All you need is a bag of frozen gyoza (or any Asian dumplings), some store cupboard spices and about 30 minutes.

I’d like to close a strange and difficult year with a recipe that’ll bring a smile to your face. I can’t say I’ll miss 2020 (I don’t think any of us will), but I am eager to step into the New Year with a full belly and a positive outlook.

What are Gyoza Bhajia?

I first made these during a moment of panic. It was 2010 and I was cooking for a crowd ahead of a family wedding. I had far too much bhajia batter left over after making these Crispy Potato Bhajia.

After a frenzied rummage through the fridge and freezer, I found some strong candidates to batter and fry, or as I like to call it, ‘bhajiafy’.

An apple, an unripe banana, onions and erm… some frozen gyoza. With their Japanese tofu and vegetable filling, I knew I had to try it. What could possibly go wrong?

Nothing, that’s what. They were absolutely delicious. Steamy and juicy on the inside, with a delicious double wrap of dumpling skin and crispy masala batter. Perfection. I’ve been making them ever since.

How to make Gyoza Bhajia | Dumpling Bhajia in 4 easy steps

1. Make the batter
   Mix together all the ingredients for the batter including the flours and spices. Add water gradually and whisk until smooth and lump free.
   
2. Let the batter rest
   This is important so don’t skip this step. Allow the batter to rest for at least 10 minutes before dipping and frying.
   
3. Dip the dumplings
   Be sure your frozen dumplings are free from any ice or water on the outside. Wipe them down with a clean kitchen towel to ensure the oil doesn’t spit when you slide the gyoza into the oil.
   
4. Fry the Gyoza Bhajia
   Work in small batches and use a cooking thermometer for the most accurate results. Try to aim for 170°C/340°F throughout the cooking process. Initially, the temperature will drop but bring it back up and fry until golden, about 3-4 minutes in total.

What type of Gyoza or Dumplings should I use for Gyoza Bhajia?

It’s best to work with frozen gyoza for this recipe. The sturdiness of frozen gyoza will allow you to dip the batter without worrying the dumplings will fall apart.

Nine time out of ten, I buy frozen gyoza from my local Asian supermarket over making them at home. They’re something I always keep in the freezer.

Having said this, you can by all means make your own gyoza/dumplings or momos at home using your favourite recipe. Just be sure to freeze the uncooked dumplings solid before you batter and fry them.

How long do Gyoza Bhajia take to cook?

From start to finish, no longer than 30 minutes. I’ve done it in 20 minutes before and it’s so easy!

You do not need to cook the gyoza prior to dipping and frying. Just dunk the frozen gyoza in the bhajia batter and carefully slide them into the hot oil.

5 Tips for making Gyoza Bhajia

1. Oil temperature. Keep your oil at a temperature of 170°C/340°F throughout the cooking process. Initially, the temperature will drop due to the gyoza being frozen.

2. Cooking process. Once the Gyoza Bhajia are in the oil, bring it back up to the correct temperature and maintain throughout.

3. Batches. Work in small batches when frying. Do not overcrowd the oil or the temperature is likely to drop.

4. Time. The Gyoza Bhajia should take no longer than 3-4 minutes in the oil. By this time they will cook through.

5. Ice. Be sure your gyoza are free from any ice or excess water. It’s a good idea to wipe off any ice or water using a clean, lint-free kitchen towel before you begin. This will prevent the hot oil and water mixing and spitting at you.

Watch now: How to make Gyoza Bhajia

Can I bake or air fry these Bhajia?

Do not attempt to bake or air fry these Gyoza Bhajia. The batter is far too thin and will just slide off during the cooking process. They must be fried.

You can however, reheat the Gyoza Bhajia in the oven or air fryer. To reheat: Fry the cold Bhajia again in hot oil or place them in a hot oven (about 200°C/400°F) or air fryer for 3-5 minutes until heated through and crispy again.

