Palak Puri (Spinach Poori)
Palak Puri is a round shaped Indian style deep fried puffed bread made with whole wheat flour and spinach. The process of making this puri is similar to regular poori except for the addition of blanched spinach puree while making the dough. If your little one doesn’t like spinach in curry or sabji, these green pooris are the perfect option to pack in the kids lunchbox as a healthy stomach filling food. Follow the below given recipe with step by step photos to make this green palak poori at home.
| Ingredients: |
| 2 cups Whole Wheat Flour |
| 2.5 cups Spinach (palak) |
| 3 tablespoons Peanuts or Almond Flour, optional |
| 1 inch piece of Ginger, chopped |
| 1/2 Green Chilli (more or less to taste) |
| 1/2 cup fresh Coriander Leaves |
| 1½ tablespoons Oil + frying |
| Salt, to taste |
Directions:
- Clean the spinach. We have used peanuts in this recipe but if you don’t have a high-speed blender, skip peanuts or add the same amount of peanut powder instead of that.
- Let’s blanch the spinach. Pour 3-4 cups water into a pot and bring it to a boil over medium flame. When water starts boiling add 2.5 cups of cleaned spinach and boil it for 2-3 minutes or until it turns dark green.
- Remove it from boiling water using a slotted spoon and transfer it to another bowl filled with cold water (this process prevents spinach from cooking more). Again, drain it using a slotted spoon and transfer it to the bowl.
- Add 3 tablespoons peanuts, 1 inch piece of ginger (chopped) and 1/2 green chilli (more or less to taste) in the small jar of a blender or a mixer grinder.
- Add 1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves and blanched spinach from step 2.
- Blend until smooth puree. If required, add a few tablespoons of water while blending. Spinach Puree is ready.
- Take 2 cups whole wheat flour in a large bowl having wide mouth. Add 1/2 tablespoons Oil, spinach puree and salt (to taste).
- Mix well. Add water little by little as needed and knead a firm dough. Pour 1 teaspoon oil on the dough and knead it for a few seconds.
- Cover the dough with a plate or a clean napkin and let it rest for 10-15 minutes. Divide the dough into small portions (approx. 30-32 for small puris, or approx. 16 to make bigger puris). Take each part, make a round shape like a ball and then flatten it a little bit by pressing between your palms.
- Take a flattened ball, put it on a rolling board and roll it out into a small 3-4 inch diameter circle (if the dough is soft or hard to roll, grease the flattened ball with a drop of oil before rolling). Roll out all the puris in same way. Cover the rolled puris with a kitchen towel to prevent them from drying.
- Heat the oil in a kadai for deep frying over medium flame. When the oil is hot enough, drop a tiny piece of dough into the hot oil and if it comes on the surface immediately without changing the color then the oil is ready. If it turns brown immediately then the oil is too hot. Drop 3-4 puris into the hot oil from the side. Press them gently with a spatula.
- When they puff up like a balloon and the bottom surface turns light brown, flip them and cook another side for 15-20 seconds or until the bottom surface turns light brown. The frying process should not take more than 30 to 60 seconds. Remove them using a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with paper napkins. Deep fry all the puris in the same way. Palak Puris are ready for serving.
Tips and Variations:
- For variation, add 1/4 green bell paper along with blanched spinach while making the green puree.
- Oil should be hot enough to fry puris, otherwise the puris will not puff up and absorb more oil.
Taste: Mild Salty
Serving Ideas: Serve spinach puris with potato curry or aloo matar curry forfor lunch. It also tastes best when served with tea in the breakfast.