Saturday 4 December 2010

Baked Pumpkin and Onion Bhajis

We have so much squash and pumpkin in the house at the moment, and I am constantly looking for new ways to use it.  Pumpkin/squash takes to curry flavours very well, so I made some bhajis to ward off the cold on a bitterly freezing night.  I make no claims for authenticity, and please adjust spicing to suit.  I had no 'gram' flour in the house, but plain flour worked just as well.  This quantity made plenty for 2, and is probably fine for 4 as an accompaniment or starter.  You slice 1 good-sized onion, fairly thinly, and peel and coarsely grate about 200g of butternut squash/pumpkin.  If the squash flesh is a bit watery, squeeze handfuls dry with kitchen paper.  Mix 2 eggs, 120g plain flour, some salt and pepper, a teaspoon each of ground cumin, coriander and turmeric, and half a teaspoon of chilli flakes or a finely chopped fresh red chilli.  Now add the onion and squash and stir well.  Heat the oven to 160 C fan and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.  Heat a couple of tablespoons of oil in a non-stick pan over a medium heat, then drop in tablespoons of the mixture, pressing down lightly to make a round cake.  Cook for a minute or so and turn over.  Cook for a further minute and then transfer to the baking sheet.  Repeat with the rest of the mix, using a little extra oil if needed.  You can 'hold' the bhajis like this  for several hours, overnight even, or bake them straight away - 15 minutes from the frying pan, or 20-25 minutes from chilled.  They should be lightly brown and 'singing' from the oven.  Serve with yoghurt into which you have stirred some grated garlic, chopped mint, grated cucumber, chopped coriander - whatever takes your fancy.  I like sweet chilli dipping sauce too!

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