Pakora or Pakoda is basically a fried snack or fritter found all across India and some of our neighboring countries. It is one of the typical snacks that is served with tea especially during rainy seasons and winters.
In this palak pakoda, we have used finely chopped palak/ spinach along with sliced onions, potatoes, and grated paneer(Cottage Cheese) along with spices. You can try all of these together or just make Palak Alu(Potato) pakoda, Palak onion pakoda or Palak Paneer(cottage Cheese) pakoda. You can make palak pakora without onion or Palak Pakora with Onion. Basic recipe remains same only vegetables are changed to make different palak pakora varieties.
Pakoras taste great on their own with a hot cup of masala tea. But, when you serve them with chutney or even tomato ketchup the taste increases many folds. If you are craving for pakora this monsoon you can try out these pakora recipes too. Methi and Ragi Pakoda, Paneer Pakoda, Aloo bonda, Mirchi Bajji/Mirchi vada, Corn Pakoda recipes to follow in coming steems.
I don’t know how but we Indians generate a certain appetite for Pakoras as soon as it rains. All those promises to stop us from cheating on our diet plans with pakoras just lose their meaning when a hot crisp pakoda plate is on the table :). Not only in India pakoras are also popular across South Asia and Great Britain. Pakoras are also made in Afghan cuisine. In China and Nepal, these are called pakoda and pakauda, respectively. In Somalia, they are known as bajiye.
Although this recipe is of deep fried, you can choose to make them in air fryers, microwave or even shallow fry to opt for a healthier option. The palak, onion, potato and paneer pakodas which are a sheer delight to look at and eat. The combination of palak pakora ingredients, the vegetables, and paneer along with besan(chickpea flour) result in soft from inside yummy crispy palak pakoda.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup chopped palak or spinach
- 1 Onion medium sized finely sliced(not large size)
- ¾cup besan/chickpea flour
- 70 gm grated paneer
- cup ½chopped potatoes
- 1 tbsp coriander powder
- Salt to taste
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- tsp ¼turmeric powder
- tsp ¼ajwain carom seeds
- Oil for deep frying
- 1 tbsp chaat masala
How to make:
- Wash and chop all the vegetables.
- Put the vegetables in the bowl.
- Add the chickpea flour, salt, coriander powder, red chili powder, turmeric, chaat masala powder into the bowl and mix well.
- Add water and mix it well till it reaches a smooth but not runny consistency.
- Add grated paneer and mix till everything comes together. (add some flour if required) to adjust the consistency.
- Heat oil in a kadhai or pan.
- Take the batter in hands or use a spoon to drop the batter into the oil once it is hot.
- Fry the palak pakodas on low flame until they turn golden color on all sides.
- Take them out of oil and in a tissue paper to remove the excess oil. Sprinkle some chaat masala on pakodas
- Serve hot with chai and chutney.
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