Just thinking about pakoras makes my taste buds do a happy dance! Whether it’s a rainy monsoon evening or any time of day, they’re the ultimate munchie. Paired with a cup of kadak masala chai, it’s a match made in snack heaven. Not just eating them, I get super excited to make pakoras at home —just watching them sizzle and fry in hot oil is so much fun! They’re easy to make, I promise!
What’s Spinach Pakora
Pakoras are a quintessential Indian-style fritter, and they’re far from your average snack. These deep-fried bites are packed with chopped spinach, red onions, and coated in a besan batter flavored with spices like coriander, red chili flakes, and cumin. For an extra crunch, we also add small amount of rice flour to the mix, to make them irresistibly crispy and satisfying! In my family, we make them two ways! The first method mixes everything in a bowl, then drops small portions into hot oil for deep-frying. The second method, similar to tempura, involves dipping whole spinach leaves in a spiced besan batter and frying them. Both are delicious, but the latter takes more time, so I usually go with the first method for a quicker treat. At home, palak pakoras were made from fresh spinach plucked from my grandmother’s garden.They tasted juicy & spicy, and were packed with spinach in each bite—everything the restaurant versions are not! Instead of being fluffy and bursting with leafy goodness, many of the pakoras I’ve had are just a starchy, potato-heavy letdown. So let me teach you how to make them right!
Ingredients
Fresh Spinach - I use spinach bunch. However, baby spinach will work in a pinch.Don’t use frozen spinach(too watery & limpy). If using spinach bunch, discard only tough ends of the stems, you can chop up the tender parts of the stem. More on how to chop spinach for pakoras below. Onion - I use red onion. Yellow onion will work too. Chop the onion into slightly thick slices so that they remain their texture after frying. Besan (Gram Flour) - I use fine ground besan by Laxmi foods. Besan is made from bengal gram lentils (chana dal) and is different from chickpea flour(garbanzo flour). You could use the latter if you do not find besan. Rice Flour - We need unsweetened rice flour. I typically use thai rice flour (non-affiliate link) in my recipes for its super fine texture. Spices - Whole coriander seeds, red chilli flakes, kashmiri red chilli powder, turmeric powder, ajwain(carrom seeds). I use these spices keeping in mind the color, texture and the flavor they bring to the pakora batter, however you may skip any that you don’t have at hand or don’t want to use. Water - Many recipes suggest massaging the spinach with spices and besan and letting it sit to draw out its water, but for perfect pakoras, you do need to add a bit of water. Without it, besan become clumpy and uneven due to its high protein and dense texture. Water softens the besan, helping it coat the spinach evenly. Start with a small amount and add more gradually. Scallions - They are an optional ingredient! I love adding them for their mildly sweet onion flavor. You could skip if you want. Green Chilies or Red Chilies - For that kick! Use sharp chilies! Else your pakoras will taste flat. I use chopped thai red chilies or indian green chilies. Serrano peppers are a good substitute. You could chop them, or minced them depending on how much heat you can handle. Fresh Cilantro - Adds a fresh, subtle aromatic flavor to the pakoras. If you are not a fan of cilantro, fresh parsley works good.
Tips on how to Chop Spinach for Pakoras
How To Make Spinach Pakoda
Make The Pakora Mixture
Deep Fry The Pakoras
Air Fryer Method
Note on pakora batter for air frying- Don’t use corn starch instead of rice flour if you plan to air fry spinach pakoras. While testing the recipe, I figured that using cornstarch made the pakoras quite gummy. Preheat your air fryer to 360°F (180°C) for about 3-5 minutes. For reference, I use an 8qt air fryer. Brush or spray the basket rack with oil so that pakoras do not stick. Or place an air fryer basket liner on the rack.
Shape the pakoras as explained above and place them in the air fryer basket. Spray a little oil on pakroras so that they don’t become too dry. Make sure not to overcrowd the basket. Similar to deep frying - you will have to air fry in batches. Air fry for about 14 minutes, flippling them half way. Adjust air fryer time as needed until pakoras are crisp and the edges start turning golden. The air fried crispy palak pakora are best eaten rightway.
Recipe Tips & Troubleshooting
Avoid adding too much besan, as it can overpower the flavor of spinach. And also make the pakoras taste doughy and dense. Gradually adjust the amount of besan or water depending on whether the mixture becomes too wet or dry and clumpy. If you’d like to include potatoes, you can add 1-2 small potatoes, diced into small cubes. Just make sure that spinach remains the dominant vegetable in the mixture. Experiment with adding other greens like methi (fenugreek) or kale for a twist on the classic spinach pakora. Garlic and ginger are typically not used in indian pakoras, however you could add a little if you wish. Palak pakodas are best eat piping hot. If you have leftovers, you could warm up in an oven but they do not remain as crispy.
