Kanda Bhaji

Kanda Bhaji

Kanda Bhaji

Veg Vegan

Onion fritters — thinly sliced onion rings separated and mixed with chickpea flour, rice flour, red chilli powder, turmeric, cumin seeds, ajwain (carom seeds), finely chopped green chilli, coriander, salt, and just enough water to coat the onion without forming a thick batter; the thin coating means the onion is the dominant presence rather than the batter. Deep-fried in oil in small batches until golden, crispy, and slightly caramelised where the batter crisps around the onion edges. The Maharashtra kanda (onion) bhaji uses rice flour alongside besan for crispness; pure besan bhajis stay crispy for only minutes, while the rice flour addition keeps them crunchy longer. The quintessential Maharashtra monsoon snack: eaten with chai during heavy rain, with green chutney and thecha on the side. Present at every festival stall and dhaba across Vidarbha.

Cuisines

Malvani Vidarbha Kolhapuri Malwi Maharashtrian

Best for

Snacks

Recipe

Prep: 15 min Cook: 20 min Total: 35 min 2-3 servings

Ingredients

Onion 2 medium Onion , thinly sliced
Gram Flour 1 cup Gram Flour
red chili powder 1 teaspoon Red chili powder
turmeric powder 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
coriander powder 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
Carom Seed 1 teaspoon Carom Seed
Cumin 1 teaspoon Cumin , seeds
salt — Salt , to taste
water 1 cup Water
oil — Oil , for deep frying
Cilantro 1 handful Cilantro , chopped

Instructions

  1. 1 Thinly slice the onions and place them in a mixing bowl.
  2. 2 Add gram flour, red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, carom seeds, cumin seeds, and salt to the onions.
  3. 3 Mix the ingredients well, ensuring the onion slices are well coated with the spices and gram flour.
  4. 4 Gradually add water to the mixture, mixing continuously until a thick batter forms around the onion slices.
  5. 5 Heat oil in a deep frying pan over medium heat.
  6. 6 Once the oil is hot, drop spoonfuls of the onion batter into the oil.
  7. 7 Fry the bhajis until they are golden brown and crispy, turning occasionally to ensure even cooking.
  8. 8 Remove the bhajis from the oil and drain them on paper towels to remove excess oil.
  9. 9 Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot.

Tips

For a spicier version, add finely chopped green chilies to the batter.