Air Fryer Vegan Onion Pakora (Bhajis)
Air Fryer Vegan Onion Pakora, also known as Onion Bhajis, are a delicious Indian snack made with simple ingredients such as thinly sliced onions, gram flour, coriander leaves, and a few spices.
Ingredients
- 2 medium onions (thinly sliced)
- 150 g gram flour
- 150 ml water (adjust the amount)
- 1 red or green chili (thinly sliced)
- ⅓ cup fresh coriander leaves (chopped)
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- ⅔ tsp turmeric
- ⅔ tsp fennel seeds
- ⅔ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
Instructions
- Peel and slice the onions thinly and separate the layers. The key to perfect onion pakoras is slicing the onions thinly. If they’re too thick, they might remain raw and won’t crisp up properly as the batter cooks. Use a sharp knife, mandolin slicer, or food processor to achieve thin, even slices.
- Sprinkle a pinch of salt over the onions and let them sit for 10 minutes. This draws out moisture, which helps bind the batter without adding too much water.
- In a mixing bowl, combine gram flour, bicarbonate of soda, fennel seeds, turmeric, and salt.
- Add the onions, sliced chillies, chopped coriander leaves, and mix well. The moisture from the onions should help coat them with the dry mixture. Add water gradually if needed to form a thick batter.
- Lightly grease your air fryer basket or line it with parchment paper to prevent the pakoras from sticking.
- Take a small portion of the mixture with a spoon, and shape them into flat patties. Avoid overcrowding the basket.
- Lightly oil the pakoras using a brush to help them to crips up. I avoid using spray oil as it destroys the air fryer basket.
- Set your air fryer to 180℃ (356℉), and air fry the pakoras for 6 minutes. Turn the heat up to 200℃ (392℉) and air fry for another 3 minutes, until the pakoras are golden and crispy.
Notes
- To ensure crispy and evenly cooked bhajis, slice the onions thinly. This helps them cook properly and gives them a great texture.
- The batter should be thick, similar to pancake batter. If it’s too thick, add a little water to thin it out. If it’s too thin, mix in a bit more gram flour.
- Avoid over mixing the batter, as this can make it too runny and result in soggy pakoras.
- Spray oil can damage the air fryer basket, so it’s better to lightly brush the pakoras with oil to help them crisp up.