Air fryer recipe · Snacks
Kanda Bhaji
Wispy onion fritters laced with carom and chilli, the perfect monsoon nibble made airy and lighter.
- 24 minTotal time
- 200°CAir fryer
- 6Serves
- VegetarianDiet
Nutrition per serving
- 135kcal
- 4.9 gprotein
- 21.2 gcarbs
- 3.6 gfat
- 3.6 gfibre
Per serving, about 6 servings. Figures are estimates from standard ingredient databases, not medical, dietetic, or nutritional advice.
Ingredients
- Onions, thinly sliced3 large
- Besan (gram flour)3/4 cup
- Rice flour2 tbsp
- Carom seeds (ajwain)1 tsp
- Red chilli powder and turmeric1 tsp + 1/2 tsp
- Oil for brushing1 tbsp
Method
Salt the onions
Toss the sliced onions with salt and let them rest for 10 minutes so they weep out their moisture. This natural water helps the flour cling to every strand without you needing to add any extra liquid, which keeps the mix dry.
Coat with flour
Sprinkle the besan, rice flour, carom seeds, chilli powder and turmeric over the onions. Mix with your hands until every strand is lightly coated into clumpy clusters. The rice flour is the trick that adds an extra crunch.
Form loose clusters
Gather small handfuls into loose, craggy mounds rather than tight balls. The ragged, sticking-out edges are what crisp up best in the hot air, so resist packing them down. Set them on parchment for an easy lift into the basket.
Oil and preheat
Brush or spray the clusters generously with oil and preheat the air fryer to 200C. A good coating of oil is what gives these that deep-fried golden look and crunch, so do not skimp on it.
Air-fry the bhaji
Air-fry at 200C for 12 min, shaking the basket twice so the strands brown all over. They are ready when deeply golden, crisp at the edges and fragrant with ajwain, with no soft, pale patches left.
