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British Indian Restaurant Recipes - Starters & Side Dishes => Starters & Side Dishes => Bhajis (Onion, Pakora, Mushroom, Vegetable, etc => Topic started by: chriswg on October 08, 2010, 06:42 PM
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I've tried Dips and IG's bhajis and found both lacking a little something. IG's were a little bland for me, Dips didn't quite cook correctly, so here is my recipe which (hopefully) combines the best from both recipes.
Ingredients:
1.5 Large onions (300 grams)
0.5 Potato (50 grams)
1 egg
1 tbsp Kashmiri Masala paste
1 tbsp Spice mix (I use IG but any will do)
0.5 tbsp Aniseed (Essential, don't substitute with anything)
0.5 tsp Asafoetida
1 tbsp Lemon dressing (juice will do)
2 tbsps Chopped fresh coriander
1 tsp salt
A few drops yellow or orange colouring
Gram flour
Method
1. Slice the onions pole to pole very finely and put them into a large mixing bowl.
2. Chop the potato into the thinnest matchsticks your knife will allow, if you can get them half the size of an actual matchstick then you are doing well. Any larger and the bhajis will look like they have french fries sticking out of them!
3. Add all of the other ingredients apart from the gram flour, egg and salt and mix well.
4. Add the salt at the last second and give it a quick mix.
5. Add the egg to the bowl and mix well.
6. Start adding Gram flour until the mix gets very sticky and all of the onion has a coating of flour. You don't want too much so it gets too dry. See Dips video to get a good idea of what I mean. There is enough moisture with the egg and lemon juice not to need to add any water.
7. Now for the most important bit, preheat your oil in a medium sized saucepan to around 140 degrees (any hotter and the mix cooks too quickly on the outside and the onion will have a raw taste).
8. When you form the bhajis it is essential not to squeeze the mixture together too much. The secret here is to keep the mixture airy, like a birds nest would be. This means the oil can penetrate to the middle of the bhaji and cook it through evenly. Drop in 2 - 3 balls (about 2.5 inches in diameter (bigger than golf balls, smaller than tennis balls)) of mixture at a time and reduce the hob to low. You need to maintain a temperature of around 140 degrees (it will drop by at least 10 degrees when you put the bhajis in). Any lower than 125 degrees and the will go greasy and break up, and higher than 150 and they cook too quickly. They should gently bubble in the oil.
9. Turn them every couple of minutes until they start to go golden brown (after about 10 minutes). They can be eaten immediately, or left to cool and then either reheated in hot oil for a minute, or frozen for a quick snack another time.
10. Very important tip. Save the oil in a bottle to use next time. Once you have made these 2 or 3 times, the oil will smell amazing and the bhajis will taste even better. Wait until it is completely cool then pour it into the bottle. When you next use it, if you have a few floaters in the oil, just pass it through a sieve when you pour it into the saucepan.
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Hi Chris,
Thanks for the recipe. Just one thing, you don't include egg in your list of ingredients but you mention it in the method.
Would you mind put up the 5 Bhaji's for this months group test now, including links.
Ray :)
P.S,
Wish I'd have spotted this an hour ago, just knocked up a batch of the original IG bhaji's. Would have loved to have done a quick side by side. :-\
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Well spotted, I've changed it now.
What did you think of the IG's?
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Hi Chris,
I think the IG method, is as sound as it comes. Flavour wise, it's quite a subtle bhaji, great for kids or newbies to indian food. Personally, I like a little more spicing in them which is why I add 2 tsp of spice mix. I also, reduce the aniseed to just a pinch, and replace with dried methi, gives them a real savoury note.
I'm not over keen on aniseed flavour in a bhaji and never experienced it before. A hint of it is fine, but not too dominating for me.
Ray :)
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quite timely this Chris, i am just starting to knock up the bhajis ready for tonight. what is the best method for reheating them.
thanks moonster
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Hi Moonster,
Not wanting to answer on Chris's behalf, but a quick dip back in the deep fat fryer for a couple of minutes is my method. Helps the bhajis retain their crspy exterior.
