RECIPES WITH ONION POWDER RECIPES

Steps:

• Peel and finely slice the onions. Cut each slice into 3cm pieces. Put the onions in a bowl and sprinkle with the salt, mixing very well with clean hands. Allow to sit for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 hours. When ready to form the bhajis, squeeze the onions to release the water into the bowl. In the same bowl, add the remaining ingredients up to and including the chilli powder, and give everything a good stir.
• Now sift the gram flour over the onion mixture and mix well. There should be enough water released from the salted onions to form a batter that sticks the onions together. If too dry, add a drop of water. Mix in the rapeseed oil with your hands so that the onions are evenly coated.
• Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Line a baking tray with a sheet of baking paper (do not use foil as the bhajis will stick to it). Using a spoon or clean hands, make 20 equal-sized onion balls and place them on the baking paper. Bake for 40 minutes or until nicely browned. Serve with a good chutney and/or raita.

Steps:

• Soak the onion in cold water while you make the base mix. Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl, then add the chilli powder, turmeric, chopped chilli and a good sprinkling of salt. Mix in about 100ml of cold water to make a thick batter – add a splash more if it feels too stiff.
• For the raita, peel the cucumber and grate it into a sieve set over another bowl. Mix the remaining ingredients with some seasoning and the drained cucumber – squeezing out any extra moisture with your hands – then spoon into a small serving bowl.
• Drain the onion well and mix it into the batter. Heat about 5cm of oil in a wok or deep pan. Do not fill the pan more than a third full. Add a tiny speck of batter. If it rises to the surface surrounded by bubbles and starts to brown, then the oil is hot enough for frying.
• Lower heaped tbsps of the bhaji mixture into the pan, a few at a time, and cook for a few mins, turning once, until they are evenly browned and crisp, so about 3-4 mins. Drain on kitchen paper, sprinkle with a little salt and keep warm while you cook the rest. Serve with the raita.