Baked Onion Bhaji's

Its Friday hooray!!  Even though I don't work, and very little changes for me at the weekend, I still can't shake the joy that comes with a Friday and I wouldn't want to! Friday evening is a hallowed time in our house, its anticipated and enjoyed.  Once Millie is in bed at 7 Jon and I get take away or some other non home cooked treat, we watch a movie and generally hang out with our reclining sofa.  There is one obstacle however, Movie watching requires snacks, snacks are a potential diet danger zone.  These little onion bhajis fit the bill nicely though, they are flavourful and moreish and fill the Dorito shaped hole in our evening.  They also are great served with the chicken tikka made earlier in the week.

There are a couple of ways you can make these, this recipe uses mashed potato, you can use shop bought mash to cut out the boring peeling, boiling and mashing (I think aunt bessies frozen is amazing!).  Your other option is to switch the potato for a can of chick peas pureed in a food processor, I however find using the chick peas gives you more of a gritty texture, but it is quicker if you can't used ready made mash.

Baked Onion Bhajis

300g ish mashed potato (2-3 medium potatoes)
2 large onions
1 egg
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp ground corriander
1/2 tsp mild chilli powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
salt

Pre heat oven to 200 degrees
Peel and boil potatoes, leave to dry out for a few minutes before mashing, so the bhajis aren't soggy
Whilst potatoes are boiling cut onions in to thin half moons, spray frying pan with spray oil and fry slowly until they are a golden brown colour about 10 minutes
Leave the mash and the onions to cool down for a few minutes then combine in a bowl with the egg, spices and a good pinch of salt
Get your hands in and make sure all the ingredients are incorporated well
If you can bare the wait, leave the mixture in the fridge for a bit to firm up,  I was impatient and is was very messy shaping them!
Spray a baking tray with oil and shape the mixture into little balls

--------The size you make them will depend on your crispiness to stodge preference, mine were about the size of a golf ball but smaller I think would be better---------

Spray the bhaji balls with a little more oil and cook for around 20/25 minutes, turning in the middle if you have the inclination (I always forget!)

Eat whilst hot with sweet chilli sauce or more authentically, mango chutney

These would be easy to make in bulk and would freeze well, then you will only ever be a few short minutes from oniony goodness! I hope you enjoy them!  

And they were gone as quickly as they came!!