Hope that helps fella.
Ray :)
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I was chatting to the owner of one of our local takeaways recently and explained the difficulty in cooking Bhaji's making sure there cooked on the inside as well as the outside and he said ' Here's a little tip ' If the Bhajis are not cooked through on the inside put them in the Microwave for about 3 minutes then back into the Oil to finnish :o
I have tried this and it works.
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thanks for the replies, thats it then just bang them back in the fryer.
menu for my guests tonight
starters
popadoms and dips
chris's onion bajis with CA's mint riata
DP's mini chicken tikka and side salad
main meal
Razors chicken Tikka jalfrezi with mrs moonys pilao rice ;D and garlic nan (courtesy of the clay oven bakery) best bought ready made naans on the market in my opinion.
desert
Nefis turkish delight
who says there is anything wrong with plagerism :D.
honestly thanks all for some great recipes particuarly your jalfrezi Razor.
moonster
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No probs Moony
Hope it all goes well tonight mate. Manchester's only about 3 hours from Boro, might just pop up for a free scran ;D
Ray :)
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Wow, that's my king of dinner!
As Razor said, you can cook the bhajis anytime during the day and leave them at room temperature. When you want them just put them in the oil for a cuople of minutes and they are ready to eat. Don't have the oil too hot or they will blacken very quickly. Too cool is better than too hot.
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Sounds good chris! How hot is it with the kashmiri paste in there?
What do you mean by aniseed- is it ground star anise or fennel seeds or something?
I havent been on the site for a while but you're doing some really good work with these side-by-side tests! Nice one! I'm up for joining in with the onion bhaji test which is imminent i believe. I've just lost my job so have at least the next week free.
I find most BIR bhajis disappointing TBH - they're often bland or dry and need smothering in raita or chutney.
I really like having whole spices in them. Coriander, cumin and fennel seeds give flavour bursts which vary the taste of the bhaji. That's my top tip
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Hi Chinois,
Sorry to hear about your job mate but if your youtube Madras is anything to go by, I think that their is a BIR kitchen somewhere with your name on it ;D
As for the aniseed, it is actually that. You could use fennel as a substitute but it doesn't quite give the same results, or at least that's what people say, I've never got hold of aniseed, so I don't know.
Would be great to have you on board with the bhaji test, more the merrier. Also, feel free to join in with future tests or even, look at the last two, and put your score to them if you wish.
Good to see you back mate.
Ray :)
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Hi Chinois
Great to hear you are keen to help test the bhajis - you will be an expert by the end of it!
The aniseed are these: http://www.spicesofindia.co.uk/acatalog/Indian-Food-Rajah-Greenfields-Aniseed.html#aISW030 (http://www.spicesofindia.co.uk/acatalog/Indian-Food-Rajah-Greenfields-Aniseed.html#aISW030)
The give a very different taste to fennel seeds adding a warmth and depth to the flavour - it was Axe's breakthrough but even though I'm not a big aniseed fan in other things I find them essential in these.
I'll send you a list to test along with a template for recording your results, could you PM me you email address.
Cheers
Chris
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hi chris,
i made these yesterday, and found these to be much tastier than the IG bhaji, even though i had to substitute the aniseed for fennel due to ther being no aniseed in my spice cupboard yet. everyone had them last night and enjoyed them :)
I made the first batch at 140 degrees for ten minutes as you suggested but found them not to be as crispy as the IG bhaji. Therefore i went back to 150 degrees for 8 mins and found them to be perfect. For reheating i took the advice and put them back in at 190 degrees for 1 min, any longer and they will overcook.
easily the best bhaji i have made so far, i also think this would give a lot of restraunts a run for there money too.
thanks
Moonster
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Well done Chris, they seem to be going down well, i'll give them a try on my next batch. :)
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Thanks Guys, you have inspired me to have a go with this bhaji approach rather than having my usual Pakora. I have finally followed Gazman and bought myself a dedicated Deep Fat Fryer I picked up for 12 quid in Sainsbury's last week. Has anybody cracked he excellent Yellow Dip that goes with Bhaji you can find in Brick Lane in London? PP
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Hi Moonster,
I'm glad you liked them, I think you are the first person to try that recipe.
