Onion Bhajis with cucumber raita...

I love onion bhaji (or vegetable for that matter) but whenever I buy them from an Indian restaurant they're always very greasy and heave. I decided to finally make them at home - which turned out to be very easy and rewarding. I know that traditionally one should use gram flour instead of plain one but I didn't have it available at this time at home so I used self rising flour instead. It gave bhaji lightness and nice, crisp outer. Recently I found out that those should be actually called 'pakoras' and not bhaji, as bhajis are completely different thing all together (it's a type of beaten rice eaten in Nepal). To accompaniment this delicious treat I made cucumber raita.

How to make it...



Bhaji
Ingredients:
- 120 g self raising flour
- 2 eggs
- 3 medium onions, halved and sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon black onion seeds, crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- pinch of salt
- oil for frying

Beat the eggs in a bowl. Add the onion and mix well. Add the flour, all spices and stir well to combine. Heat the oil in a deep-sided frying pan over a medium heat. When hot add a spoonful of the bhaji mixture and fry until golden-brown and crisp on all sides. Remove and drain on kitchen paper. Repeat with the remaining bhaji mixture, replenishing the oil in the pan if it runs low and allowing it to heat up again after a new addition. Serve with cucumber raita.

Raita

- 1 cucumber, grated
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 4 curry leaves
- salt and pepper

To make the cucumber raita, squeeze out any excess water from the grated cucumber. Mix together the cucumber and yogurt, and stir in the cumin seeds, curry leaves and season with salt and pepper.

Smacznego!