These crispy Palak Pakora (Palak Pakoda, Spinach Fritters) are Indian fritters made by coating spinach leaves with a spiced gram flour batter and then fried to perfection. Serve them with green chutney and masala chai for a delicious treat.
Here are more pakora recipes that you might like – Aloo Pakora, Paneer Pakora, Chicken Pakora, Punjabi Bread Pakora, and Chawal Ke Pakode.
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About Palak Pakora
Palak Pakora (Palak Pakoda, Spinach Fritters) is a deep-fried Indian snack, where whole spinach leaves are coated with a spiced gram flour batter and then fried until golden and crispy.
It’s vegan, gluten-free, and super easy to whip up using ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.
Imagine cozying up on a rainy day or during a chilly winter afternoon, savoring these crunchy delights with a steaming cup of masala chai and green chutney: It’s comfort food at its finest.
But wait, there’s more! You can take your Palak Pakoras to the next level by turning them into chaat—just top them with chilled yogurt, green chutney, tangy tamarind chutney, onions, and a sprinkle of fine sev. It’s a flavor explosion that’ll leave your taste buds dancing.
Oh, and here’s a tip: if you’ve got a hungry crowd or want to stock up for later, double or triple the recipe. Just remember to fry the pakoras in batches to ensure they come out perfectly crispy every time.
So, whether you’re craving a quick snack or looking to impress your guests with a tantalizing chaat, Palak Pakoras are here to save the day. Get ready to indulge in a crispy, crunchy adventure that’ll have you returning for more!
Ingredients
Spinach (Palak) – Use fresh, green, and crisp spinach leaves for the best pakoras. Avoid the wilted leaves with black patches on them.
For The Batter – You will need besan (chickpea flour, gram flour), rice flour, red chili powder, turmeric powder, ginger paste, cilantro (fresh coriander leaves), green chilies, baking soda, lime juice, and salt.
Rice flour is optional but it gives the pakoras a nice crispy texture.
You can also add some ajwain to the batter. It will not only give it a nice taste but also help in digestion.
Oil – Use any cooking oil to deep fry the pakoras.
Chaat Masala Powder – Sprinkle some Chaat Masala Powder on top to give the crisp pakoras a tangy taste.
How To Make Palak Pakoda
Rinse 14-15 spinach leaves and discard their stem. Now, wipe each leaf with a paper towel or a kitchen cloth.
Add the following ingredients to a bowl. Mix well.
- ¾ cup chickpea flour
- 2 tablespoon rice flour
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste
- 2 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped green chili
- 1 small pinch baking soda
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
Add water and make a thick, flowy batter.
Note – The consistency of the batter is very important to get a perfectly crispy pakora. If it is too thick, the pakora will not turn out crispy; if it is too thin, it will not stick to the spinach leaves.
Heat 3-4 cups of oil to fry the pakora in a pan over medium-high heat.
Once the oil is hot, reduce the heat to medium.
Coat a spinach leaf with the batter and drop it in the hot oil. Drop 5-6 pakoras in the pan at a time.
Flip the pakora using the tongs once golden brown from the bottom.
Fry until they are browned and crispy from the other side as well.
Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
Sprinkle chaat masala powder as soon as the pakoras are out of oil and toss well.
Fry all the pakoras in the same manner. Heat the oil well before adding the next set.
Do not overcrowd the pan while frying the pakora.
Serve hot with yogurt mint dip or coriander mint chutney.
Pro Tips By Neha
Wipe the spinach leaves after washing them. It will make sure the pakoda is crispy.
Do not make the batter too runny. It should stick to the leaf.
Sprinkle chaat masala as soon as the palak pakora are out of the oil. It will stick to them immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Chop the spinach leaves and mix them with gram flour, spice powders, onion, ginger, green chilies, and coriander to make a batter. Then, drop small pakoras into the hot oil and deep fry them until crisp. You can also use these pakoras in kadhi, to make a palak pakora kadhi.
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Recipe Card
Crispy Palak Pakora Recipe (Palak Pakoda, Spinach Fritters)
Ingredients
- 14-15 spinach leaves (palak)
- ¾ cup chickpea flour (besan, gram flour)
- 2 tablespoons rice flour
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (fresh coriander leaves)
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped green chili
- 1 small pinch baking soda
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- oil (for frying)
- 1 tablespoon chaat masala powder
Instructions
- Rinse the spinach leaves and discard their stem. Now, wipe each leaf with a paper towel or a kitchen cloth.
- Add besan, rice flour, red chili powder, turmeric powder, ginger paste, fresh coriander, green chili, baking soda, lime juice, and salt to a bowl. Mix well.
- Add water and make a thick, flowy batter.
- Note – The consistency of the batter is very important to get a perfectly crispy pakora. If it is too thick, the pakora will not turn out crispy; if it is too thin, it will not stick to the spinach leaves.
- Heat 3-4 cups of oil for frying the pakora in a pan over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, reduce the heat to medium.
- Coat a spinach leaf with the batter and drop it in the hot oil. Drop 5-6 pakoras in the pan at a time.
- Flip the pakora using the tongs once they are golden brown from the bottom.
- Fry until they are browned and crispy from the other side as well.
- Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Sprinkle chaat masala powder as soon as the pakoras are out of oil and toss well.
- Fry all the pakora in the same manner. Heat the oil well before dropping the next set of pakoras.
- Do not overcrowd the pan while frying the pakora.
- Serve hot with yogurt mint dip or coriander mint chutney.
Pamela (BrooklynFarmGirl)
It looks so tasty!
msnehamathur
Thnx Pamela 🙂