Well, chaat does not always have to be aloo chaat, papdi chaat, and so on! Sometimes, chaat can be green too! And don't think that is something boring or a desperate attempt to make spinach yummy! Because in our opinion this is a simple and rather yummy dish that you can indulge in any time you want!
Irrespective of the fact that you like palak or not, this chaat will surely win your heart. In this article, we will try and help you to make the most delicious and lip-smacking palak chaat with a few easy steps and tricks.
So, what exactly is a palak chaat
Well, that is something we should sort out first! What does palak chaat mean? Do we directly add palak leaves to the chaat or is it processed somehow to taste better? Let's find out! Well, palak leaves are batter-fried when one is making a chaat out of the greens.
So basically you have to make delicious and crispy spinach fritters that are marinated with chutney and create a marvelous essence. This is certainly different from your regular palak pakoda where the batter is thicker and a lot more cushiony. Palak fritter for chaats is crispy and thin and when combined with curd and chutneys, this tastes simply divine. If you wish to make your green chaat healthier then you should use some gluten-free vegan peanut yogurt to acquire the nutty flavor. One can even opt for cashew yogurt in this aspect.
What is the specialty of palak chaat?
If you think all you need to do is drop chutney on the top of the fritters and you are done then let us tell you, my friends, you have to do a bit more to convert it into a chaat. One all needs to top it with finely chopped onions! This adds a crunch and distinguished taste to the leaves. You can go innovative and experimental here.
It is nothing new to us that kids often fuss about having greens and veggies. So if you could lay your hands on palak chaat which turns out good, why not try it out at home? This way everyone in the house can eat something healthy for snacks while at the same time nothing boring to spoil the mood of the evening. Now, you know why you should be adding more and more palak chaat to your diet list every week.
Tips to make palak patta chaat
Always remember that for this recipe you need simply the palak leaves and not the branches. So remove them from the branches beforehand and rinse them under running tap water. You should aim for fresh and tender spinach with small leaves! Allow them to be laid on a sheet pan and then gently dry them with a towel to remove the moisture. Allow the leaves to be completely dried before you start with the process of making fritters.
You need another pot to make the batter. In this, you can add flour, turmeric powder, chili powder, ajwain, hing, a pinch of fennel powder, and a dash of salt. Mix the dry ingredients well so they blend smoothly. You can then add water to the bowl but not too much so that the batter becomes runny. Use a cake whisk to stir until all the lump in it has disappeared.
You can dip the leaves in the batter and fry them in the oil. Keep the heat medium or you might end up burning them. Once you are done, to remove the excess oil, you can place the palak leaf fritters on a paper towel to soak the extra oil from it. We aim to make your palak patta fritters turn out crispy so they can be broken into crunchy pieces while making the chaat.
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You will need green chutney and sweet chutney to coat the leaves. Based on your preference you can choose to keep them whole or turn them into smaller crushed pieces. Top with some finely chopped onions. Do not forget to add yogurt at this point. Now you need to finally sprinkle the spices like cumin powder, black pepper, salt, and chili powder to complete the dish. And oops, we almost missed out on sev and chopped coriander leaves. Crushed paper is also a great idea.
If you like the taste of pomegranate then you can add them to your palak chaat for vibrancy and sweet essence. It is better than freshly prepared palak chaat and serving it right away instead of making the fritters beforehand. That is because if you store them for long, the crunchiness is eventually gone. So with that, your healthy and delicious papdi chaat is ready for a healthy indulgence in the evening. Happy snacking.