Onion Bhaji With Gram Flour

Onion Bhaji with Gram Flour, also known as Kanda Bhanji or Onion Pakora, paired with masala chai is the ultimate monsoon snack for tea time. The spicier, gluten-free version of Bloomin’ Onion, Awesome Blossom, or onion rings, this super crispy comfort snack is the perfect appetizer for an Indian feast too

Onion Bhaji has rightfully earned its place in the list of Top Ten Indian Snacks ever. And considering the diversity in food and culture, that’s saying something!

You will find pakoras in most Indian restaurants in their ‘appetizer section’ or on roadside stalls served with a steaming glass of masala chai which has been slow-boiling for hours. In Mumbai, it is called Kanda Bhaji (Kanda = onion), and the most favored snack, especially in monsoons!

The secret to making super crispy onion bhaji is “crush and sweat”. This step makes all the difference between an audible crunch and a soggy bhaji.

WHAT DO I NEED TO MAKE ONION BHAJI?

The ingredients are as follow

• Gram Flour (Common name is Besan in an Indian grocery store)
• Rice Flour
• Onions (Preferable the sweeter, milder ones, like red onions)
• Ajwain Seeds (Carom Seeds) If you do not have these, you can substitute them with dried Oregano herb for a similar flavor.
• Turmeric Powder
• Red Chili Powder (Any mild variety like Kashmiri Chili or Sweet Paprika)
• Salt, to taste
• Red Chili powder (optional)
• Sauce of your choice for dipping

HOW DO I MAKE KANDA BHAJI? (STEP BY STEP ONION BHAJI WITH GRAM FLOUR)

Steps to make Onion Bhaji With Gram Flour

This onion pakora recipe uses dry batter. Following is a step-by-step instruction to make these.

1. Chop onions into thin slices and separate them.
2. Add salt, toss well, and let it sit for 15-20 minutes. This step is key to making the onions sweat.
3. Dry Batter Mix: In a separate bowl, mix gram flour, rice powder (rice flour), salt, red chili powder, carom (ajwain) seeds, or dried oregano leaves. Mix well with a fork or whisk.
4. Add this dry batter mix to the salted onion, one tablespoon at a time. Keep tossing gently to ensure that onions do not lump together.
5. If required, add a tablespoon of water- just enough to bind the batter mix to the onions. Do not allow the mix to go lumpy.
6. Keep separating the onions to prevent lumps or balls.
7. Heat oil in a deep pan.
8. When it is hot, add a bit of onion. If it fizzes and rises to the surface of the oil, the oil is hot enough.
9. Start adding a forkful of onion and keep frying in batches.
10. Drain and place on a paper towel to absorb excess oil.
11. Serve hot with a sauce of your choice – like ketchup, Sriracha, or date-Tamarind sauce.

More Recipes Like This :

• Air Fryer Potatoes

• Curried Rice (Peas Pulao)

Want to pair it with a sweet treat? Here’s a Fresh Strawberry Cobbler.

Love pakoras? Try another version with this delicious protein-packed paneer pakora, which is also gluten-free and easy to make.

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Onion Bhaji With Gram Flour

Onion Fritters Fried In Gluten-Free Gram Flour (Besan)

5 from 38 votes (Click on the stars to vote!)

Print Pin Rate

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: Air Fryer, easy, fiber, Gluten Free, high fiber, Low GI, quick and easy, vegan, vegetarian

Categories: indian, Snacks

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Resting Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 336kcal

Equipment

• 1 Deep Pan For deep frying

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Onion Mix

• ▢ 4 cups Onions Fine Sliced
• ▢ 1 tsp Salt

Dry Batter

• ▢ 1 cup Gram Flour Besan
• ▢ 4 tbsp Rice Flour Plain Flour
• ▢ 1 tsp Ajwain Seeds Or Dried Oregano Leaves
• ▢ 1 tsp Red Chili powder Optional
• ▢ 1 tsp Turmeric Powder
• ▢ 1/2 tsp Salt
• ▢ frying oil For frying

Instructions

• Slice onions into thin strips (horizontally) see picture.
• Add 1 tsp salt to sliced onions.
• Leave aside for 15 minutes, till onions sweat.
• In a bowl, add gram flour, rice flour, salt, ajwain seeds (or dried oregano leaves), red chili powder, and turmeric. Mix well.
• Now add gram flour mixture, one tablespoon at a time, to thesalted onions, till onions are well coated. Use a splash of water to help the flour mixture stick to the onions, but not so much to create a sticky batter. Do not press the mixture to form lumps or balls.
• Heat oil in a deep pan.
• Using a fork, add the onions in batches and fry till golden brown.
• Drain well, and place on kitchen towels to absorb the extra oil.

Notes

1. The secret to getting a good crunch is letting the onions sweat for 15 minutes after adding salt.
2. This batter uses the moisture from onions and does not need water. 
3. Check the oil is hot by two methods

          a. Add a bit of coated onion. If it sizzles and rises to the top, the oil is hot                  enough

          b. Dip the tip of a wooden chopstick in the hot oil. If it sizzles, the oil is hot                enough.

If the oil is smoking, it is too hot. Reduce flame to lower the temperature. 

 

 

Nutrition

Calories: 336kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 906mg | Potassium: 516mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 164IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 2mg

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