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

2 medium onions
1 cup gram flour (besan)
1 teaspoon red chili powder
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain)
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
— salt to taste
1 cup water
— oil for deep frying
1 handful fresh coriander leaves, 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.