 minutes to crisp up again.
