If you’ve got a load of butternut squash that needs eating, what do you do? Make bhajis, of course! I made up this recipe as I went along, but it seemed to turn out ok (as usual my partner drooled over them, but he tends to drool over everything). I served it with a very quick raita, so quick that it really amounted to cheating, but you could make a nicer one if you’ve got time. If you’re vegan, the bhajis would be perfectly acceptable on their own. If you’re not familiar with gram flour, it’s Indian chickpea flour, and you can normally find it in Asian grocery shops or healthfood shops.
Serves 2-3
For the bhajis
1lb butternut squash
1 red onion
2 tbsp fresh coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
5 tbsps gram flour
salt & pepper to taste
sunflower oil for deep frying
1. Peel the butternut, scoop out and discard any seeds, and chop the flesh into large chunks.
2. Boil in lightly salted water for 10 minutes, or until tender.
3. Mash the butternut with a potato masher.
4. Finely chop the onion and coriander, and add to the mashed butternut along with the cumin and seasoning.
5. Add the gram flour. If the mixture looks very sloppy you might need to add an extra tablespoon or so, but bear in mind that these little bhajis are intended to be quite soft on the inside.
6. Heat 2cm of oil in a large frying pan, and when hot drop dessertspoons of the mixture into the hot oil. Fry on one side until brown, then flip over with a spatula and do the other side. You’ll probably need to do several batches.
7. Leave to drain on a double layer of kitchen towel, then put in a pre-heated oven to keep warm.
For the raita
Half a cucumber
3 tbsps Greek yoghurt
1 tsp dried mint
1/2 small onion
salt & pepper to taste
1. Finely chop the onion and cucumber, and mix with the remaining ingredients.
Serve the warm bhajis with the raita over the top. They are good as a side dish, with rice and curry.
