Topic: Axe's Onion Bhaji Recipe

[Malc.]

I've been on a quest the past few months, to find the perfect Onion Bhaji recipe. This has lead me all over the internet and to sites around the world.

I am amazed at how hard it is to actually find something that resembles what is to be found in my local Indian restaurant.

Anyway, rather than send you to sleep with the individual discoveries I have made, i'd like to share instead, the recipe I have put together.

I'd be grateful for any opinions, hint or tips, that you think might help. Either way, I hope you enjoy my recipe.


Onion Bhaji Recipe
Axe Style

Ingredients

1/4 tsp Asafoetida
1/2 tsp Onion seeds
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1/2 tsp Black Mustard Seeds
1/2 tsp Chilli Powder
1/2 tsp Fenugreek
1/2 tsp Garlic & Ginger paste
1/2 tsp Fenugreek
3/4 tsp Fennel seeds
1 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Lemon Juice
1 lge Spanish Onion
3 Green chillies, seeds removed, chopped finely
2 oz Gram Flour.
2 oz Rice Flour
Yoghurt

Method
Grind seeds in a pestle & mortar and mix with remaining dry spices and flour. Add garlic & ginger paste and lemon juice. Half and slice the onion thinly and mix through the flour and spice mix to coast the onion well. Leave to stand for 20 mins, this draws the moisture from the onion into the flour. Then add just enough yoghurt to hold the mix together, it should be very sticky and not loose like a batter.

Taking a spoonful of the mix at a time, drop into med-hot oil. Cook for a few minutes or until golden then carefully break the centre slightly with a fork and turn the bhaji and cook for several minutes more. Rest the bhaji on a paper towel to remove any excess oil.

[JerryM]

Axe,

u'll be able to get sorted here for sure. chriswg is a man after u'r own heart.

i tend to make chill prawns (suppose i just got used to them) http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,1334.0.html

chriswg's are my next fav http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3611.0

i use 976bar's mint sauce http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=2686.0

the biggest breakthrough for me was Panpot's idea of leaving the mix for 5 hrs, "The Ashoka chef of not actually using water to create the batter but by leaving the dry ingredients for 4 or 5 hours the Gram flour seems to draw the liquid content from the vegetables particularly the onion."

[Razor]

Hi Axe,

I'm not knocking your recipe at all but, there does seem to be a lot of ingredients in there!

If it's a BIR style bhaji that your after, I doubt very much "they" would go to all that trouble or expense!

Does it have to be just an "onion" bhaji that you're after because I have a really nice recipe but it does also involve carrot and potato.  Not strictly an onion bhaji but a nice bhaji, few ingredients, and very easy to make.

Let me know mate

Ray

[Malc.]

Thanks for the links Jerry, it was Chris that gave me the heads up about this forum.

The Mint Jelly sounds like a good idea, I have always used mint sauce. But I have never added sugar, just a pinch of Garam Massala. There should be added sugar in the Mint Jelly so maybe that will be enough? I'll give it a try though.

Biggest revelation for me was using Rice Flour, it seems to stop the batter from overk cooking too quickly and slows the cooking down to allow the inside to catch up, whilst giving a really crispy finish. I'll probably use less Rice Flour in the ratio next time as too much can make the batter almost hard.

I was fortunate enough to get a look in the kitchen at my favourite restaurant, primarily to see a Korma being cooked which was a revelation in itself but they did explain that their bhaji was cooked twice. The most essential part of the process was allowing it to completely dry out over night then before service, gently pulled to create cracks in the batter, before being deep fried.

Razor, any recipes you have would be great, if not to fulfill the quest for the Onion Bhaji, to fulfill my knowledge of Indian cooking. I have seen a few references to adding carrot and potato so please feel free to post it here.

Next to thing to try in the mix will be the mango powder I have heard about. I know this appears in commercially available pre made mixes.

I've spent a few hours here this afternoon and got some great info for various things.

Great site indeed.

[JerryM]

Axe,

for defo don't put any garam in the mint sauce - the sugar is all it needs. i u do need to add a spice then use kashmiri (there is post existing post http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=2687, http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=2721.0)

the cooking twice is the other crucial factor on bhajis as u say. i must admit i don't bother although i do cook in advance and microwave to serve.

i think i've ditched my bag of mango but clearly u need to put it out of u're own mind.

[chriswg]

Hi Axe

Good to see you on here. I apologise in advance for the many, many hours you will probably have already spent browsing the site.

I'm determined to get bhajis spot-on to BIR quality. I've spoken to a few chefs about it and picked up a few hints along the way (most that I spoke to include potato matchsticks in their OB's but this is a controversial subject).

There is a chef doing some youtube videos at the moment who has also promised me he will upload a BIR OB video tutorial soon. He doesn't seem to be the best chef ever but hopefully he can shed some light on the subject.

I like the idea of gently pulling them once dried out to break the apart a bit. I'll give that a go next time.

Chris

[Malc.]

All posts referring to Indian Garden bhaji recipe moved by CA to relevant recipe thread here:  http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=4443.msg40900#msg40900

[Malc.]

Thought I had better add for clarity, that I have now discarded this recipe in favour of the IG Break Down Recipe, on the above link.

Thanks to everyone that helped along the way.