A takeaway classic, this Glasgow Indian restaurant style red spiced onions recipe is delicious with crispy poppadoms. Plus, they’re easy to prepare ahead of time and keep well in the fridge, making them ideal for curry night.
Spiced onions (also known as ‘spicy onions’) are a popular starter in Scottish Indian restaurants and in kebab shops. They’re deliciously fresh and light and are perfect scooped up with crispy poppadoms. Back in the day, the legendary Morello on Battlefield Road in Glasgow served some of the freshest and most delicious red spicy onions I’ve ever tasted. Sadly, his famous takeaway no longer exists – I hope this recipe does him justice!
Ingredients For Spiced Onions
The tangy red sauce that coats these onions is made with a combination of ketchup, mango chutney, mint sauce and spices. Red colour is added with natural beetroot powder and the spicy onions are chilled, ready to serve with crispy poppadoms.
- Onions
- Ketchup
- Mango Chutney
- Mint Sauce
- Cumin Powder
- Garam Masala
- Red Chilli Powder
- Salt
- Sugar
- Beetroot Powder
- Water
How To Make Spiced Onions
This is a very easy Indian takeaway starter dish to make, with the ingredients simply being combined in a bowl. If you have time, preparing a few hours ahead of time helps the flavours develop.
Step 1: Mix Spiced Onion Ingredients
In a large bowl, add 2 medium-large onions (chopped), 2 tablespoons tomato ketchup, 1 teaspoon mint sauce, 1 teaspoon mango chutney, 1/8 teaspoon cumin powder, 1/8 teaspoon garam masala, 1/8 teaspoon chilli powder, 1/4 teaspoon beetroot powder, 1/4 teaspoon sea salt & 1 tablespoon water. Mix well, let stand for 5 minutes and mix well again.
Step 2: Chill & Serve
Cover and set aside in the fridge for 1-2 hours. Mix once more before serving with freshly fried poppadoms.
Serve Indian restaurant style spiced onions with crispy poppadoms, or with your favourite Indian curries.
Spiced Onions Recipe Tips
Milder Flavour: If you prefer a milder flavour, soak chopped onion in cold water for 10 minutes, rinse and drain before use. This works any time raw onion is called for in salad recipes.
I hope you try this Indian restaurant style spiced onions recipe. If you do, let me know in the comments how it went!
Spiced Onions (Indian Takeaway Style)
Ingredients
- 2 medium-large onions finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato ketchup
- 1 teaspoon mint sauce
- 1 teaspoon mango chutney Geeta's brand
- 1/8 teaspoon cumin powder (a pinch)
- 1/8 teaspoon garam masala (a pinch)
- 1/8 teaspoon chilli powder or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon beetroot powder
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add 2 medium-large onions (chopped), 2 tablespoons tomato ketchup, 1 teaspoon mint sauce, 1 teaspoon mango chutney, 1/8 teaspoon cumin powder, 1/8 teaspoon garam masala, 1/8 teaspoon chilli powder, 1/4 teaspoon beetroot powder, 1/4 teaspoon sea salt & 1 tablespoon water. Mix well, let stand for 5 minutes and mix well again.
- Cover spiced onions and set aside in the fridge for 1-2 hours. Mix once more before serving with freshly fried poppadoms.
Notes
Indian Restaurant Style Spiced Onions Recipe FAQ
How do Indian restaurants make spiced onions bright red?
Takeaway kitchens often use food colouring or beetroot powder to add an attractive red colour to various dishes, including red spicy onions and chicken tikka. I like beetroot powder for natural colour and a touch of sweetness – it doesn’t taste like beetroot!
What else can I do with spiced onions?
The chefs at New Serena in Dunfermline combine spiced onions with cooked doner meat and mozzarella cheese to make a delicious calzone. They’re also very tasty served alongside pizza, in wraps and salads or baked potato.
How long can I keep spiced onions in the fridge?
Spiced onions keep well in a sealed food safe container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Do you like this Glasgow Indian restaurant style spiced onions recipe? If so, buying a copy of my book might appeal to you! In The Indian Takeaway Secret you can find a host of restaurant and takeaway style recipes that you can make at home. You’ll learn how to make vegetable pakora, seekh kebabs, South Indian garlic chilli curry, pilau rice and more! You can buy The Indian Takeaway Secret in paperback or kindle form here.
- McGovern, Kenny (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 256 Pages – 05/06/2021 (Publication Date) – Robinson (Publisher)
The internet is a godsend; this recipe was surprisingly simple and straightforward- I anticipated something far more complicated. The taste of the finished product transported me (figuratively) back to the 1980’s and my many, many trips to Cafe India at Anderson in Glasgow. I was never disappointed with the complimentary spiced onions on offer at that time – nor the recipe (for the same) on this site. Thank you for having me able to crate a taste sensation that took me back to happy times spent in Glasgow.
Thank you so much for this Kevan, I’m so glad this recipe was what you were looking for! Very happy to hear that you enjoyed it, thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!