Air fryer recipe · Snacks
Crispy Air-Fryer Onion Bhaji
Lacy, golden onion clusters with all the crunch and none of the deep-fry guilt.
- 18 minTotal time
- 190°CAir fryer
- 5Serves
- VegetarianDiet
Nutrition per serving
- 130kcal
- 5.1 gprotein
- 18.7 gcarbs
- 4.2 gfat
- 3.5 gfibre
Per serving, about 5 servings. Figures are estimates from standard ingredient databases, not medical, dietetic, or nutritional advice.
Ingredients
- Onions, thinly sliced2 large
- Besan (gram flour)3/4 cup
- Red chilli powder1 tsp
- Ajwain (carom seeds)1/2 tsp
- Oil for brushing1 tbsp
Method
Sweat the onions
Toss the sliced onions with a teaspoon of salt and let them rest for 10 minutes. The salt pulls moisture out of the onions, and that released juice is what helps the batter cling later without you needing to add any water.
Coat in spiced besan
Sprinkle the besan, chilli powder and ajwain straight over the wet onions and mix with your fingers. The clinging onion juice should turn it into a thick, sticky coating; add only a splash of water if the mix still looks dry.
Shape loose clusters
Pull off small, ragged handfuls and press them lightly into open, lacy mounds rather than tight, packed balls. The loose, trailing edges catch the circulating air and crisp up far better than a dense clump would.
Brush and air-fry
Line the basket with parchment, set the clusters apart with gaps between them and brush every surface with the oil. Air-fry at 190°C for 14 min, flipping at the halfway mark, until they are deeply golden and crunchy right through.
