Baby Spinach Pakora Fritters Recipes

Steps:

• Sift the gram flour.
• Mix all the ingredients (except oil), to make a smooth and thick (almost like dough) batter.
• Cover and let it stand for ½ hour.
• Sprinkle little water if needed.
• (If using frozen spinach, thaw before using.) Blend in all the seasonings (except salt) and mix well.
• (You may chill the batter in the refrigerator for about 2 hours or more until it can be handled.) Mix in salt when ready to cook.
• Heat the oil in a deep skillet or wok on medium to high heat.
• For each pakora, scoop a heaped teaspoon of the batter, and with a second spoon, scrape the mixture into the hot oil.
• Put the'pakoras' in a single layer in the skillet.
• Fry, turning them with a slotted flat spatula, until all sides become golden brown.
• (Regulate the heat as needed while the'pakoras' are being fried.) Remove and drain on paper towels or brown paper bag lined with plastic.
• Fry all the'pakoras' this way.
• Serve hot with any chutney.
• Variation: Add 1 cup corn kernels to the mixture for extra crispness.
• May also add ½ teaspoon baking soda to ensure softness.

Steps:

• For the pakora: Pour the oil into a large, deep pot and place over medium heat until it registers 350 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer.
• Meanwhile, combine the spinach, onion, cilantro, besan, rice flour, ginger garlic paste, fenugreek, turmeric, chaat masala, garam masala, chili powder and salt to taste in a large bowl. Stir the mixture well. Stir in enough water to make a thick batter.
• When the oil is hot, working in batches, drop balls of the batter mixture into the oil. Fry until golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain on paper towels, sprinkle with chaat masala and serve hot.
• For the cilantro-mint chutney: In a food processor or blender, combine the cilantro, mint, mango, chiles, lime juice and salt to taste and process or blend until smooth. Serve alongside the pakora.

Steps:

• Pulse all the ingredients except the oil in a food processor until fairly but not completely smooth.
• Heat a little oil in a frying pan until hot and dollop four spoonfuls of the mixture into the pan leaving space around them. Fry for just under 1 min on each side until lightly golden. When you flip the fritter, flatten with a spatula to ensure even cooking the whole way through. Cook in three batches, placing the cooked fritters on a plate covered with kitchen roll. Serve warm.
• You can freeze any fritters you don't need. Lay them on a baking sheet, then once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag. Reheat the frozen fritters in the oven (180C/160fan/gas 4) for around 10 mins until piping hot. Allow to cool to lukewarm before serving.