Baked Onion Bhajis (pyaz ke pakore)
Baked instead of fried, these delicious baked onion bhajis or pyaz ke pakore from Meera Sodha are a healthier alternative to the traditional recipe.
From the book
Fresh India: 130 Quick, Easy and Delicious Recipes for Every Day
The go-to guide for vegetarian Indian cooking
130 stunning recipes with a fresh and light feel
Beautiful puddings with Indian-inspired flavours
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Introduction
These are a step forward from the deep-fried favourites: they are healthier, more pleasant to cook, and just as tasty. I like to serve these with a fresh coriander or mango chutney, or beetroot raita.
Ingredients
| 3cm | ginger, peeled and roughly chopped |
| 1 | green finger chilli, chopped |
| 2 tsp | cumin seeds |
| salt | |
| 1kg | brown onions |
| 4 tbsp | rapeseed oil |
| 180g | chickpea (gram) flour |
| 40g | fresh coriander, roughly chopped |
| ½ tsp | red chilli powder |
| 1 tsp | ground coriander |
| ½ tsp | ground turmeric |
| 1 tbsp | lemon juice |
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4 and line two baking trays with lightly oiled foil. Put the ginger, green chilli and cumin seeds into a pestle and mortar along with a small pinch of salt, bash to a coarse paste and leave to one side.
Peel and halve the onions, then slice them into 0.5cm half-moon shapes. Put the oil into a large frying pan over a medium heat and, when hot, add the onions. Fry for around 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they’re translucent and just soft enough to cut with a wooden spoon.
Put the onions into a bowl and add the ginger, green chilli and cumin paste, along with the chickpea flour, fresh coriander, chilli powder, ground coriander, turmeric, lemon juice and 11⁄2 teaspoons of salt. Mix thoroughly and, little by little, add up to 30ml of water, until you have a very thick batter.
Take a tablespoon of the mixture and drop it on to a tray. Repeat with the rest of the mix, leaving a couple of centimetres between each bhaji.
Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until the bhajis start to crisp up and brown on top. Remove from the oven – you may need to gently lever them off the foil using a palette knife – and place on a plate alongside some chutney before devouring.
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