Saag Aloo Pakora

Saag Aloo Pakora

Pakoras are one of those things we genuinely get excited about. Crispy on the outside, soft and spiced on the inside, and absolutely impossible to stop eating. These Saag Aloo Pakoras combine grated potato and shredded spinach in a spiced chickpea batter, so you basically get a classic Indian side dish turned into the ultimate crispy snack. They're brilliant as a starter, a party bite, or honestly just something to make on a Friday night when you want something a bit special. Make the chutney too, trust us, it takes the whole thing to another level.

Cook: 20 min
Serves 4

Before You Start

  • Blender
  • Microplane or fine grater
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Whisk
  • Slotted spoon
  • Plate lined with kitchen paper

Ingredients

  • 20g fresh coriander
  • 50g spinach
  • 250g potatoes
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • ½ tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 4cm piece of fresh ginger
  • vegetable oil for deep frying
  • 180ml warm water
  • 200g gram flour
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 30g fresh coriander
  • 1 green chilli
  • Juice of 1 lemon

Method

1

Prepare the ingredients

  • Coarsely grate the potatoes
  • Shred the spinach
  • Finely chop the coriander
  • Add the potato, spinach and coriander to the batter and stir to combine
2

Prepare the batter

  • Measure all the batter ingredients into a bowl and whisk to a smooth, quite thick batter 
  • Add the potato, spinach and coriander to the batter and stir to combine
3

Make the chutney

  • Peel and roughly chop the ginger
  • Remove the stem from the chilli
  • Finely chop the leaves and stems of the cilantro
  • Zest the lemon, cut the lemon in half, and squeeze the juice into the blender
  • Add all the remaining ingredients, including the lemon zest, to the blender and blend until smooth, adding a splash of water to loosen the mixture if necessary
4

Time to fry

  • Pour the vegetable oil into the frying pan until it's 4cm deep
  • Put the pan over a medium heat and heat to 180°C, or until the oil sizzles around the edges when you dip in a wooden spoon
  • Use a tablespoon to spoon 4 portions of the batter into the oil keeping some knobbly, gnarly bits to ensure you get a lovely crunchy texture
  • Use the slotted spoon to gently turn and move the pakoras around in the oil to achieve an even dark-caramel colour
5

Finish and serve

  • Transfer the pakoras to the lined plate to drain any excess grease
  • Repeat to use up all the batter
  • Leave the pakoras to rest and cool down for a couple of minutes before serving

Tips & Variations

  • Get the oil right: We find the best way to test if the oil is ready is to drop a tiny bit of batter in. If it sizzles and rises straight to the top, you're good to go. Too cool and the pakoras absorb oil instead of crisping up.
  • Squeeze out the spinach: After you've shredded the spinach, give it a quick squeeze to remove any excess moisture before adding it to the batter. It makes a real difference to the final texture.
  • Serve straight away: Pakoras are at their best fresh out of the oil. If you're making them for a crowd, keep batches warm in a low oven on a wire rack so they stay crispy while you fry the rest.

Why This Works

The trick is grating the potato rather than chopping it, which means it cooks through quickly and gives you that light, lacy texture you want in a great pakora. The chickpea flour batter does all the heavy lifting flavour-wise, and keeping it nice and thick means every bite is properly coated and crispy rather than soggy. Getting the oil hot enough before you fry is the other big one, so don't rush that part.