Butternut Squash and Carrot Bhajis (V) from Clodagh’s Happy Cooking

By Erin Brown
Related Categories: Cookbook Confidential

“Crispy, delicious bhajis you can make in the air fryer in just fifteen minutes. Of course, you can also fry them in a deep pan with about 5cm (2 inches) of oil. I change the vegetables I use as the seasons turn, sometimes making the classic onion bhajis, or parsnip, courgette, pumpkin, potato or any root vegetable.” Clodagh McKenna, author of Clodagh’s Happy Cooking

Serves 2

(5½oz) carrots, peeled and grated

125g (4½oz) butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and grated

125g (4½oz) onion, grated

5cm (2-inch) piece of root ginger, peeled and grated

Handful of spinach, chopped

100g (3½oz) chickpea (gram) flour

2 teaspoons garam masala

2 teaspoons nigella seeds

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 egg, lightly beaten

Olive oil

Sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper

For the raita

¼ cucumber

250g (9oz) Greek yogurt

½ tablespoon chopped mint leaves

½ teaspoon garam masala

1 garlic clove, crushed

Juice of ½ lime

In a large bowl, mix together the grated carrots, squash, onion and ginger, followed by the chopped spinach. Tip in the chickpea flour and spices and mix well so all the vegetables are coated. Lastly add the egg, season with salt and pepper and give it a last big mix.

Using a tablespoon, scoop out 8 even dollops of the mixture, drizzle with a little olive oil, then place in an air fryer in a single layer and cook at 200°C (400°F) for 15 minutes, turning halfway through cooking. You may have to cook these in 2 batches, depending on the size of your air fryer.

Meanwhile, to make the raita, coarsely grate the cucumber, place it in a sieve, then squeeze it with your hands to remove as much juice as possible. In a bowl, mix the cucumber together with all the other raita ingredients and season well with salt. Serve the raita with the bhajis.