Onion Bhajis
Prepare carefully. Work safely. Evaluate honestly.
- Serves / makes
- 6 servings — 12 bhajis; 2 each as a side
- Preparation
- 20 minutes
- Cooking
- 25–30 minutes
- Total time
- 45–50 minutes
Heat / oven setting200°C conventional / 180°C fan
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| 3.6 medium, about 540g | |
| 180g | |
| 1.2 tsp | |
| 1.2 tsp | |
| 0.6 tsp | |
| 0.3 tsp | |
| 0.3 tsp | |
| 96–120ml, as needed | |
| 2.4 tbsp |
Tick ingredients as you prepare them. Ticks reset when you reload.
Equipment
- Digital scales and measuring jug
- Chopping board and sharp knife
- Two mixing bowls
- Wooden spoon and two portioning spoons
- Baking tray and baking paper
- Pastry brush and spatula
- Oven gloves and heatproof mat
- Extra baking tray or larger pan/dish if needed for six servings
Method
Prepare onions
Wash hands and clean the workstation. Preheat the oven and line a baking tray. Slice onions evenly and separate the slices into a large mixing bowl. Use pans and trays large enough for six servings. Cook in batches if needed; keep pieces the same size and allow extra time for batches. For baked dishes, use a wider dish to keep the original depth.
Mix dry ingredients
In another bowl combine gram flour, cumin, coriander, turmeric, chilli powder and salt. Break up any lumps.
Make batter
Add 96ml water to the flour mixture and stir into a thick batter. Add more water a little at a time only if needed; it must cling to the onion rather than run off.
Coat and shape
Fold onions into the batter until evenly coated. Form 12 small, flattened mounds on the lined tray using two spoons. Keep them about 1.5cm thick so the centres cook evenly.
Bake
Brush or drizzle with the oil. Bake for 25–30 minutes, carefully turning halfway, until crisp at the edges, onions are tender and no wet batter remains in the centre.
Serve
Rest for 3 minutes before serving. Evaluate crispness, onion texture and whether the bhajis hold their shape.
Portion for six
Makes 12 bhajis; 2 each as a side. Divide evenly between six people.
Food safety
- Wash hands, clean surfaces, tie back hair and use clean equipment. Check use-by dates and ingredient labels before starting.
- Take care with boiling water, steam and hot pans. Use oven gloves for hot dishes and keep pan handles away from the worktop edge. Heat the finished dish until steaming throughout.
- Cool perishable leftovers and refrigerate within 1–2 hours. Keep the fridge at 5°C or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 48 hours and reheat only once until steaming hot throughout. Rice has a shorter storage limit.
Guidance: Food Standards Agency cooking advice ↗
Nutritional considerations
Chickpea flour supplies some protein and fibre; onions contribute vegetables. Baking with measured oil controls added fat compared with deep frying.
Practical skills
Thin slicing, mixing a thick batter, coating, equal shaping and baking.
Presentation
Use clean serving equipment, divide evenly and wipe the plate or dish edges. Check the finished food against your planned colour, texture and appearance.
Evaluate your practical
Describe the appearance, flavour, texture and a skill you used successfully.
Explain one improvement to the recipe, your timings or your technique.
Oven-baked classroom adaptation written from the Onion Bhajis title in your filename list.
Times are approximate. Quantities are for the stated yield; accompanying foods are included only when listed. This learning sheet does not itself award a qualification.