Onion fritters (onion bhajis)

These crunchy fritters of onion, potato and spinach are served with a refreshing mint chutney. Serve as a part of an Indian banquet, or as a tasty bar snack.

Credit: Brett Stevens

• makes

  20

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  25 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 200 g chickpea (besan) flour (see Note)
• 1 tbsp Greek-style yoghurt
• 1.5 litres vegetable oil, to deep-fry, plus extra 1 tbsp
• 1 potato, peeled, very thinly sliced 
• 100 g silverbeet leaves, rinsed, patted dry, very thinly sliced
• 1 onion, very thinly sliced
• 100 g (1 cup) thinly sliced cauliflower
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 green chilli, finely chopped 

Mint chutney

• 250 g Greek-style yoghurt
• ½ green chilli, finely chopped
• 1 tsp store-bought mint sauce
• ½ onion, very finely chopped

Instructions

To make chutney, place yoghurt, chilli, ¼ teaspoon of salt, mint sauce and onion in a bowl and mix to combine. Refrigerate until needed.

Place chickpea flour in a bowl with yoghurt, 125 ml (½ cup) cold water and extra 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and, using your hands, mix to form a thick paste. In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients, except oil, with ½ tsp salt. Gradually add chickpea mixture to vegetable mixture, using your hands to work chickpea flour through vegetables for about 4 minutes or until well combined.

Fill a large, deep frying pan with 1.5 litres of oil and heat over medium heat to 160ºC (or until a cube of bread turns golden in 20 seconds). Shape mixture into 20 small patties, about the size of your palm. Working in batches, cook, turning once, for 7 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Serve with mint chutney.

Note

• Chickpea (besan) flour is available from health food shops, Asian food shops and select supermarkets.

Photography Brett Stevens. Food preparation Leanne Kitchen. Styling Vanessa Austin.

As seen in Feast magazine, September 2014, Issue 35.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.