Maharashtrian Kanda Bhaji|Crispy Onion bhaji

Kanda Bhaji is famous street style recipe which comes from Maharashtra cuisine.This recipe is prepared with gram flour (besan),onions,salt with some herbs & spices. This bhaji is prepared by mixing the thinly sliced onions with besan. It is spiced with red chilli powder and ajwain. Later the coated onion slices are deep fried in batches till it gets crisp golden brown. The recipe makes for crispy fritters having the texture of some onions caramelized from the outside.

MAHARASHTRAIN CRISPY  KANDA BHAJI

We serve onion bhaji with some fried green chillies and green chutney or sweet chutney and a cup of ginger chai. During monsoon, when I came back from my college, my mom always make crispy onion bhaji. So I am so used to eating these crispy & crunchy onion bhaji dipping green chutney. 

Tips for making kanda bhaji

• Frying temperature: Don’t fry on low flame or your pakoda will get soggy. When deep frying, always fry at medium flame and not very high flame. To check whether the oil is hot, put in a small mixture into the oil, if it comes up instantly then your oil is adequately hot.
• To get crisp kanda bhaji, slice onions thinly and add less water in the batter. 
• To make soft bhaji, add some more water in the batter. Addition of baking soda or baking powder also helps in making bhaji soft and light.
• Slicing onions: The onions have to be sliced thinly and not thickly as thin slices will get cooked faster than thick slices. If the slices are thick, then while frying the gram flour gets cooked but the onion slices remain half cooked. Thinly slices also give a crispy texture in the pakoda.
• Don’t overcrowd the pan or kadhai or else the fritters will not cook evenly.
• Adding hot oil in the batter: Some people add about a tbsp. of hot oil to the batter to make the pakodas lighter.
• Avoid adding too much water in the batter, to get crispy onion pakoda.

Recipe card for roadside maharashtrian  kanda bhaji recipe:

MAHARASHTRIAN KANDA BHAJI PREP TIME: 20 MINUTES                   COOK TIME: 25 MINUTES                 TOTAL TIME: 45 MINUTES CUSINE: NORTH INDIAN AUTHOR: SWATI RASOI SERVES: 4     INGREDIANTS MAKES AROUND 12 PAKORAS 80g gram (chickpea) flour 2 onions (about 150g total weight), thinly sliced 1½ tsp coarsely ground cumin seeds 2 green chillies, finely chopped ½ tsp turmeric powder ¼ tsp red chilli powder ¼ tsp coraindar powder ¼ tsp carmon powder ½ tsp lemon juice 3 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander leaves oil for deep-frying salt to taste                    INSTRUCTIONS Making Pakoda Batter Slice the onions thinly and take them in a mixing bowl.  Now, add chopped green chillies. Add the spices – carom seeds, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriander leaves. Mix everything well. . Add lemon juice and mix well and keep it aside.The onions would release water and then you can add water as required in the batter. Add gram flour (besan).Now add salt and mix well. If you plan to add baking soda, then add at this step. It is optional. Addition of baking soda or baking powder also helps in making pakoda soft and light. The mixture will become quite sticky, but mix well to ensure that the onions are completely coated by the batter. Stir the whole mixture very well with a spoon or with your hands.  The batter is now ready to be fried. Making Onion Pakoda Heat large saucepan or kadhai, add one-third full of oil. Drop small spoonfuls of batter into the hot oil and deep-fry for 4–5 minutes until crisp and golden brown.  Depending on the size of the kadai or pan, you can add less or more. Just make sure you don’t over crowd the onion pakoda while frying. When the pakora are a bit cooked, turn over with a slotted spoon and continue to fry. Turn the pakoras a few times in the oil to make sure they colour evenly. Fry them till they look crisp and golden. Once slightly golden brown, remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper towels for excess oil to be absorbed and keep it aside. Serve onion pakoda  With the fried green chilies green chutney and tamarind chutney or tomato sauce.

How to make roadside onion pakoda with step by step photo

Making Pakoda Batter

1. Slice the onions thinly and take them in a mixing bowl. 

2. Now, add chopped green chillies. 

3. Add the spices – carom seeds, red chilli powder,turmeric powder and coriander leaves.

4. Mix everything well.

5. Add lemon juice and mix well and keep it aside.The onions would release water and then you can add water as required in the batter.

6. Add gram flour (besan). Now add salt and mix well. If you plan to add baking soda, then add at this step. It is optional. Addition of baking soda or baking powder also helps in making pakoda soft and light.

7. The mixture will become quite sticky, but mix well to ensure that the onions are completely coated by the batter.

8. Stir the whole mixture very well with a spoon or with your hands.The batter is now ready to be fried.

Making Onion Pakoda

1. Heat large saucepan or kadhai, add one-third full of oil.

2. Drop small spoonfuls of batter into the hot oil and deep-fry for 4–5 minutes until crisp and golden brown. 

3. Depending on the size of the kadai or pan, you can add less or more. Just make sure you don’t over crowd the onion pakoda while frying.

4.When the pakora are a bit cooked, turn over with a slotted spoon and continue to fry.

5. Turn the pakoras a few times in the oil to make sure they colour evenly. Fry them till they look crisp and golden.

6. Once slightly golden brown, remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper towels for excess oil to be absorbed and keep it aside.

7. Serve onion pakoda with the fried green chilies,green chutney and tamarind chutney or tomato sauce.