Subbing for fennel seeds is about as close as you can get, but it is well worth buying a pack of whole aniseed if you get a chance. They will make the recipe go from giving restaurants a run for their money, to knocking their socks off!
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Hi Chris,
I will be definatley getting some aniseed for the next time i do them. could you recommend the best mint riata to serve with them please.
regards moonster
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moonster,
You won't regret hunting out Aniseed, it gives a more defined and cleaner aniseed flavour with a subtle warmth on the back of the tongue. In the bhaji, it livens it up and helps to give it a freshness that the fennel can't deliver.
Ain't nothing like being a bhajihaulic! :)
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Chris,
I done your bhaji recipe again, halfed the salt and used Razors spice mix instead of IG and added the aniseed. (how difficult is that to get hold of BTW)
The difference in taste, superceeded what i had before i put it down to razors superior spice mix and the aniseed made a good difference. Brilliant recipe this Chris a few tweaks here and there and they are the best bhajis in the world ;D
thanks moonster :)
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Hi Moonster
I'm glad you liked them and pleased you managed to get the aniseeds. You are right they are tough to find but a bag will last a long time. They are well worth hunting down for the essential extra dimension they give to the flavour.
It was interesting to hear your tweaks too, I'll try them with Razors spice mix next time.
Chris
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Could Chris/Moonster please clarify exactly what they are referring to as "aniseed" ? Is this the spice that I know from Chinese cookery as "star anise" (eight individual seed pods, each containing one seed, all radiating from a common centre) or is there another form of aniseed of which I am unaware ?
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Aniseed is a seed in it's own right, not to be mistaken as Anise/Star Anise. It is similar to a fennel seed but smaller and has a very distinct fresh Aniseed flavour and with a very gentle warmth at the back of the throat after taste.
http://www.spicesofindia.co.uk/acatalog/Indian-Food-Rajah-Greenfields-Aniseed.html#aISW030 (http://www.spicesofindia.co.uk/acatalog/Indian-Food-Rajah-Greenfields-Aniseed.html#aISW030)
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OK, all clear Axe, thank you. Aniseed is the seed of Pimpinella anisum, whilst star anise is the seed of Illicium verum : I shall have to order some real aniseed now and see what difference it makes, as I have used only star anise previously !
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Your most welcome.
If you use Aniseed in place of Fennel, you will certainly notice the difference.
I'm not sure I would replace star anise when using it in a in cooking liquor of some kind though. You wouldn't get enough flavour from it in return.
I did however try making a Pilau Rice with it in place of adding star anise and choose to keep the seed in the rice. It turned out very well indeed.
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I did however try making a Pilau Rice with it in place of adding star anise and choose to keep the seed in the rice. It turned out very well indeed.
Yes, that was exactly the context in which I was thinking of trying it : it was my (Chinese/Vietnamese) wife who first identified that it was the anise element that was lacking in my pillau rice, and of course she suggested star anise with which she was already familiar. I shall order some real aniseed "secretly" and surprise her !
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Hi Chris
This recipe sure does make lovely bhaji's :)
The second time I made these - ran out of lemon dressing and added the same quantity of supermarket lemon juice, which is obviously more highly concentrated than the dressing..
Last night make another batch but using the specified dressing, and I'm thinking that batch no.2 with the lemon juice seemed to have a richer flavour which, personally speaking I found very nice. It was not extra 'lemony' but seemed to bring out the existing flavours more?
I think I will always use lemon juice in future. Just an idea that others may wish to try.
Cheers
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Hi solar,
I too used just lemon the juice when i made them. i think personally its an excellent recipe for onion bhajis and they turn out right time after time.
regards
Alan ;D
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Thanks for the comments guys. I didn't realize the lemon juice would make any difference, I use dressing as that's all I usually have in the cupboard. I'll but some fresh for the next try.
I was going to do my group test yesterday but discovered we had no eggs and we were blocked in due to our road being resurfaced. How unlucky!
