Onion Bhaji Recipe | Easy Plain Flour Method | Hint Of Helen (2024)

FAQs

Can you use plain flour instead of gram flour for pakora? ›

If you are allergic to gram flour, you may use wheat flour. But the texture will be very different. Rice flour is more commonly used in South India for pakora. It gives a great crunch and helps to reduce the pakora from soaking up oil.

Regular all-purpose wheat flour can often be used as a substitute for gram flour in recipes that call for binding or thickening, such as pancakes, fritters, or batters.

Traditional onion bhaji recipes call for gram flour (chickpea flour), but I realise most of us don't have that lying about at home (if you do, great job!). So I created this no-gram flour recipe using just plain flour so you can whip up a batch of onion bhajis with pantry ingredients.

Bhajis can run into problems if the mixture won't stay together. The best fix is to make sure your onion is as finely sliced as possible – the finer the mixture, the better it will bind.

Self-raising flour has a specific ratio of flour to baking powder. To replicate self-raising flour the proportion is approximately 1 tsp baking powder: 150gm (1 cup) of plain flour. However, many recipes require a different proportion of baking powder to flour in order to achieve the desired leavening.

For each cup of all-purpose flour, simply use one cup of plain flour. Keep in mind that plain flour in the UK has a slightly lower protein content, which may affect the texture of your final baked goods.

If you can't find Atta you can do one of two things: use white whole wheat flour or combine equal amounts of whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour. But please bear in mind, if you use a combination of whole wheat and all-purpose flour, the texture of your roti will be slightly different.

To make the batter, mix the chickpea flour, turmeric, chili powder, pepper, salt bicarbonate of soda, chillies, and coriander.

The main differences between pakoras and bhajis are the spices that are used in the dredging. Pakora generally will include spices such as salt, pepper, chilis and turmeric that are added to the gram flour. Sometimes, eggs are added to the batter to make it thicker.

How healthy are onion bhajis? ›

Combining thinly sliced onions with a spiced chickpea flour batter and pan-fried until crispy, these onion fritters are gluten-free, egg-free, vegan, and a healthy appetizer, snack, or side! There's nothing quite like a portion of onion bhaji to complete an Indian meal.

Yes you can! This recipe can be frozen, but please remember to do the following; Freeze it as soon as it is cold enough. Use a container or bag that is suitable for freezing.

The onion bhajis will be at their crispiest when freshly cooked, but you can make them ahead if you prefer. Make the bhajis, then cool, cover and refrigerate for up to two days. Reheat on a tray (uncovered) in the oven at 200C/400F for 5-6 minutes, until hot throughout.

Yes, you can make pakoras using maida (all-purpose flour) instead of gram flour (besan). While gram flour is the traditional and more common choice for pakoras, using maida can give a different texture and taste.

Graham Flour Substitute

The best substitute for graham flour is unbleached, unrefined whole wheat flour. If possible, look for unsifted whole wheat flour. Alternatively, use a mixture of 2:1 white flour and wheat bran along with one to two teaspoons of wheat germ per cup.

Chickpea Flour is made from ground, dried chickpeas and is naturally gluten-free and protein packed, and it is regarded as a healthy choice for everything from baking to frying. Unlike all-purpose flour, chickpea flour is high in protein, fibre and micronutrients, while being low in carbohydrates and calories.