Palak pakoda, crispy and crunchy fritters made with besan/gram flour and fresh palak leaves. A delicious snack, serve it with a warm cup of chai.
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Table of contents
What is a Pakoda/Pakora/Pakode
Pakoda/Pakora, a deep-fried snack made primarily with besan or gram flour with spices added to it. The flour and spices, mixed to a pancake consistency batter, vegetables or greens are added and deep fried in oil.
The all time popular, Onion Pakoda, thinly sliced onions mixed with gram flour, rice flour and spices deep fried to perfection. To eat them hot straight from the pan is heaven. My father-in-law and my hubby make a delicious mixed vegetable pakoda, a ritual in my in-laws family during weekends. This leftover rice pakora is a wonderful way to use up some extra rice.
The Food
Fried food is a rare at home, i hardly make appalam or vada, if kids feel like having appalam, i make it in the microwave. But, for the past few days, they are enjoying samosas and pakodas. Yesterday's Onion samosa, sold like hot cakes and today's Palak Pakode too is a hit, serve it straight from the pan, they will be asking for more.
How i made Palak Pakoda
While i was looking for the recipe, i came across 2 different methods. Frying ing each palak leaf, dipped in batter and other is chopping the leaves and adding it to the besan batter and deep frying it.
I followed the Roadside stalls method. They chop the leaves roughly and add it to the besan flour batter. Some use green chili, i have used chili powder. Use of ajwain and cumin is optional, but i prefer them in my deep fried food, as they aid digestion and avoid heart burn. A perfect snack to enjoy on a weekend evening, do try and let me know how you liked them.
Palak Pakoda | How to Make Spinach Fritters
Equipment
- Bowl to mix the batter
- Deep pan to fry the fritters
Ingredients
- 1 bunch palak leaves/spinach leaves
- 1 cup besan/gram flour
- 3-4 tablespoon rice flour
- ½ - ¾ teaspoon red chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- 2 pinches ajwain/carom seeds
- 2 pinches jeera/cumin seeds
- a sprig of curry leaf
- ½ - ¾ cup water for making the batter
- oil for deep frying
Instructions
- Wash the spinach leaves well in running water. Chop off the stems, take only leaves. Chop leaves roughly. Do not chop thin or fine, just a rough chop, a bunch into 3 or 4 cuts. Let this sit in a drainer.
- Let us make the dough. Take besan, rice flour in a large bowl, to this add red chili powder, coriander powder, cury leaves, ajwain and cumin and salt. Whisk well to combine.
- Now slowly add water to this and make dough, it will shouldn't be runny or too tight like roti dough. It will be little loose. Use only the ¾ cup of water not more than that, else it will make the batter runny.
- To this now add the spinach and mix well.
- Heat oil for frying, once it is hot, take small portion of batter and drop into hot oil. Take a small portion and drop into the hot oil. You can fry 6-7 at a time.
- Do not crowd the pan, cook them nice and brown on all sides. Remove using a slotted spoon onto a paper towel. Serve it hot, along with some hot chai.
Disclaimer
I m not a Doctor or a Nutritionist The Nutrition information provided above comes from the plugin and is only an estimate.
I made these crunchy palak fritters, for our evening chai, hot chai paired so well with the pakoda.
These crunchy spinach fritters don't need any side as such. If needed, it can be paired with some green chutney or minty yogurt sauce.
If you have tried this recipe and like it, give it a star rating or let me know in the comments below. You could also share it with me on Instagram using #icampinmmykitchen and tagging me @priyasrinivasan.
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Sandhiya
Crispy and delicious pakoda!!! Often i make pakoda with onions, but still i have to try my hands on this spinach pakoda. Perfect for tea time !!!
Priya Suresh
THose fritters looks simply fabulous, very crispy and dangerously addictive. Even at home, am trying to keep ourselves aways from fried foods. This pakodas are calling me.
Harini R
We also make palak pakodi with chopped palak, Priya. Else it would be called Bajji - my thoughts. I agree it is a perfect accompaniment for tea.
Sharmila kingsly
This is one great way of adding spinach in our food!! Im addicted to pakodas and you tempted e now!!
vaishali sabnani
Wow ! The paalak pakodas look so crunchy , and so well made . Tell the kids this is blog cooking , soon they would get healthy food !
Srividhya
Super crispy pakoda... no wonder kids were demanding for it. Yum
Gayathri Kumar
These pakoras look absolutely yum. It is ok to do deep frying once in a while and we are so enjoying it virtually.
Kalyani
Oh yeah ! We r deep frying more than ever for this Mega Bm .. these pakoras r so addictive, arent they ?
Mayuri Patel
Its raining outside and your pakoda is making me yearn for some of this delicious snack and hot tea. However, if I go to the kitchen to make this then my commenting will be left undone 🙁
Srivalli
Bring them on Priya, you must deep fry more yaar, nothing like a deep fried love I tell you..hehehe..I love these pakodas and yes I make it like our pakodas as well..very nicely done!
Unknown
Ha ha I am sure you earned all hearts for those perfectly made samosas 🙂 Palak pakodas look so inviting priya am sure they would have sold well too.. They are so addictive I want some now..I love how you placed them on a newspaper just the way we get in street , perfect captures !!
cookingwithsapana
We love crispy deep fried palak pakodas and you have made them so perfectly. Just need s cup of chai and some chutney to finish those scrumptious pakodas.
Suma Gandlur
We too love these crisp fried palak pakoda. Perfectly made to go with tea.
Sandhya Ramakrishnan
Palak pakora is something that my little one picks everytime we are at an Indian restaurant. I have not made them myself, but want to make it soon for my son. Looks so delicious. All I need is some thayir saadham on the side. I love pakora with thayir saadham 🙂
Padmajha
The pakodas look so good Priya. I too prefer this version than the one where the leaves are dipped in batter and fired.
Preeti
Love this crunchy palak pakora with green chutney.. perfect snack for monsoon season.