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Hello Chris,
Gave these a go at the weekend.
I did add a little more spice mix, as I like mine quite spicey.
I also added some red, & green peppers.
Bloody lovely ;)
CArl...
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I think the lemon dressing in this is a mistake. I was discussing bhaji's with Az yesterday and he said the lemon breaks up the binding effect of the egg and means the batter will break down too easily and the bhaji's won't hold their shape.
I notice the IG Bhaji's dont use any type of lemon in them and I think this is the reason why. I'll try dropping it with the batch I make tonight for the BBQ.
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Hi mate,
Will be trying these today....
You mentioned cutting into tiny < matchstick size.....Im thinking it would be easier to grate it, would this affect the result?
Thanks,
Z.
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Hi Zed,
Not wanting to answer on Chris's behalf but I suspect grating the potatoe would release too much water, something you should avoid when making good bhajis!
If you do go with grating, I would recommend that you squeeze as much water out as possible before you mix them with the onions.
Hope that helps, and welcome to cr0 mate.
Ray :)
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I see.
Thanks Razor, T - 2 hours till begin.
Doing these, the grou9 test winning kebabs and your chicken tikka jalfrezzi (Although with normal chicken, darths base and a s9ice mix I have from another site).
Looking forward to the results!.
Z.
EDIT: Just noticed your kebabs were the highest rated, 2 out of 3 ;-).
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As Razor said, grating wont produce as good results. As long as you have a really sharp, straight knife you wont have any problems. Aim for matchstick length but about half the width.
The real key here is cooking them on a low heat for along time. If they are browning after 4 or 5 mins your oil is too hot and they will be raw inside. Aim for closer to 10 - 15 minutes of cook time and maybe turn up the heat for the last couple of minutes to crispen them up.
Good luck.
Chris
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Hi Zed,
Good luck with all three recipes mate, and if you can, try to get a photo or two, so you can share with us your efforts.
Ray :)
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A Piccy is the least I could do for such an amazing recipe....roaring succes these!!!.
I was a little scared at the ammount of gram flour I was having to add to the mix to make it mouldable.....but 12 mins in the fryer they were perfectly cooked through!!!.
Thankyou for the brilliant recipe!!!!....I shall just add half a tsp more salt next time :).
Z.
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Wow, they look brilliant - well done!
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Wow, they look brilliant - well done!
Agreed, they look great and what an excellent first attempt.
Well done Z
Ray :)
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Hi Chinois
Great to hear you are keen to help test the bhajis - you will be an expert by the end of it!
The aniseed are these: http://www.spicesofindia.co.uk/acatalog/Indian-Food-Rajah-Greenfields-Aniseed.html#aISW030 (http://www.spicesofindia.co.uk/acatalog/Indian-Food-Rajah-Greenfields-Aniseed.html#aISW030)
The give a very different taste to fennel seeds adding a warmth and depth to the flavour - it was Axe's breakthrough but even though I'm not a big aniseed fan in other things I find them essential in these.
I'll send you a list to test along with a template for recording your results, could you PM me you email address.
Cheers
Chris
Are these the same thing Chris ?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Aniseed-whole-seeds-spice-150g-1-99-TheSpiceworks-/350461034646?pt=UK_Home_Garden_Food_SM&hash=item51991b0096#ht_2909wt_905 (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Aniseed-whole-seeds-spice-150g-1-99-TheSpiceworks-/350461034646?pt=UK_Home_Garden_Food_SM&hash=item51991b0096#ht_2909wt_905)
Free shipping as well :)
Cheers
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Made these yesterday at fairly short notice and didn't have any Aniseed, rather than substitute it for something else I left it out completely.
And the results, well what can i say, even without the aniseed this recipe produced a top quality bhaji full of flavour and a perfect texture.
Sorry no pictures as my clan devoured yesterdays meal before I had a chance to think.
