A lot of British Indian Restaurant cooking is actually quite complex - not so with the humble onion bhaji. In fact the first time I realised how easy bhajis were to make, my mind was blown and I’ve been making them to accompany my curries ever since.
Packed full of both flavour and texture, an onion bhaji makes the perfect burger middle and is hands down one of the most filling burgers I’ve ever eaten. My version here uses home-made paneer and a curry yoghurt.
If making, prepare your burger buns according to this recipe, topping with cumin seeds and replacing the salt in the mix with your favourite curry spice mix.
For the yoghurt dressing, simply mix yoghurt, a squeeze of lemon juice and curry spice mix and set to once side.
Slice your home-made paneer. Cover with the yoghurt and place under the grill for 10 minutes on a medium heat or until browned.
For the bhaji, finely halve and slice one small onion per person, or one large onion per two people. Cover generously with gram flour, your favourite curry spice and half a teaspoon of salt.
Add water to the onions and flower and mix with a fork to create a batter. The batter should be thick enough that it drips slowly from the onions if lifted from the dish or bowl.
Heat oil to 180 degrees Celcius. If you don’t have a thermometer, place one piece of the onion into the oil whilst heating until it starts to sizzle strongly. Take one heaped tablespoon of the onion mix and lower carefully into the oil to deep fry for 3-5 minutes before turning and leaving for a further 3-5 minutes.
Layer your burger bun with your choice of salad, tomato, bhaji paneer and sauce and enjoy!