Indian cuisine · Salads & Mezze

Palak Pakora

Whole spinach leaves deep-fried in spiced chickpea flour batter – the classic monsoon-season tea snack.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 200 g spinach leaves (large leaves)
• 150 g chickpea flour
• 2 tbsp rice flour
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp amchur (mango powder)
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
• 180 ml water
• 1 l frying oil
• Salt

Instructions

1. Wash the spinach leaves individually, trim off the thick stems and pat the leaves completely dry on a towel – every drop of water will spatter later in the oil.
2. Mix chickpea flour, rice flour, cumin, chili powder, turmeric, amchur, asafoetida, baking powder and 1 tsp salt in a bowl.
3. Gradually stir in the water until a smooth batter forms that runs off the spoon like thick cream, then let it rest for 10 min.
4. Heat the frying oil in a deep pot to 175 °C – a drop of batter must rise immediately, surrounded by small bubbles.
5. Dip the leaves one at a time in the batter, let them drip briefly and fry in batches for 3–4 min. until golden and crisp, turning once.
6. Drain on paper towels, sprinkle with a little amchur and salt and serve immediately with mint chutney and hot chai.