Onion Bhajiya (Spicy Fritters)

Name: Onion Bhajiya (Spicy Fritters)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 20 to 24 bhajiya (serves 4 to 6)
Cuisine: indian
Ingredients: Canola oil, for frying; 2 large sweet onions (about 12 ounces each), halved, then cut from top to bottom into 1/4-inch-thick slices; 1/2 heaping cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves; 8 Thai green chiles, finely chopped; 1 1/2 cups/180 grams besan (chickpea flour); 1/4 cup/40 grams rice flour; 2 tablespoons whole coriander seeds, lightly crushed in a mortar and pestle or smashed with a rolling pin; 2 1/2 teaspoons salt; 2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper; 2 teaspoons red chile powder (such as cayenne); 2 teaspoons whole cumin seeds; 2 teaspoons garlic powder; 1/4 teaspoon hing (asafetida); 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric; Black salt, for sprinkling

Recipe from Palak Patel

Adapted by Christina Morales

Updated Nov. 7, 2023

Onion Bhajiya (Spicy Fritters) — Bobbi Lin for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Maggie Ruggiero.

Total Time: 45 minutes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Rating: 4(84)
Comments: Read comments

On Diwali, people in India light up their homes, say prayers and go door-to-door exchanging boxes of snacks and sweets. In the northern part of the country, some people fry fresh onion bhajiya, or crispy onion fritters, as an appetizer or snack for visiting guests. Palak Patel, the author of “The Chutney Life: 100 Easy-to-Make, Indian-Inspired Recipes” (Abrams, 2023), included her mother’s recipe in her cookbook, which represents Ms. Patel’s life as an Indian American. Her mother is from Raipur, where the street food is dipped in cilantro chutney, but her children and husband like to dip the fritters in ketchup. Depending on the region, bhajiya can also be called pakora or bhaji. They’re often eaten as a snack during monsoons and served with masala chai. —Christina Morales

Featured in: A Golden Treat for Diwali

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Ingredients

Yield:20 to 24 bhajiya (serves 4 to 6)

Canola oil, for frying
2large sweet onions (about 12 ounces each), halved, then cut from top to bottom into ¼-inch-thick slices
½heaping cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
8Thai green chiles, finely chopped
1½cups/180 grams besan (chickpea flour)
¼cup/40 grams rice flour
2tablespoons whole coriander seeds, lightly crushed in a mortar and pestle or smashed with a rolling pin
2½teaspoons salt
2teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
2teaspoons red chile powder (such as cayenne)
2teaspoons whole cumin seeds
2teaspoons garlic powder
¼teaspoon hing (asafetida)
¼teaspoon ground turmeric
Black salt, for sprinkling

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Add enough canola oil to a medium pot to come 3 inches up the side. Heat over medium-high until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350 degrees.
Step 2
In a large bowl, combine all of the remaining ingredients except for the black salt. Use your hands to massage the mixture for about 2 minutes. Next, add ¼ cup water, using your hands to mix in 1 tablespoon at a time until the batter is thick and sticky and there is no longer dry flour at the bottom of the bowl. (You may need a few more tablespoons of water.)
Step 3
Use your fingertips to gather some of the onion mixture into a small clump, then drop it carefully into the hot oil. If you’re nervous about frying, use one spoon to gather a small cluster of the onion mixture, then use a second spoon to release it into the oil. (You can test the temperature of the oil by dropping a bit of the onion mixture into the oil; if the mixture rises fairly quickly, the oil is ready.) Cook a few bhajiya at a time, avoiding crowding the pan. Use a spider or a slotted metal spatula to gently turn the bhajiya, cooking them about 2 minutes per side until golden-brown. (You might want to tear one open to make sure it’s not raw inside.)
Step 4
Transfer the cooked bhajiya onto a large paper towel-lined platter. Continue to cook the remaining bhajiya, reducing the heat as needed if the bhajiya are browning too fast before the onions cook through.
Step 5
Sprinkle with black salt and enjoy hot.

Ratings

4 out of 5

84 user ratings

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Comments

T Jones1 year ago

Canola is the oil of the rapeseed plant. Is it any wonder the name was changed? For what it’s worth, I know someone who farmed those plants in Canada (the “can” in “canola” iirc)

P1 year ago

Absolutely! I air fry 6 minutes each side or till they are golden brown.

Enthusiast1 year ago

Cut onions into crescent-shaped slices. The best way to do this is to cut once in the middle holding the onion upright with the "root" at the bottom, and then placing each half cut-side down, followed by slicing top-to-bottom to produce crescent-shaped slices. Easy! This is a basic technique for a lot of Indian recipes including pulav.

Shivam S1 year ago

A staple in Indian homes! A few additional tips - 1) No need for rice flour - stick with chickpea flour or add some cornstarch if you are really worried about crunchiness; 2) You can definitely use ground cumin or ground coriander instead of seeds (easier to find); 3) Dicing onions lets you “flatten” the pakoras some so you can pan fry instead of deep fry; 4) You can easily add chopped spinach, peas, corn, or anything similar to the mix - great way to use the veggies you have on hand!

Judy1 year ago

Made this as written and fried in peanut oil. Delicious! Just the right amount of spice. Make sure to not compress the onion mixture too much, you want it loose so it gets crispy. This is the best version of “pakoras” that I have ever made.

Mark Twain1 year ago

Made these a few weeks ago. House still has that delightful smell of onions being fried.

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