Palak Puri (Spinach Poori) Healthy Twist For Diwali-Go Green

Festive season is on and I am on really high spirits. Festivals means happiness and lots of work followed my many calories. Right from the navratri to dueshhera to karva chauth to diwali all the Indian homes are busy preparing snacks and sweets. Last year I compiled a list focusing on hot and cold snacks for Diwali, do take a look.

Puri or poori is one of the most common and needed item in the menu during festivals. Puri-signifies celebration and happiness in most of the India and no big event or occasion is complete without puris- be it on birthdays, anniversaries, parties or as a  prassad during festivals. Dough of flour and salt is either rolled out in small circles and deep fried in oil. While deep frying, it puffs up like a round ball because moisture in the dough changes into steam which expands in all directions.

It is deep fried and it has lot of calories, but that a little healthy twist will do the wonders in the colour and the taste. Yes, how about Palak Puri or Green Pooris? When you add palak in the dough, it gives that beautiful green colour and amazing nutrients form spinach. I served these puris to some guests that visited us from India and they were so pleased by the attractive green colour. Spinach, green chillies and ginger puree is mixed with the flour to give the sharp colour and peppery taste. Why don’t you give this healthy blend of taste and colour to your simple pooris this Diwali. It is so appealing and likable that your family and guest will laud you. Puri is best when served hot with sukha kala chana, suji ka halwa, kheer or sukha aloo.

Ingredients:

1 cup spinach/palak

1 and 1/2 cup wheat flour

3-4 green chillies

1/2 inch ginger piece/adrak

1 teaspoon carom seeds/ajwain

Salt as per taste

Water as needed

Oil for frying

Method:

Chop spinach and wash it in water. In a grinder, grinder chillies, spinach and ginger. Add water only if needed.

In a bowl, mix together carom seeds, salt and wheat flour.

Slowly add the purree and knead the dough. Keep adding little water at a time till you get firm dough.

Let the dough rest for 10 minutes. After that punch the dough for another 1 minute.

Heat oil in a kadai/wok. On a dusted work surface, make medium sized pooris, neither thin nor thick and fry them in hot oil. Drain the pooris on paper napkins to remove excess oil.

Notes:

I added raw spinach; if you want you can use boiled spinach as well.

The puri dough is tight compared to the dough for parthas or rotis.

You can also add sesame seeds(til) in the dough.

Serving suggestions:

Puris goes well with almost all dry curries.

To make the Punjabi thali serve it with paneer butter massala, aloo chole, dal makhani and green chilli pickle.

For rajasthani thali pair it with mangodi mutter, aloo pyaz ki subji, marwadi lehsun ki chutney and marwadi Bharwa Bhindi.

For gujarati thali, serve it with aloo tamatar nu shaak, gobi mutter, khamman dhokla and keri nu ras.