Ingredients

The following ingredients have 15 Servings
  • 15 dates, pitted & chopped
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • ½-1 tsp hot chilli powder (depending on your tolerance)
  • 2 tbsp tamarind purée*
  • a bit of salt, to taste
  • 2 medium red onions
  • 100 g / 1 heaped cup chickpea flour
  • 1 garlic clove, pressed
  • 1½ level tsp salt
  • ½ tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • ½ tsp hot chilli
  • 1 tbsp / 15 ml lemon juice
  • sunflower oil for frying

Instruction

  • Gently toast ground cumin and chilli on a dry pan for about 30 seconds stirring constantly. As soon as they release their aroma take the pan off the heat.
  • Put chopped dates, about ½ cup of water and 2 tbsp tamarind purée in a small pot. Cover with a lid and simmer gently until dates have softened completely.
  • Take off the heat, cool down and blend the chutney into a smooth paste with a stick blender. Taste and season with a few pinches of salt and maybe another tablespoon of tamarind if it's too sweet.
  • Peel the onions, cut them into halves and slice finely (2mm). Blot sliced onions on a piece of paper towel to get rid of extra moisture.
  • In a large bowl, mix together chickpea flour, salt and spices. Once mixed well, add approximately 120 ml (½ cup) of water until you get a very thick batter. Add pressed garlic clove and lemon juice, stir well.
  • Slowly start heating up sunflower oil in a small pot until it reaches about 180° C / 355° F.
  • Now add sliced onions to the batter. Using your hands incorporate the onions into the batter mixture. If the mixture is too dry add a splash of water, but be careful - the mixture IS supposed to be very dry - otherwise you'll end up with soggy bahijs.
  • Once the oil comes to temperature, test it by dropping a piece of batter coated onion in. If it starts sizzling immediately, the oil is ready. Start dropping about ½ tbsp of mixture into the hot oil. Do not overcrowd the pan - if you use a small pot, drop only about 4 bhaji in at the time. If you want your bahijs to be round, best way is to form a ball in your hands before dropping it into the hot oil - drop it in from low height and very gently so that you don't get hot oil on your skin.
  • Cook them for 2-3 minutes and then turn and cook for another 2 minutes - until both sides are nicely browned. Once they achieve the desired colour, fish them out with a slotted spoon and place them on a piece of paper towel to drain any excess oil.
  • Serve warm with a side of sweet & sour chutney.