Jem’s Gluten Free Eats

The best part of an Indian meal for me are the onion bhajis. Perfectly crispy on the outside but soft and spicy in the middle.

My family have been making our own onion bhajis for years now as only rarely can you find them gluten free in the shops and, in my opinion, they are so much nicer made fresh at home.

These bhajis are made with gram flour (I use KTC brand which you can find in most supermarkets), making the bhajis naturally gluten free and vegan. They make the perfect side dish alongside a curry and are also very popular at a buffet.

There are couple things to bear in mind with this recipe that will ensure you get the perfect bhaji. Your batter mixture has got to be thick and sticky, if you add too much water you risk your bhajis falling apart while you’re frying them. You also want to make sure that the pan is at the right temperature, hot enough to make them crispy on the outside but not too hot so they don’t cook properly in the middle.

MAKES 10-12

Ingredients:

• 2 red onions (1 finely sliced and 1 finely chopped)
• 2 brown onions (1 finely sliced and 1 finely chopped)
• 1-2 green chillis (finely chopped)
• 100g gram flour
• 2 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp salt
• Handful of fresh coriander (chopped) (optional)
• 50-75ml cold water
• Vegetable oil for frying

Method:

In a large bowl, add your onions, chillis, gram flour, coriander and all your salt and spices. Stir until all the onions are well coated in the flour and spices. Leave to rest for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile in a large heavy based pan, heat about 2cm of vegetable oil on a medium high heat. Leave to heat for about 10 minutes.

Gradually add small amounts of water to your onion mixture, stirring thoroughly after each addition. You may not need a lot of water as the onions will provide some moisture. You need the mixture to be thick and sticky so it holds.

Reduce the pan to a medium heat. Using a tablespoon, spoon balls of mixture into the oil. You may have to cook in batches depending on the size of your pan.

Fry for three minutes on one side, flip and cook for another three minutes on the other side. Do this twice over so your bhajis are cooked through but dark and crispy on the outside.

Once cooked, use a slotted spatula to remove your bhajis from the pan and place on a baking tray with kitchen towel (to soak up excess oil). Serve with mango chutney or a mint raita and enjoy!