Thanks for sharing Chris :)
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Hi,
I made these yesterday lunchtime for a curry night, cooked them for 10 mins at 120C and scoffed a couple for lunch & very nice they were too. In the evening I put them back in the deep fat fryer for 2 mins and they came out fantastic, the difference was they were really crispy on the outside yet still moist inside. I did use the lemon dressing having not read the whole thread until this morning but for me these are perfect 8)
thanks cwg
Will
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benbob - you can substitute the aniseed with some fennel which has a similar flavour.
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Hey guys, glad you liked them. As SL said you can put fennel seeds in instead but for the full experience its well worth hunting down some aniseeds. You'll probably have to order them online as they are hard to find. The warmth they add to the bhaji has to be tasted to be believed!
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Just tried these tonight, thought I'd post my experiences....
I followed the recipe but stopped at step 3, left overnight then the next morning (after the onions had softened a little) I carried on from step 4. I pinched another tip whilst cooking and stopped halfway through (after the bhaji's had just started to colour (1 min or so) took them out and microwaved them on full for 90 secs, then returned to the oil for a final 2 mins or so. This produced golden bhaji's, cooked all the way through and then ready to heat in the oven when my guests arrived... I also decided to mix in a little orange food colouring just to ensure they were super golden... not sure if it was needed though !
Super tasty, thanks for the recipe....
Math
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Photos of my efforts
Also forgot to mention - I too couldn't find any aniseed - i used the mortar and pestle and ground up 4 or so star anise to a powder and added them.... For me that did the trick 8)
1) the onions after a night of marinading
2) the finished cooked bhajis
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Also forgot to mention - I too couldn't find any aniseed
If you can't find Aniseed the best alternative is to use Fennel seeds.
Well done on your efforts the bhaji look lovely. It is worth trying to make them tennis ball size. It takes some practice, but well worth the effort. :)
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They do undeniably look good but, to me, they also look wrong. They have that 'cakey' texture to the batter which you don't get on the best onion bhajis.
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They do undeniably look good but, to me, they also look wrong. They have that 'cakey' texture to the batter which you don't get on the best onion bhajis.
That will be the gram flour and a little heavy handed with the squeezing. ;) Look pretty edible to me though all the same.
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If you can't find Aniseed the best alternative is to use Fennel seeds.
Well done on your efforts the bhaji look lovely. It is worth trying to make them tennis ball size. It takes some practice, but well worth the effort. :)
Cheers I didn't want big ones as it was more for finger food and I'm not allowed a deep fat fryer in the house .... Yet lol
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They do undeniably look good but, to me, they also look wrong. They have that 'cakey' texture to the batter which you don't get on the best onion bhajis.
That will be the gram flour and a little heavy handed with the squeezing. ;) Look pretty edible to me though all the same.
I think my batter was too heavy hence the cakeyness, can't wait for try 2
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Cheers I didn't want big ones as it was more for finger food...
...I think my batter was too heavy hence the cakeyness, can't wait for try 2
Perhaps you could convince them to allow you one of those mini fryers that could be tucked away neatly. ;)
The cakeyness can be due to several things. Making small finger finger food sized portions is certainly of of them as you need a fair bit of batter to hold them together.
Overall though, I found the most important thing to get right was the ratio of onion to batter and the batter's consistency. You need a very thick and sticky batter hardly what I would call a batter, more like a paste. Then you need a good deal of onion but not too much that you can't form a ball.
Wetting your hands before forming the bhaji is also key. This allows you to form the bhaji uniformly and to stop your hands becoming caked in the so called batter. The water from your hands will mix with the batter on the outside to form a wetter solution whilst the centre remains still quite dry.
It's probably the last method you might think of to make a haji, but it is the only way to reach bhaji nirvana ;)
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Perhaps you could convince them to allow you one of those mini fryers that could be tucked away neatly. ;)
The cakeyness can be due to several things. Making small finger finger food sized portions is certainly of of them as you need a fair bit of batter to hold them together.
Overall though, I found the most important thing to get right was the ratio of onion to batter and the batter's consistency. You need a very thick and sticky batter hardly what I would call a batter, more like a paste. Then you need a good deal of onion but not too much that you can't form a ball.
