Instructions

making pakoda batter
Rinse the palak or spinach leaves very well and finely chop them.
In a bowl add the chopped palak leaves.
Then add chopped onion, chopped ginger and chopped 1 green chili.
Then add spice powders - fennel seed powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, asafoetida (hing) and sesame seeds.
Next add 1 cup besan and salt as per taste. You could also add a pinch of baking soda at this step.
Mix all the ingredients very well and keep aside for 5 minutes.
Add water in parts. Remember the spinach and onions will release water once they are mixed with salt and the spice powders. So be careful while adding water.
Mix the ingredients well and keep aside for 5 minutes. Then add ½ cup of water first. If the batter is still thick, then add some more water.
Mix very well. Add water as required to make a medium consistency pakora batter.
frying palak pakoda
Heat oil in a kadai or pan. When the oil is medium hot, drop spoonfuls of the pakora batter in the oil.
Fry the pakora till they become pale golden. Then turn over and fry the other side.
Turn over a couple of times and fry all the pakoras till they are crisp and golden.
Remove them with a slotted spoon. drain them on kitchen paper towels to remove extra oil.
Serve palak pakoda hot with chutney, tomato sauce and bread slices.
NOTES
For folks who do not eat onions, just skip onions in the pakora. It will still taste delicious.
Remember the spinach and onions will release water once they are mixed with salt and the spice powders. So be careful while adding water.
I have given ½ to 1 cup water as the consistency of the batter depends upon the quality of gram flour used. I use gram flour which is ground at home and not the ready-made ones. The ready-made ones are very fine. The one which I use is a little coarse. So obviously I add more water to the batter than what I would have added otherwise.