For the bahjees you will need:
2-3 med onions
1 Tbsp red lentils pre soaked in water for 10 mins
11/2 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp methi leaves
1 Tbsp med curry powder
1tsp yellow colour(powder) not essential
1tsp garlic paste
1 tsp ginger paste
1 Tbsp Pataks kashmiri paste
1large egg
Handful chopped fresh coriander
Good pinch salt
Gram flour- 500g bag (you will need 1/4 of this)
Most Indian stores will stock all of the above ingredients very cheaply, you get a lot more for your money than in the supermarkets, just keep your bags of spices sealed in an airtight container, and they will keep for months.
You will need a deep fat fryer or a deep saucepan to cook the bhajees, and a big bowl to mix all the ingredients.
First pre heat your fryer to 180.
Finely slice all the onion, then add all the other ingredients on top of the onions, minus the gram flour.
Mix everything together gently with your hand in a claw shape, being careful not to squeeze the onions, as it will make the mixture watery. ( The Chef from the restaurant told me this!)
Add 1/4 of the bag of the gram flour and combine in with your hands until it coats everything, your mix should feel thick and sticky.
Pick up a small amount of mix into one hand and sit in the basket of the fryer, DO NOT squash them flat or they won't cook properly, they need air circulating inside. I can usually fit 3 in at a time, lower in and cook for a couple of minutes, then take out and place into a kitchen paper lined colander, repeat again then drain.
Now go back to the first 3 that you cooked squash down into a slightly flatter shape and pop back into the fryer for 1 minute then drain again onto kitchen paper, and set aside into a flat baking tin lined with kitchen roll.
 |
| Slighty flattened into patty shape |
Keep going until you have no mixture left.
You will be picking at them as you wait for the others to cook, they are very moreish!
These are really nice served with mint sauce, to make this you will need:
1/2 pot Natural yoghurt 500g ( I just use cheap lo fat brand)
2 tsp smooth mango chutney
2 tsp jar mint sauce
2 tsp caster sugar or to taste
Pinch of yellow colour
Splash of milk
I usually make up a big bowl of this and freeze some that is remaining in little plastic pots or ramekins.
Pour the yoghurt into a biggish bowl and add all remaining ingredients, mix well with a fork, taste...you can add a bit more sugar if you prefer it on the sweet side. Lastly thin down with a splash of milk, the sauce should have the consistency of single cream.
Everybody I have made these for absolutely love them!
Enjoy!
