(Maharashtrian-style super crispy onion fritters)

‘Khekada’ means ‘crab’ and ‘bhaji’ means ‘fritters’ in the Marathi language. Don’t panic! These are not crab fritters! They are called so as their shape resembles that of a crab! These are essentially onion fritters made by coating sliced onions with a gram flour batter (besan) and then deep-frying them. They are the crispier version of onion/pyaaz pakoda!

If you have been to Sinhagad (a fort) in Pune city, you know that food stalls there serve the BEST khekada bhaji ever! Having khekada bhaji with chai is a heavenly experience! However, you can recreate that magic at home, too! Today I am sharing this lip-smacking recipe, which is undoubtedly my favourite.

What is the difference between khekada bhaji and the regular pyaaz pakoda/onion bhaji?

Khekada Bhaji are crispier than the pyaaz pakodas.
We don’t use baking soda while making khekda bhaji as it tends to make the fritters soft and puffed up.
We use no/very little water to make the batter. Thus, the batter is comparatively thicker than the pyaaz pakoda batter.

RECIPE VIDEO

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Ingredients

2 onions (प्याज / कांदा)
1 cup chickpea flour/ besan (बेसन)
2 tbsp rice flour (चावल का आटा / तांदळाचे पीठ)
1 tsp carom seeds(अजवाइन/ ओवा )
1 tsp turmeric powder (हल्दी / हळदी पाउडर)
1 tsp red chili powder (लाल मिर्च का पाउडर / लाल तिखट)
2 tbsp oil (तेल )
3-4 green chilies (हरी मिर्च / हिरवी मिरची)
oil for frying (तलने के लिए / तळण्याचे तेल)

Method

Thinly slice the onions.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a small tadka pan, then set it aside.
In a large bowl/deep plate, add besan, rice flour, carom seeds, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, and salt. Mix everything properly.
Add the sliced onions and hot oil to these dry ingredients and mix everything well.
Set the mixture aside for 15–20 minutes. During this time, the onions will release moisture, making the batter soft and moist. Check the consistency and adjust if needed. If required, add a little water (1-2 tbsp) and make a thick batter as shown below-

Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over low to medium flame, ideal for deep frying.
Once the oil is hot, drop a small portion of the batter into it. If it rises to the surface, the oil is ready. If it sinks and doesn’t rise, heat the oil a bit more and test again.
Carefully drop portions of the batter into the hot oil and deep fry until golden and crisp on both sides. Repeat the process for the remaining batter in batches.
Remove the bhajis on a kitchen paper towel to remove excess oil.
Slit the green chilies in half and fry them carefully in hot oil. Be cautious, as they may splutter or burst while frying. (Read the notes section below.) Serve them with the bhajis.
KHEKADA BHAJI IS READY TO BE SERVED !!
SERVE HOT.

Notes -

Chop the onions into thin slices. Thick slices make the fritters soggy.
When salt is added, the onions release water as the mixture rests. Add just a little water, only if necessary. The batter should be thick for perfect, crispy fritters.
Adding rice flour helps make the fritters extra crispy, so don’t skip this essential step.
The gram flour(besan) is a little difficult to digest. That is why we add carom seeds, which aid in digestion.
We don’t use baking soda while making khekda bhaji as it tends to make the fritters soft and puffed up.
Fry the fritters on a low to medium flame to ensure they cook evenly from the inside. If you notice excessive smoke from the oil, reduce the heat immediately to maintain the right temperature.
NEVER ADD WHOLE GREEN CHILLIES TO HOT OIL. THEY WILL EXPLODE! Always slit them (along the entire length) first. Be very careful while frying them.
Eat the bhajis immediately after frying as they tend to become soft after a while.

Onion fritters, Khekada bhaji, Pyaaz pakoda, tea-time Indian snacks recipes,Indian recipes,yummy food,Indian food Pyaaz Pokora, Indian snacks, Marathi food, Kanda bhaji

Snacks

Indian,Maharashtrian

Yield: 3-4

Author: Gauri Nigudkar