Spinach Pakora

In case you are not familiar with the amazing-ness that is Pakora, they are basically fritters originating from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. The name is thought to have derived from the Sanskrit word “pakvavata”; pakva meaning fried and vata meaning a small lump. Fried, small lumps of delicious, spicy goodness!

These Pakora are made with Spinach and Gram Flour and a mild, fragrant blend of spices. They are super quick to make, and if you do a big batch they can go in your freezer to be baked at a later stage. This recipe makes enough for about 15 small fritters, which should serve 4 as a starter or 2 as a main with salad and bread. You can also stuff these into Naan bread to make a winning sandwich.

I also find these are a really great way to trick little Stinky into eating Spinach!

Ingredients

50g Gram Flour
5g salt
5g cumin
10g asafoetida
5g mustard seeds
5g fenugreek seeds
100g chopped spinach
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 eggs

Method

Dry roast and grind the spices.
In a large bowl, mix together the gram flour, spices, salt, garlic and egg.
Add the spinach and mix until well combined.
Place approximately 5cm of oil (I use vegetable) in a deep skillet pan and heat on high. To check the oil is ready, drop in a piece of bread. If it floats and bubbles immediately, it is ready.
Turn the heat down to medium, scoop up a tablespoon of the batter and use another spoon to carefully slide it into the hot oil. Press it down to flatten slightly.
Do a few of these at time, but not so many that you crowd the pan. After a minute or so, flip over and cook until brown and crunchy.
Remove from the oil with tongs or a slotted spoon and place on kitchen paper to absorb excess oil.
Serve straight away with fresh Naan bread, salad, raita and chutney.