Peel the onion, keeping the root base intact to ensure the onion can bloom later on.
To create the blooming effect, Place each onion, in-between 2 wooden spoon and slice down the centre of onion 3/4 of the way or until reaching the wooden spoon. Turn 90 degrees and slice again. Keep slicing each section in half until you have 16 sections. Be careful not to cut through bottom of onion.
Then, place a wide saucepan, filled with vegetable stock. Bring o the boil, over high heat. Once boiling, place the whole onions and reduce the heat to medium, gently simmering the onions for 5 minutes to softened and part cook cook the onions.
Remove from the heat, and carefully remove from the poaching liquid. Set aside to drain for 20 minutes or until cool enough.
In the meantime, in a bowl, combine the buttermilk or milk and the eggs. Stirring until combined with some salt, pepper, smoked paprika and Cajun spice.
In a second bowl, combine the flour with the gram flour and more smoked paprika, Cajun spices, herbs, and seasoning.
Dip each onions in the buttermilk mixture to coat every part of the onion and carefully transfer in the flour mixture and again carefully toss the onions to coat in the flour.
Transfer in the basket of a preheated air fryer and spray with some oil.
Place in the air fryer at 200˚C for 10 minutes or longer until crispy, if needed. Ours took 18 minutes.
Remove from the air fryer and serve warm with your favourite dip.
I used a blue cheese dip! Delicious.
