Take a bowl and add the besan flour.

Add a little water at a time and mix it into the besan flour.

Once mixed, whisk the batter well for 2-3 minutes with your hand. Whisking helps to make the bhajis (Pakodas) airy and flavourful, and the batter will lighten in colour.

Add the chopped onions, crushed coriander seeds, crushed carom seeds, turmeric powder, salt, crushed green chilli-garlic-cumin, chopped coriander leaves, and red chilli powder (if using) to the batter.

Mix all the ingredients well into the batter.

Whisk the batter again for a short time after adding the ingredients.

Add a pinch of baking soda to the batter.

Pour a few drops of water over the baking soda to activate it. Mix well.

The batter should not be too thick or too thin; it should have a medium consistency.

Heat oil in a pan. The oil should be hot but not smoking.

Add a tablespoon of hot oil to the prepared batter and mix it with a spoon (as it will be hot).

Drop small portions of the batter into the hot oil. You can make them small or medium-sized.

Fry the bhajis (Pakodas) on medium heat, flipping them occasionally until they turn golden brown.

Once golden brown and crispy, remove the bhajis (Pakodas) from the oil and drain them on a tissue paper or in a strainer to remove excess oil.

Serve the hot and crispy bhajis (Pakodas).