Palak Puri 5/5 (1)

Puri/poori is puffed bread which is prepared from unleavened flour, deep fried and served with potato curry, or chickpea curry, and sometimes with sweet dishes. Any Indian occasion, festival and gathering, poori is a must. Poori is served as a snack, breakfast and one of the kid’s favourite dish.

This recipe is a healthier version where greens are combined with wheat flour. Also, it’s a feast to the eyes as it imparts a pleasant green colour to the dough. It’s absolutely kid’s friendly, kid’s tiffin box bestie,  and healthy bite, as it’s loaded with greens .

Spinach and Dill leaves are nutrition packed greens with Vitamins, minerals and fibre. This recipe is best way to introduce greens to kids who are fussy about eating it.

Spinach aka Palak in North and Pasalai Keerai in South is prevalently available. Similarly, Dill leaves aka Soya leaves in North and Sadakuppi in Tamilnadu are feathery greens with an aromatic flavour widely used in curries and subzis. Incorporating both the greens in a dish like puri which is already a favorite to kids, makes life easy.

You can make rotis with the same dough if deep frying is not your choice. Roti or puri the delicacy of the dish never changes. An added bonus recipe is Palak / Spinach Tacos, a fusion recipe of Mexican and Indian. Feel free to check it in my Kitchen secrets. It’s a must try recipe, don’t wonder when your kids start nagging you frequently for this green puri…🤤😋😋

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Clean the greens separately, blanch palak / spinach leaves in hot salted water, drain and cool it immediately in cold running water or give it an ice bath by dropping the drained leaves in a bowl of cold water with ice cubes to retain the green colour.

Heat a pan with a tsp of ghee. Sauté cumin seeds, ginger and green chilli well. Later add soya leaves, coriander, mint leaves, salt, once they are well sautéed switch off the flame and let it cool.

Then add the greens mixture into the blender, add the blanched spinach leaves and then grind it into a fine puree with little water if needed. Transfer the puree into a bowl. (roughly yields 1 and half cup)

Take a deep bowl, add the flour, caraway / ajwain seeds, salt, oil, mix it well and crumble the flour with your hands.

Then add the puree gradually and knead it into a smooth and firm dough. Palak puree is fair enough to knead the dough, no need to add water. Smear some oil and let it rest covered with cling film or wet kitchen towel for 30 minutes minimum.

Now make small balls and dip it in oil, then roll into round discs of small size, not too thick or too thin.

Meanwhile heat a thick bottomed pan with oil, check the temperature by dropping a small ball in the hot oil, if it raises immediately from the bottom then it’s perfect temperature to fry.

Drop the flat disc gently and keep pressing the disc gently on and off with the ladle (check the video) which aids the disc to rise and puff like a puri. Then flip it and drain from oil once done.

Transfer the puris on to a kitchen tissue to absorb excess oil if any. Palak puri is ready to serve with raita, pickle or any subzi.

Recipe Card

Prep time: 25 minutes 

Cooking time: 15 – 20 minutes

Cuisine: North Indian 

Category: Indian Breads

Yields: 25 small puris

Author: Manimala

Ingredients:

Atta / wheat flour – 2 – 2 ½   cups

Oil – for frying

Ajwain / omam seeds – 1 tsp

Salt -1 tsp

Oil – ½ tbsp 

For puree:

Spinach / Palak leaves- 3 cups (2 katta)

*Dill / Soya leaves – 1 cup (optional)

Coriander leaves – ½ cup 

Pudina / mint leaves –  1 tbsp

Ginger (finely chopped) – 1 tsp

Green chilli – 4 nos

Cumin seeds / jeera – 1 tsp 

Salt – ½ tsp 

Ghee – 1 tsp 

Instructions : 

1. Clean the greens separately, blanch the spinach leaves in hot salted water. Drain and cool it immediately in cold running water or give it an ice bath by dropping the drained leaves in a bowl of cold water with ice cubes to retain the green colour.
2. Heat a pan with a tsp of ghee. Sauté cumin seeds, ginger and green chilli well. Later add soya leaves, coriander, mint leaves and salt. Once they are well sautéed switch off the flame and let it cool. Then add the greens mixture into the blender, add the blanched spinach leaves and then grind it into a fine puree with little water if needed. Transfer the puree into a bowl. (roughly yields 1 and half cup)
3. Take a deep bowl, add the flour, caraway / ajwain seeds, salt, oil, mix it well and crumble the flour with your hands.
4. Then add the puree gradually and knead it into a smooth and firm dough. Palak puree is fairly easy enough to knead into a dough, so no need to add water.
5. Smear some oil and let it rest covered with cling film or wet kitchen towel for 30 minutes minimum.
6. Now make small balls and dip it in oil, then roll into round discs of small size, not too thick or too thin.
7. Meanwhile heat a thick bottomed pan with oil, check the temperature by dropping a small ball in the hot oil, if it raises immediately from the bottom then it’s perfect temperature to fry.
8. Drop the flat disc gently and keep pressing the disc gently on and off with the ladle which aids the disc to rise and puff like a puri. Then flip it and drain from oil once done.
9. Transfer the puris on to a kitchen tissue to absorb excess oil if any. Palak puri is ready to serve with raita, pickle or any subzi.

Notes:

• Dill or Soya leaf may be seasonal in India, if it’s available, please include as it imparts a unique flavour to the puri. Keep it optional if not available.
• I added mint and coriander leaves for extra kick in the flavour which is purely optional.
• This puri has all the spices in it,  so accompaniments are optional only. Even a simple pickle, boondhi raita, or curd mixed with chat masala, chilli powder, salt and sugar will solve the purpose.
• You can also make Palak rotis / chappathis out of the same dough if you are calorie conscious to avoid deep frying.
•  Dough can be stored in refrigerator for 3 days covered with cling film in an airtight container. 
• While kneading the dough, palak puree’s moisture is sufficient to knead it. I didn’t add water. If your puree is not sufficient to knead your flour, feel free to add required water.
• Rolling the disc plays a crucial role in the raising of puri. It shouldn’t be too thick or too thin, check the video, i have shown the thickness to be rolled.
• Another important part of puri making is the temperature of the oil. Oil should be heated properly in medium high flame, once you drop a pinch of dough in the hot oil it should raise immediately from the bottom. If the temperature is too low, puri will absorb too much oil, if temperature is too high, it will burn the puri.

Now time for my kitchen secrets….😉😍

Wondering what to do with your leftover dough or leftover rotis. Let’s experiment …🤫. I’m going to transfer this Indian palak rotis to Mexican Palak / Spinach tacos...😋