Wetting your hands before forming the bhaji is also key. This allows you to form the bhaji uniformly and to stop your hands becoming caked in the so called batter. The water from your hands will mix with the batter on the outside to form a wetter solution whilst the centre remains still quite dry.
It's probably the last method you might think of to make a haji, but it is the only way to reach bhaji nirvana ;)
Thanks for that, ill try next time and keep up the pressure on the fryer lol
Cheers
Math
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I haven't tried, but i'm sure you could make a flat version keeping in mind the points I made above. Having read back my comments, I am embarrassed at my dyslexic typing, it seems to be getting worse. :-\
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Hey guys, nice to see this thread still going strong! I wish I could edit the OP as the Lemon Dressing shouldn't be in there (it causes the batter to break up) and I wouldn't add any salt if marinading the onions overnight. In fact I'd probably just add the aniseeds for overnight so the onions take on the flavour and soften a little but not too much. My guess from the last set of pics was that all the dry ingredients went in all night meaning a lot of water came out of the onions and made them very soft. This might explain why the batter looked cakey and a bit too dense.
Making flat ones seems like it should be easier but I find them harder. I think the trick is to cook them round for 10 - 12 minutes at 130 - 140 then squash them flat inside a metal chefs ring. This means they will spread out and flatten but shouldn't break apart. I used to prefer them flat but I probably prefer round ones now if they are cooked through.
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I cheat and use a burger press to make my bhaji'. They all come out uniform and are just 'fat' enough to cook through and not be doughy inside.
cheap as chips from lakeland and dead handy for shami kebabs as well no to mention burgers!
http://www.lakeland.co.uk/10481/Quarter-Pounder-Burger-Press (http://www.lakeland.co.uk/10481/Quarter-Pounder-Burger-Press)
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Hey guys, nice to see this thread still going strong! I wish I could edit the OP as the Lemon Dressing shouldn't be in there (it causes the batter to break up) and I wouldn't add any salt if marinading the onions overnight. In fact I'd probably just add the aniseeds for overnight so the onions take on the flavour and soften a little but not too much. My guess from the last set of pics was that all the dry ingredients went in all night meaning a lot of water came out of the onions and made them very soft. This might explain why the batter looked cakey and a bit too dense.
Making flat ones seems like it should be easier but I find them harder. I think the trick is to cook them round for 10 - 12 minutes at 130 - 140 then squash them flat inside a metal chefs ring. This means they will spread out and flatten but shouldn't break apart. I used to prefer them flat but I probably prefer round ones now if they are cooked through.
Ya the dry ingredients were all left in overnight causing the onions to be quite translucent the next day (although that did make them easier to mould). I can't recall how much liquid had come out, but I know from re-reading i put the salt in at the start and left overnight so that will definately have drawn out a lot of liquid and was in error. I still also think my batter was a bit off and next time i'll post more stepwise photos... if i can get the batter off my cameraphone !!
Cheers for the advice
Math
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Hi Chris
Is this your winning recipe? If not have you the link? Also is fennel acceptable as an aniseed substitute?
Ed
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Hi last time i made some OB's it was CA's recipe and they went down a storm at the pub, that was about 18 mths ago. Well I have been on a mission to make the group test winners recipes between now and then and yesterday I made CWG's IG bhaji's and they got an even better reception from the sunday club at the pub!!! I must say they are distinctly different, CA=sweet, minty and fennelly whereas these are oniony and savoury due to no sugar and the asafotaeda and the aniseed (i used a ground star anise) and these in my opinion are the winners, more akin to BIR's of old!!! I used Abduls powder which has a little bit of heat which was also very pleasant.
Well done CWG
Ed
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Do bhajis get a bit wet with oil if you fry them at 130C? Seems a low temperature but maybe this works ok?
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Hi
I would say yes, I get great results from frying at 150-160 removing after about 5 mins then opening them up a bit then re frying for another 5 mins
Ed
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I made these today and they are better that most TA's, a lot chrisper and not as greasy, the spicing is spot on and the aniseed is just like my favorite TA. I'll defo be making these again and again.