Nashik Kanda Bhaji Onion Fritter Temple Town

Method

1. 1

   Slice the onions: Peel and halve 4 large onions. Slice into thin half-moon slivers about 3 to 4 mm thick. Place in a wide bowl.

2. 2

   Salt the onion: Add 1/2 tsp salt to the sliced onion. Mix and rest 5 minutes — the onion will release some moisture. This moisture becomes part of the batter.

3. 3

   Add gram flour and spices: Add gram flour, chopped green chilli, red chilli powder, turmeric, ajwain and baking soda to the salted onion.

4. 4

   Mix without adding water first: Mix vigorously — the moisture released by the salted onion will begin to coat the gram flour. The onion moisture alone may be sufficient.

5. 5

   Add minimal water: Add water 1 tablespoon at a time only if the mixture is too dry to hold together when pressed. The batter should be very thick — barely coating the onion. Too much water creates a batter-heavy fritter rather than a crispy onion-forward one.

6. 6

   Heat oil: Heat oil in a kadai on medium-high. Test: a small piece of batter rises in 2 seconds.

7. 7

   Fry in irregular clumps: Drop rough, irregular clumps of the onion mixture into the oil — do not try to shape them. Authentic kanda bhaji are irregular and crunchy, not round and smooth.

8. 8

   Fry on medium-high: Fry for 2 to 3 minutes until golden-brown all over.

9. 9

   Drain: Remove and drain on paper towels.

10. 10

    Serve hot immediately with green chutney and chai.

11. 11

    Note: Nashik grows approximately 40% of India's onion crop — making the city and surrounding district the onion capital of India. The kanda (onion in Marathi) bhaji is the most widely made snack of the region, made from the surplus of freshly harvested onions. Every chai shop in Nashik sells kanda bhaji throughout the year and the city has unofficial kanda bhaji competitions during the onion harvest season.