Topic: CA's Onion Bhajis (Illustrated!)

[Cory Ander]

I just can't seem to get the crispiness to go all the way through the bhaji like the ones I used to get at the restaurants

I'd be sure that BIRs will part cook them then reheat them to order.  I would think that you need a longer time, at lower temperatures, to cook the inside adequately, and a shorter time, at higher temperatures, to reheat them and crispen the outside.

Alternatively, adding a little rice flour to the mix makes them crispier.

[Secret Santa]

Yes those were my thoughts too CA. I'm going to get a bit scientific about it when I get some time and see if I can finally crack it.

[Bobby Bhuna]

 ;D Oh yeah! Tasty tasty bajis and really simple to make! Thanks CA, do these look about right?

[Cory Ander]

They look great to me BB! 

Thanks for trying the recipe and reporting back..particularly with photos.  How did you find the insides?  What temperature did you cook them for and for how long?

Not too sure about the sparkling water though;  can't you wash them down with some (make that lots of!) beer?! 

[Bobby Bhuna]

Lol, the sparkling water was for a tempura king prawn recipe I tried (sadly not from this site), which should have been soda water - I thought they were the same thing until I was corrected. Just to let you know, I would never, ever drink the stuff. 

The Bajis are about 8cm diameter. I chopped the onions too coarsely so I could not get the mix to bind together properly. I got around this by making a ball like shape on a metal draining spoon, putting the head of the spoon into the oil for around 10 seconds until the mixture was firm, then scraping the uncooked baji off with a desert spoon and putting it back in the oil  Classy technique I know!  :

I have neither gas marks on the hob, nor a thermometer, so I'm estimating here but I would say I cooked them at 150 for about 5 or 6 minutes then up to around 170 for a minute or so to crisp them up. Other than one or two that I kept in a little long, they were all cooked on the inside and crisp on the outside.

The only criticisms I would have are that they were under-spiced and that the onion in the centre could have been softer. Now that they have cooled I soften them by popping them in the microwave for a minute or two. Next time I might try pre-fried onion in the batter, extra cumin seed, extra fresh coriander and extra Garam Masala.

That said, this is a great recipe and the results far exceeded my expectations.  ;D

[adriandavidb]

I'm salivating just looking at those pix!!

[Stephen Lindsay]

I tried this recipe today for lunch and they turned out great, I used a wok for deep frying, you don't need an electric deep fryer.

cheers CA!

[Frying Tonight]

Reading through this and drooling 

I got around this by making a ball like shape on a metal draining spoon, putting the head of the spoon into the oil for around 10 seconds until the mixture was firm, then scraping the uncooked baji off with a desert spoon and putting it back in the oil)

Using Bobbys idea, could the round takeaway bhajis have been formed with an ice cream scoop?  Metal not plastic.  :  Lower into the hot oil before releasing the batter.  Anyone tried that?

[Domi]

Hi welshman, I certainly follow your logic about having a thin batter but I've tried it with batters of all consistency and I just can't seem to get the crispiness to go all the way through the bhaji like the ones I used to get at the restaurants. Must be something I'm doing wrong but I don't know what.

SS, try adding a heaped tblsp of rice flour to your dry ingredients...always works a treat for me

[qprbob]

Hi BB
Did you ever try pre frying the onions? Not sure that pre - frying the onions first would work, it would make them too crispy. I have always found that the onion is fairly soft coated in a crisp batter. Would be interested in your findings.