Palak Pakoda

With the onset of monsoon, trust me, Palak Pakoda is a delicious and healthy snack to make your clan hog on! It’s perfectly crispy from the outside and is the best tea time treat. Here is how to make it.

“Spinach? Yuck!” – That’s the first reaction that kids and even some of the adults tend to give at the sight of spinach, right?

But, let me tell you one thing, the art to make your family eat enriching, fresh greens is definitely in your hands despite them throwing umpteen tantrums.

Well, my kiddo was no exception when it comes to spinach.

So, I found a way around to make him eat spinach every week by making Cottage Cheese in Spinach Gravy, and more such Spinach recipes.

And you, believe it or not, the sunny boy ends up eating all of them.

And there was one more dish that he absolutely loved and even demanded more, It was Palak Pakora. 

The other day it started raining out of sudden, and as usual the family demands for something hot and crispy started flowing.

I had some leftover Palak, and I thought why not make Pakoras with them. 

Crispy from outside and soft from inside, Palak Pakoda is one spinach loaded snack that will surely win everyone’s heart!

The point is to take the benefits of spinach on face value and then using it to create delicacies in such a manner that it turns out both wholesome and palatable, friends!

Well, as Monsoons will be approaching you soon, here are some other Pakora Recipes that you can try – Chawal Ke Pakode, Punjabi Bread Pakora, Moong Dal Pakoda and Corn Pakoda.

So, this Monsoon makes this Palak Pakora and enjoy these with a spicy dip of your choice.

About the recipe

With the onset of monsoon, trust me, Spinach Pakoda is a yummy snack to make your clan hog on!

Coated with the flavored batter of rice flour, besan and spices, just dunk the fresh leaves of spinach in it and fry it with love – there you go, crispy, chatpata Palak Pakoda is ready to nibble!

Serve these crunchy lil snacks with fresh chutney or ketchup and bless me later for recommending this recipe, peeps!

Benefits of Palak/Spinach 

Spinach is full of potassium, copper, and manganese, protein, fiber, vitamins A, C, E and K, thiamin, vitamin B6, folate, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus.

It not only aids in lowering cholesterol but also keeps our mental health in check.

Pro Tips by Neha

Wipe the spinach leaves after washing them. It will make sure to turn the pakoda crispy.

Do not make the batter too runny. It should stick to the leaf.

Fry the pakoda on medium-high heat.

Some people do not add rice flour in their pakoda. You can try that version too.

Sprinkle chaat masala, as soon as the pakoda is out of the oil. It will stick to the pakoda immediately.

You can also add some ajwain to the pakoras. It will not only give it a nice taste but also helps in digestion.

Variations

The recipe I have mentioned below uses the whole palak leaf dipped in besan batter, but you can make a variation by chopping the spinach leaves in small pieces and then adding them in the batter.

You can also add chopped onion, grated ginger, green chilli, etc to the batter.

Add these Pakoda in Kadhi and make Palak Pakoda Kadhi.

How to make it into a Chaat

To make this chaat, keep the fried palak pakoda on a serving plate.

Top with tamarind chutney, coriander mint chutney, curd whisked with sugar, roasted cumin powder, red chilli powder, black salt, and fine sev.

Serve immediately.

Serving Suggestions

These Pakora taste best with Tomato Ketchup and Coriander Mint Chutney.

I like to make a Chaat out of it with a hint of spicy and sweet chutneys and relish these crispy Pakoras. 

Step By Step Recipe

Mix besan, rice flour, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, ginger paste, fresh coriander, green chilli, baking soda, lemon juice and salt in a bowl.

Add water and make a batter. The batter should be just thin enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Heat oil for frying the pakora in a pan.

Once the oil is hot, simmer the heat to medium-low. Dip the spinach leaves in the batter and drop them in the hot oil.

Deep fry until golden brown from both the sides. Drain on a tissue lined plate. Fry all the pakora in the same manner. Do not overcrowd the pan while frying the pakora.

Sprinkle chaat masala as soon as the pakoras are out from oil and toss well. Serve hot with yogurt mint dip to coriander mint chutney.