Other popular types of Bhajia

Crispy Potato Bhajia (Maru’s Bhajia)

Crispy, spiced potato fritters (Potato Bhajia) are the most iconic of bhajias. Here’s a tried and true recipe for Crispy Potato Bhajia that will leave you wanting more.

Onion Bhajia (Kanda Bhajji or Onion Bhaji)

The British Indian restaurant Bhajia of choice. These craggy onion bhajia are made from shredded onions and spices, namely coriander seeds, chilli, garam masala and a small amount of chickpea flour (besan).

Spinach Bhajia

An elegant crispy spinach version of Bhajia popular across mostly North India. These Palak Patta Bhajia are a popular Delhi street snack. Top with chutneys, sweetened yoghurt, onions, tomatoes and sev for a blow-your-mind Crispy Spinach Chaat.

Chilli Bhajia (Mirchi Pakoda)

Stuff chillies with a mixture of spiced mashed potato for Chilli Bhajia (Mirchi Pakoda) created for chilli heads. These spicy bhajia are a Rajasthani favourite.

Daal Bhajia

Daal Bhajia are typically made with a mixture of soaked and ground yellow moong daal but can feature any lentils you like. My family make a delicious version with ripe bananas. Sweet, hot and sour, African style.

Mixed Vegetable Bhajia (Vegetable Pakoda/Pakora)

Make mixed vegetable bhajia with any veggies you have leftover. They’re a brilliant raid-the-fridge option. Either shred the veg to make fritters, Onion Bhaji style or dip and fry whole/in chunks like Japanese tempura. The choice is yours.

Paneer Pakoda/Pakora

I can’t wait to share a recipe for Paneer Pakoda with you. They’re a personal favourite. Slices of paneer sandwiched with green coriander chutney, dipped in Bhajia batter and then deep fried. A Punjabi classic with tonnes of heart.

Sabudana Vada

Strictly speaking, vada are more of a dumpling than bhajia (fritters) but I can’t miss them off the list. These soft and crispy tapioca pearl and fluffy mashed potato vada are a vrat (fasting) staple. They have no onions or garlic, yet they still pack heaps of flavour.

Get my recipe for Sabudana Vada here.

How to serve Gyoza Bhajia | Ideas for dips and chutneys

The recipe card below includes a delicious and easy Ginger-Soy Dipping Sauce. It pairs perfectly with these Asian-fusion Gyoza Bhajia.

If you’re after an Indian-style chutney, try one or more of these 4 Indian Chutney recipes.

You might also like these recipes

• The Best Vegetable Samosas
• Vegetable Manchurian
• 30-Minute Hakka Noodles
• Quick Paneer Tikkis

Gyoza Bhajia (Dumpling Bhajia) recipe

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Gyoza Bhajia

Gyoza Bhajia are the ultimate Asian mashup when it comes to tasty vegetarian finger food. Crispy dumplings covered in a spicy bhajia batter.

Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine Asian

Keyword bhajias, chickpea flour, dip, dumplings, fried, fritters, gyoza, vegan

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Sanjana

Ingredients

For the Gyoza Bhajia:

• 28 frozen vegetable dumplings
• 225 g chickpea flour
• 50 g plain flour
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 3/4 tsp fine salt
• 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/4 tsp chilli powder
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp citric acid
• 1/4 tsp ajwain seeds
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander chopped
• 1 small green chilli finely chopped (optional)
• 2 tbsp oil
• 310 ml warm water
• 1 L sunflower or rapeseed oil for deep frying

For the soy-ginger dipping sauce:

• 3 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 3 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger
• 1/2 tsp chilli
• 1 1/2 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1 tsp chopped spring onion or dried spring onion

Instructions

For the Bhajia batter:

• Take chickpea flour in a large bowl. Add the plain flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, turmeric, chilli powder, baking powder, citric acid, ajwain, fresh coriander, chopped green chilli and 2 tbsp oil.
• Gradually add the water in stages, whisking all the time until you have a smooth batter. Rest the batter for 10 minutes.

