Spring has well and truly sprung! One of the earliest signs is the prolific growth of three-cornered leek- or as you probably know it, onion weed! While regarded as an annoyance by many gardeners, this humble little herald of spring is edible from flower to bulb. Use in the place of spring onion or be a bit more adventurous and try the recipe below!
Wild onion weed bhajis' with date, soy and tamarind chutney - Alby Hailes
Perfect for a forager' s feast, these bhajis are crispy, crunchy, garlicky and all things delicious. Paired with a punchy tamarind sauce that' s boosted with date sweetness and umami soy, this is snacking food at its finest.
hands-on time - 35 minutes
total time - 35 minutes
makes 16 -20 bhajis
Ingredients
Wild onion weed bhajis
2 tbsp canola oil, plus extra for deep-frying
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp black mustard seeds
2 clovesgarlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
220g chickpea (besan) flour
1 green chilli,
finely chopped
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp cracked black pepper
¼ tsp sea salt
freshly squeezed juice of ½ lemon
200g wild onion weed (about 8) ends trimmed, chopped into 4cm pieces (including bulbs, stems+ flowers)
Method
First make the chutney.
Place the chopped dates, tamarind paste, soy sauce, ground chilli, lemon juice and 250ml water in a small saucepan over medium heat.Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes, at which point the dateswill be nicely softened. Remove from the heat, add the tahini, and blitzwith a stick blender until smooth. Loosen with a little extra water if desired, to reach your preferred dipping consistency; set aside.
For the bhajis:
Place 2 tbsp canola oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the cumin seeds, black mustard seeds, fennel seeds, garlic and ginger. Cook for a couple of minutes until golden and fragrant, then transfer to a large bowl. To the bowl, add the chickpea flour, chilli, turmeric, coriander, black pepper and salt, and whisk to combine. Add the lemon juice and 250ml cold water, and mix together to form a smooth, relatively thick batter. Add the chopped onion weed and stir through the batter to coat.
To cook the bhajis:
Heat 2-3cm of canola oil in a medium high-sided frying pan or Dutch oven (24 or 26cm) over medium heat. You want the oil to reach about 175°C? you can measure this with a thermometer or by dropping a blob of batter into the oil: if it sizzles, floats, and starts to brown, the oil is ready. Line a large plate with a paper towel and place it beside your frying station. Once the oil is at temperature, place large tablespoons of the batter in the hot oil. Fry in batches of 4-5 at a time, for about 2 minutes on each side until golden. Remove the bhajis from the oil with a slotted spoon and place in a single layer on the paper towel-lined plate to allow any excess oil to drain. Repeat until all the batter has been cooked, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain the oil temperature.
Serve the bhajis warm, with the chutney for dipping.
Recipe reproduced with permission of the author.
Alby's culinary journey started in the kitchen of his flat while pre-med at Otago University. These financially limited food adventures became a blog, Scarfie Kitchen, as well as a self-published cookbook. Ashe began his medical career this evolved into 'trEAT right', where food and flavour were part of a holistic approach to wellbeing. A successful stint on The Great Kiwi Bake Off gave him the boost needed to create his debut cookbook Good Vibes, published in 2023. You can follow Alby at @albyhailesand albyhailes.com
For a full copy of my Property Newsletter, please click Here to download it or let me know, and I’ll provide you with more details!
Jane Booth
Residential Sales Consultant
Dunedin
027 274 2519 | 03 466 3105
Have you considered buying or selling a property? Or do you know of a family member, friend or colleague who is considering buying or selling a property? Contact Jane Booth to experience next level service.
