Purple Cabbage & Diaspora Co. Turmeric Bhajis
/See end of recipe for more deets on my new obsession: Diaspora Co. SINGLE-ORIGIN TURMERIC!
In a large mixing bowl combine the following ingredients:
- Shredded cabbage
- Thinly sliced red onion
- Sliced/chopped green chili
- Good quality turmeric
-A sprinkling of kalonji seeds!
- Chopped cilantro (optional)
If you’re worried about portions just use your instincts. 1/4 wedge of a big head of cabbage will yield A LOT of shredded pieces. The more cabbage, the more bhaijis. Try and have equal onion : cabbage ratio. Use about a tbsp of turmeric and add as mani chilis as you can handle!
Now start heating up your oil. For rounder bhajis, you want to fill up a deeper pot; at least a couple inches of good frying oil. If you don’t mind flatter bhajis you can heat up a frying pan with about an inch of oil.
Mix your ingredients well and begin by adding 1/2 cup of chickpea flour and a large splash of cold water. Combine all the ingredients until you have a thick batter that’s holding all the ingredients together well. Add more flour to thicken, and more water to loosen. At this point add plenty of salt!
When the oil is nice and hot —you can test it by throwing a piece of onion or cabbage into the oil and if it begins sizzling right away you’re good to go— spoon one dollop of bhaji batter into the oil at a time. You should be able to fry about 4-6 at once.
Make sure to turn the bhajis over several times in the oil so they get crispy all over.
* TIP: If the oil gets splattery, or the batter seems sweaty and the bhajis aren’t holding together well, pop the batter in the fridge in between rounds of frying. A super hot kitchen, and warm batter will prevent the bhajis from getting as crispy as can be.
Remove the bhajis from the oil when they begin to look crispy and golden, and drain off the excess oil on some paper towel.
Garnish with fresh cilantro, more salt, and serve with lime wedges, chutney, raita, hummus: LITERALLY ANYTHING!
Choosing the best quality spices & herbs will not only ensure that you’re cooking with the best flavours but also ensures the greatest health benefits from these magical ingredients!
Diaspora Co is a “queer, woman-of-color owned business that moves forth in the spirit of social justice. We are here to put money, equity, and power into the hands of Indian farmers, and to disrupt, and decolonize an outdated commodity spice trading system.”
Their Turmeric is sustainable & organically farmed a stark contrast to industrially farmed spices which are sprayed with chemicals. It’s grown for the best flavour & fragrance while also reversing soil depletion. They trade directly with their turmeric farmers who are paid up to 6x the commodity price.
WHY YOU SHOULD BUY SUSTAINABLE AND ORGANICALLY FARMED TURMERIC:
FRESH - same-year harvest, milled every 3 months
versus powders that can be up to five years old, still sitting on a grocery store shelf. Our turmeric retains its floral fragrance due to its freshness.
POTENT - made of a pure heirloom variety
versus conventional turmeric, made of a blend of multiple low-quality varieties. Half a teaspoon of our turmeric equals one teaspoon of conventional turmeric in flavor and potency.
ANTI-INFLAMMATORY - double-tested 4.7% curcumin content
versus no guaranteed curcumin content or usually below 2.5%, if tested at all.