To make the dipping sauce:

• Whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl and set aside.

To fry the Gyoza Bhajia:

• Heat around 1L oil in a deep pan, wok or kadai suitable for deep frying. The temperature of the oil should be 170°C/340°F.
• One at a time, dip the frozen gyoza in the rested batter and shake off any excess. Carefully place the dipped gyoza in the oil. Work in small batches to ensure the oil temperature doesn't drop too low. Fry each batch of Gyoza Bhajia for 3-4 minutes until golden all over.
• Lift the fried gyoza out of the oil and drain on a plate lined with absorbent kitchen towel.
• Serve immediately with the prepared dipping sauce or your favourite chutneys.

Notes

• Do not attempt to bake or air fry these Gyoza Bhajia. The batter is far too thin and will just slide off during the cooking process. They must be fried.

• You can however, reheat the Gyoza Bhajia in the oven or air fryer. To reheat: Fry the cold Bhajia again in hot oil or place them in a hot oven (about 200°C/400°F) or air fryer for 3-5 minutes until heated through and crispy again.

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Crunchy spiced nuggets of okra coated in breadcrumbs and coconut, served with a hot and spicy vegan mayo, that’s what. A sort of riff on coconut shrimp, but 100% plant based.

In this recipe, I put the natural stickiness of okra to work. Magic because this is the stickiness of okra is one of the things people dislike about these firm green pods.

Ways to cook okra (bhindi)

Wait, do you call them Bhindi, okra, lady fingers or something else? I refer to them as bhindi or bhinda and often use all three terms interchangeably.

Ultimately, I adore them in any way, shape or form. Namely in dry curries. I, like many Indian families, often pair them with potatoes, onions and/or paneer.

Max out the slime!

Okra slime is one of the things we usually try to diminish in Indian dishes. Lemon juice and vinegar can suppress the stickiness of bhindi.

But this recipe is an exception! Here we welcome the stickiness in lieu of eggs. Indeed, okra slime will create the most perfect “glue” to help crunchy panko breadcrumbs and coconut stick to our popcorn bhindi.

Fry or bake for a delicious, golden snack. Once you start, you won’t be able to stop eating. Dip them in my Atomic Red Chilli Mayo for addictive heat!

How to prepare okra

Always wash and thoroughly dry okra before you begin your recipe. Be careful as the stems can have tiny, hair-like spikes on them.

If you accidentally brush these with your fingers they can sting and itch.

Be sure to dry them in a clean tea towel. Any moisture can make the okra extra sticky and while that’s not a huge deal for this recipe, it will make them more difficult to slice.

How to make Crispy Popcorn Bhindi Bites

Some things to remember when cooking Crispy Popcorn Bhindi Bites

• Be careful not to cook the Popcorn Bhindi at too high a temperature or they will brown too quickly on the outside and the okra itself will remain raw inside.
• How to freeze the Bhindi for cooking later: Once all the okra nuggets have been coated in a double layer of breadcrumbs, freeze the entire tray, with all the nuggets in a single layer. Once completely frozen, pack into freezer-safe bags or containers to cook later.
• To cook the Bhindi from frozen: Deep fry or bake according to recipe instructions. Add 5 minutes onto bake time for frozen Popcorn Bhindi and 90 seconds on to fry time.
• I don’t recommend freezing cooked Popcorn Bhindi.

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Crispy Popcorn Bhindi Bites

Crispy, spiced nuggets of okra served with a hot and spicy vegan mayo. Put the natural stickiness of okra to work by creating a "glue" for crunchy panko breadcrumbs and coconut. Fry or bake for a delicious, golden snack. Once you start, you won't be able to stop eating. Dip them in my Atomic Red Chilli Mayo for addictive heat!

Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine American, Indian

Keyword bhindi, okra

Prep Time 35 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Sanjana Feasts

Ingredients

• 375 g okra
• Oil spray If baking
• Oil for deep frying If frying (any oil with a high smoke point)

For the wet mix:

• 400 ml oat milk (or any milk of your choice)
• 140 g vegan mayo
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 2 tsp chilli flakes
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 1/2 tsp salt

For the dry mix:

• 325 g panko breadcrumbs
• 100 g desiccated coconut

For the atomic red chilli mayo:

• 100g g vegan mayo
• 50 g atomic red chilli chutney recipe card below

Instructions

• Wash and thoroughly dry the okra. Cut off the stems and slice into 2-3cm rings.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, vegan mayo, garlic powder, onion powder, chilli flakes, turmeric and salt.
• Combine the panko breadcrumbs and coconut in a large tray.
• Add the okra to the wet mix and fold everything together with a spoon or spatula to coat each ring. Allow to stand for 15 minutes. The okra will become thick and sticky.
• Lift the okra out of the wet mix and toss in the dry breadcrumbs and coconut to coat each piece as evenly as you can.
• Once all the pieces are covered, dip each one in the remaining wet mix again and coat in the breadcrumbs again to create a double coating. Try to keep one hand for the wet mix and the other for the dry mix to avoid a sticky mess on your hands.
• When you've coated all the okra pieces, refrigerate the nuggets for 30 minutes.

Instructions for oven baking:

• To oven bake the Popcorn Bhindi, arrange all the nuggets on a large tray. Spray liberally with your favourite oil spray.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 160°C/320°F for 30-35 minutes or until crispy and golden.

Instructions for deep frying:

• To deep fry the Popcorn Bhindi, heat around 8-10cm oil in a pan suitable for deep frying. The oil temperature should register 160°C/320°F. Deep fry in small batches, around 4-5 minutes per batch or until crispy on the outside and cooked all the way through.
• Drain the Popcorn Bhindi on a plate or tray lined with absorbent kitchen paper. Serve hot with Atomic Red Chilli Mayo.

For the Atomic Red Chilli Mayo:

• Mix together the vegan mayo with red chilli chutney. Cover and refrigerate until you're ready to serve.

Video

Notes

• Be careful not to cook the Popcorn Bhindi at too high a temperature or they will brown too quickly on the outside and the okra itself will remain raw inside.
• How to freeze the Bhindi for cooking later: Once all the okra nuggets have been coated in a double layer of breadcrumbs, freeze the entire tray, with all the nuggets in a single layer. Once completely frozen, pack into freezer-safe bags or containers to cook later.
• To cook the Bhindi from frozen: Deep fry or bake according to recipe instructions. Add 5 minutes onto bake time for frozen Popcorn Bhindi and 90 seconds on to fry time.
• I don’t recommend freezing cooked Popcorn Bhindi.

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Atomic Red Chilli Chutney

Calling all chilli lovers! This red chilli chutney is quick and easy to make and intense enough to satisfy your spice cravings. Use two or more types of chilli for both flavour and intensity. Mixing your chillies in this way will add multiple layers of flavour.

Course Condiment, Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword chilli, chutney, jaggery

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Sanjana

Equipment

• Blender

Ingredients

• 150 g red onion, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 large mild red chillies
• 4-6 hot red chillies add more or less according to your taste
• 25 g raw peanuts
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds toasted in a dry frying pan for a minute until aromatic
• 60 g jaggery, grated
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 30 ml water

Instructions

• Place all the ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth and thick.
• Pour into a bowl and cover. Chill in the fridge for 2 hours before serving.

Video

Notes

• This chutney is great for drizzling over chaats and using as a dip for bhajiya. You can even add a spoonful to your favourite curry in place of chilli powder.
• Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• To freeze: Place the chutney in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature and consume within 24 hours.

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If you like this, you’ll love my recipe for Maggi Noodles Chaat

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The post Crispy Popcorn Bhindi Bites appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.