Chickpea, Spinach & Onion Bhajji

These healthy chickpea and onion bhajjis are best served on the side with curry (especially passanda or korma), but they're also good on their own with some mango chutney, rice, and cucumber and onion salad. The gram flour used to make these fritters means that they're gluten and wheat free, as well as being very nutritious.

Ingredients

  • Small can Chickpeas
  • Handful or two of Spinach
  • 1 clove Garlic
  • 1 tsp Chilli Flakes
  • 1 Onion
  • Handful fresh Coriander
  • Salt & Pepper
  • Gram Flour
  • Water
  • Oil (for frying)

Drain the can of Chickpeas and roughly mash them in a large bowl

Crush or chop the clove of Garlic and fry in a little Olive Oil for a minute before adding a handful or two of (chopped if you have time) Spinach leaves.  After a minute, turn the heat off and add the Spinach to the bowl with the Chickpeas in it

Finely slice the Onion and add the slices to the bowl

Add some chopped fresh Coriander and a crunch of Salt & Pepper to the bowl… Stir the mixture

Now add a few tablespoons of Gram Flour, and a couple of tablespoons of cold water to the mixture…and stir

There’s a knack to getting the Gram Flour / Water / Chickpea mixture combination right – but you’re after a batter that sticks together, isn’t too runny and isn’t too thick.  You may want to add a little more Water or Gram Flour, but go slowly…

Once you’ve got something that is easy to spoon out, but that does stick together – heat some Oil in a pan and when hot, add a few spoonfuls and fry each Bhajji for a few minutes on each side before draining on kitchen paper

(Don’t crowd them in the pan – fry them in batches)

You can let these cool down and then quickly re-heat them in the oven just before serving (200˚c for 8 minutes or so)

These little Bhajjis are great with Squash and Tamarind Masala – but also very good with a curry, maybe Tomato Rogan Josh.  A dollop of Greek Yoghurt and/or Mango Chutney is also good with these fritters

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