Indian Influenced Stuffed Onions Recipes

ONION BHAJI

Steps:

• Make the batter, mix all of the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl with water to create a batter with a consistency similar to heavy cream (double cream in the UK). You might need to add more water than written in the ingredient list above.
• Slice the onions into thin slices and separate them just a little.
• Add the onions to the batter.
• Stir the onions with the batter so that it coats the onion slices well.
• Heat canola or vegetable/corn oil to 355°F (180C°), then using 2 spoons of your hands start dropping clusters of onions in the batter (about 3-4 at a time), and fry for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.
• Using a spider or slotted spoon, remove the bhajis from the oil, and place on a plate lined with paper towels. Enjoy hot on their own, or serve with a yogurt mint raita.

SAUSAGE STUFFED ONION

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with foil.
• Peel the onions and cut them in half along the equator. Cut the bottoms slightly so that the onions can sit cut-side up steadily. Use a spoon or melon baller to scoop the centers out of the onions, leaving about 1/4-inch (or 1 layer of onion) as the shell and reserving the scooped flesh. (The onions should look like little bowls.) Place the hollowed-out onions in the baking dish. Drizzle the olive oil over them and sprinkle with about 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Roast the onions until they are soft and brown on the tops, about 30 minutes. Let rest until cool enough to handle. (Leave the oven on.)
• Meanwhile, roughly chop the reserved onion flesh. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions start to brown, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle in 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper, or more if desired. Reduce the heat to medium and let the onions cook until they are very soft and brown, another 10 to 15 minutes. Pour 1/2 cup wine into the skillet and scrape up any brown bits. Let the wine cook out, then transfer the onions to a large bowl to cool slightly.
• Add and combine the sausage with the caramelized onions. Mix in the panko, thyme, garlic, half the Parmesan, half the parsley and salt and pepper to taste.
• Use a 1/2-cup ice cream scoop or measuring cup to add a heaping half cup of the sausage mixture to each roasted onion. They should be mounded; press everything in to keep it together. Pour the stock and remaining 1/2 cup wine into the bottom of the baking dish. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the onions from the oven, remove the foil, sprinkle the remaining Parmesan on the tops of the onions, then bake until the cheese is melted and browning and the sausage is browned, another 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, then sprinkle with the remaining parsley and serve warm.

STUFFED ONIONS

Steps:

• Trim the very ends of the onions. Make an incision in each, from top to root, then another 0.5cm along, so you can cut out and discard a thin wedge (like you're discarding a segment of orange). Bring a pan of water to the boil and add the onions. Boil for 10 mins, remove from the water and let cool. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• When the onions are cool enough to handle, carefully peel and set aside their outer layers - you want about 12-16 large layers in total, which will become the outer casing for the lamb filling. You can use the smaller, leftover layers in the middle for another recipe.
• Mix all the stuffing ingredients in a bowl and season well. Shape into 12-16 oval meatballs. Put each one on an onion layer and roll it up to create what looks like a small, peeled onion.
• Pour half the olive oil into a large, shallow casserole dish or roasting tin, then arrange all the stuffed onions on top in a tight, single layer. Drizzle over the remaining oil and bake for 45 mins. Brush with the molasses and bake for another 15-20 mins until the casings are really soft and dark golden brown. Serve with the root vegetable rice and the herby yogurt dressing on the side.

STUFFED ONIONS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high. Make a lengthwise cut into each onion from the top to root end, slicing only halfway through to the middle of the onion. (This will make it easier to separate the layers.) Reduce heat to medium-high and simmer briskly until the onions are softened through the middle and the layers separate easily, about 25 minutes. Transfer onions to a cutting board and let cool.
• Meanwhile, heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread almonds on a baking sheet and toast until lightly golden, 6 to 7 minutes; transfer to a plate to cool. Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees.
• In a small bowl, combine saffron and lemon juice, and let sit.
• Separate the onion layers until just the centers remain. (You may have to trim the root ends a bit more if the layers don't completely separate.) Cut the 2 largest outer layers from each onion in half for 12 equal pieces, then count out more of the inner layers for a total of 20 to 24 stuffed onions. (The number will vary depending on the size of onions.) Finely chop the remaining onion centers and any remaining onion layers to make 1 cup; a little less or more is OK.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a high-sided, 12-inch ovenproof skillet with a lid over medium. Add chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 3 minutes. Stir in rice and 2 tablespoons of the melted butter, and stir until evenly coated. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt, the pepper, saffron-lemon juice, cinnamon stick, cumin, cardamom and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil over high, then cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until the liquid is just absorbed, about 3 minutes (rice will still be undercooked). Stir in toasted almonds, pistachios, raisins, cherries and parsley.
• Spoon 2 tablespoons of the rice mixture in the center of each onion layer so that the onion loosely covers the filling. (Rice will expand; bundles should be partly open.) Scrape out and discard any remaining rice (or reserve for future use) and clean out the skillet.
• Coat the bottom of the skillet with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and arrange onions seam side up in a single layer. Add 1 cup of water to the pan, season onions with salt and pepper, and drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Bring to a boil over high, cover tightly and transfer to the oven to bake until all the liquid has been absorbed, rice is cooked through and onions are tender, about 30 to 40 minutes.
• Garnish with parsley and drizzle with oil. Serve warm.

INDIAN INFLUENCED STUFFED ONIONS

Steps:

• Cut a small amount off the bottom of the onions to ensure they will stand upright.
• Cut 1/4 down from the top and discard top piece.
• Place onions in a large pot of boiling salted water for 20 minutes. Remove and let cool.
• In the mean time, cook potatos and carrots separately until tender. (I steam mine, but any method would work just as well.).
• Once cooked, let cool slightly and dice up julienned carrots. You should now have tiny little squares.
• Preheat Oven to 180 Celsius (350F).
• Go back to onions and remove inner layers and any tough outer skin layers, leaving 2 outer layers intact. This can be done with a melon baller, or teaspoon. You may end up with a hole in the bottom - never mind, this won't even be noticed.
• Dice up some of the left over onion roughly until you have approximately 1 Tablespoon. Place 1/2 teaspoon into each hollowed out onion.
• Mash potato until smooth, and then mix with carrot, coconut milk, curry powder, salt and pepper.
• Share potato mix among onions shells until they are full.
• Place onions in oven safe dish with lid, cover and cook at 180 Celsius for 20 minutes.
• Remove from oven, top onions with diced tomato and bread crumbs.
• Place under griller on med-high for 10 minutes or until crumbs brown.