Description
A vibrant and flavorful Indian-inspired Onion Bhaji Board featuring crispy, spiced onion bhajis served with refreshing green chutney, cooling cucumber raita, and a fresh salad. Perfect for sharing, this platter is complemented by mini poppadoms, sweet mango chutney, and tangy lime pickle for a complete appetizer or snack experience.
Ingredients
Scale
Onion Bhajis
- 2 onions, sliced
- 1 tsp sea salt flakes
- 100g gram flour
- ½ tsp baking powder, gluten-free if needed
- ½ tsp chilli powder
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 1 green chilli, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp chopped coriander
- Vegetable oil, for frying
Green Chutney
- Small bunch of mint, leaves picked
- Small bunch of coriander, roughly chopped
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 green chilli, chopped
- 1 lemon, juiced
- Pinch of salt
- Splash of water (as needed for blending)
Cucumber Raita
- ½ cucumber, coarsely grated
- 150g natural yogurt
- 2 tbsp finely chopped mint
Salad
- 4 tbsp pomegranate seeds
- ½ cucumber, diced
- 2 winter or seasonal vine tomatoes, chopped (optional)
- 1 small red onion, finely chopped
- Handful of coriander, chopped
- ½ lemon, juiced
Extras
- Mini poppadoms
- Sweet chutney (mango recommended)
- Lime pickle
Instructions
- Prepare the onions: Toss the sliced onions in a bowl with the sea salt flakes and leave them to sit for 5 minutes to soften slightly and release moisture.
- Make the bhaji batter: In a separate bowl, whisk together the gram flour, baking powder, chilli powder, and turmeric. Gradually add 100ml of water to create a thick batter. Mix the softened onions, finely chopped green chilli, and chopped coriander into the batter until well combined.
- Heat the oil: Pour vegetable oil into a deep pan so that it is no more than one-third full. Heat the oil to 180°C (350°F). To test, drop a piece of onion in the oil; it should sizzle immediately and brown within 20 seconds.
- Fry the bhajis: Using a spoon, lower a few tablespoons of the batter mixture into the hot oil at a time. Fry each batch for 3-4 minutes until golden and cooked through. Turn the bhajis using a spider or slotted spoon and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes to ensure even crispiness. Remove and drain on kitchen paper. Season with additional salt if needed. Keep warm in a low oven or reheat later in an air fryer while frying remaining bhajis.
- Prepare the green chutney: Combine the mint leaves, coriander, cumin, sugar, green chilli, lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and a splash of water in a small blender. Blitz until smooth and scrape into a small serving bowl.
- Make the cucumber raita: Mix the coarsely grated cucumber, natural yogurt, and finely chopped mint in a bowl. Season to taste and set aside to chill.
- Assemble the salad: Toss the diced cucumber, chopped tomatoes (if using), finely chopped red onion, pomegranate seeds, and chopped coriander in a bowl. Drizzle with lemon juice and mix well.
- Serve the board: Arrange the hot onion bhajis in the center of a large serving platter or board. Surround with bowls of green chutney, cucumber raita, and the fresh salad. Add mini poppadoms, sweet mango chutney, and lime pickle on the side for extra layers of flavor.
Notes
- You can keep fried bhajis warm in a low oven or reheat them in an air fryer to maintain crispiness before serving.
- Using gluten-free baking powder and gram flour makes the recipe gluten-free friendly.
- Adjust the quantity of green chilli according to your preferred spice level.
- This recipe is perfect for sharing and works well as an appetizer or party platter.
- Substitute mango chutney with other sweet chutneys if desired.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Indian
Keywords: onion bhaji, Indian appetizer, fried snacks, Indian street food, bhaji board, green chutney, raita, party platter
