I have a confession to make about this one. These onion bhajis did not come out as planned. I followed the Avant-Garde Vegan’s recipe from his cookbook Vegan 100 but for some reason mine weren’t crispy like I know they are supposed to be, and they didn’t really bind together that well. I’ll still post the recipe below and give tips for what I would do differently next time.

I think if I were to make them again, I would slice the red onion with a mandolin to make much thinner slices, and I would salt the onion slices longer to allow them to soften and some juices to release. I must have rushed it because when I tried to form the mixture into balls, the red onion slices weren’t very pliable and the mixture wasn’t sticky enough. I think it also would’ve helped to fry them instead of bake them. Oh well, that’s what imperfect means! #confessionsofanimperfectvegan

Ingredients
2 red onions, thinly sliced
2 carrots, peeled and grated
1 clove garlic, minced
1 green chile, deseeded and diced
1 tsp turmeric
1 handful fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
2-3 Tbsps chickpea flour (I used regular flour so that might’ve made a difference)
1-2 Tbsps water
Salt

Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place prepped onions and carrots in a large mixing bowl and salt generously. Set aside for 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile, prep the garlic, chile, and cilantro. Add remaining ingredients to bowl and mix together until incorporated. If it’s too wet, add more flour. If it’s too dry, add more water. Form mixture into balls the size of golf balls and place onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 20 minutes, carefully turning halfway through (if they are sturdy enough – mine weren’t). They should be brown and crispy, especially around the edges! Sprinkle with salt when they come out of the oven and serve immediately.

Makes 10 bhajis