Palak Pakoda (Spinach Fritters) guest post by husband

It does not snow in India,  it rains... and in some states the rainy season is simply crazy. It just does not stop. It keeping pouring for days together until one fine day the sky clears and the sun decides to show up again. Indians are used to it . Unless the rains came down just when they put their heaviest bedspreads out to dry or their locality got flooded away by the continuous showers, they are cool with it. In fact they enjoy it and take it all with a plate of pakoda and a cup of chai....... Pakoda , chai and a good chat with the girlfriends is just about everything that an Indian lass needs to perk her up on lousy, lazy rainy day. 

Here, sitting in our New York apartment, I often get nostalgic for such days.. Here, an impromptu chat session with your girlfriends is unthinkable. Everyone and everything is so formal. Even to visit a friend, you have to make plans atleast a day in advance. A gloomy snowy day is not an excuse good enough to knock at the neighbors door and say hello.. 

On such dreary days when I loathe the relocation, my husband sometimes helps me get out of the blues by putting on my favorite music while he fries some pakodas to go with the chai.. They do not clear the sky or set me singing.. but they definitely help me get back to my life here with husband and our son in our little apartment in New York.

Spinach Pakoda

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Recipe by Nishi (my husband)

Prep time: 15 minutes                                                                  Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes                                                                  Yield: serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp dhana-jeera powder
• ¾ cup chickpea flour
• salt to taste
• ⅔ cup water
• 2 green chillies finely chopped(optional)
• 2 packed cups green spinach
• vegetable oil for deep frying
• garlic salt

Cooking Directions

1. Mix the first five ingredients to make a smooth batter.
2. Add the spinach and chopped chillies to the batter, mix well and keep aside till you are ready to fry.
3. When ready to fry, pour oil in a frying pan so that it is 1½ deep. Heat the oil to 325 ° F and drop handfuls of the batter-spinach mixture into the oil.
4. Fry the spinach fritters until the batter looks golden brown, about 4-5 minutes, turning once or twice in between.
5. Remove from the hot oil and transfer the fritters into a plate spread with paper towels.
6. Once the excess oil has completely drained away sprinkle some garlic salt on top and serve with tea.

I shall be sharing these fritters in all these food parties.