Onion Bhaji (Pyaz Pakora)
Crisp, lacy fritters of thinly sliced onion bound with spiced chickpea flour. Shatteringly crunchy outside, sweet and tender inside — the classic rainy-day snack with chai.
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Start your free weekContinue with free accessSalt the onions
Separate the onion slices into strands in a large bowl, sprinkle with the salt and toss. Leave for 10 minutes — the salt draws out the onions' moisture, which will form most of the batter.
Coat with flour and spices
Add the chili, ginger, turmeric, chili powder, ajwain and cilantro. Sprinkle in the chickpea and rice flours and squeeze everything together with your hands until the onions are just coated in a thick, sticky paste. Add water only a teaspoon at a time if it's too dry.
Fry in small clusters
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Drain and serve
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Salt the onions
Separate the onion slices into strands in a large bowl, sprinkle with the salt and toss. Leave for 10 minutes — the salt draws out the onions' moisture, which will form most of the batter.
Coat with flour and spices
Add the chili, ginger, turmeric, chili powder, ajwain and cilantro. Sprinkle in the chickpea and rice flours and squeeze everything together with your hands until the onions are just coated in a thick, sticky paste. Add water only a teaspoon at a time if it's too dry.
Fry in small clusters
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Drain and serve
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
The Story Behind the Dish
Pakoras — vegetables dipped in spiced chickpea-flour batter and fried — are among the oldest and most widespread snacks in India. Onion pakora, often called kanda bhaji in Maharashtra, is the best-loved of them all.
In Britain the dish became famous as the 'onion bhaji', a fixture of curry-house menus since the mid-20th century.
⭐ Why It's Famous
When the monsoon rains arrive, Indian kitchens fill with the smell of frying pakoras — crunchy fritters and hot chai are the season's comfort ritual.
💡 Fun Fact
Chickpea flour contains no gluten, so a properly made onion bhaji is naturally gluten-free.
Across India
19.08°N, 72.88°E
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