With Holi just around the corner, it's natural to feel excited about playing with colors. Holi isn't just about vibrant hues; it also brings along delicious treats like malpua, gujiya, and thandai. Another palate-pleasing dish that holds significance during this festival is fritters.
Fritters, or pakora, are mainly made of vegetables like potatoes, onions, cauliflower, bell peppers, and others. Why not add a healthy twist to these savoury snacks by making fritters of leafy greens? This will break the monotony of the regular onion and mixed vegetable fritters and add variety and nutritional benefits to your Holi spread. Incorporating green leafy vegetables also adds a burst of freshness to your palate. These green leafy fritters are sure to be loved by people of all ages, including health-conscious and food enthusiasts. This article will provide you with such varieties of green leafy fritters that you can enjoy this holi with your friends and family.
Take a look:
- Mooli Ke Patte Ke Pakora: Radish Leaves Fritters
Often overlooked, radish leaves are a storehouse of nutrients and flavour. These fritters are quite tempting and can be made easily at home. Here, take the radish leaves and chop them finely. Add them to a batter made of besan, spices like turmeric, cumin, and chilli powder, and a hint of lemon juice for the added zing. The mixture is then shaped into bite-sized fritters, which are deep-fried until golden brown and crispy. The fritters provide earthy flavours mixed with a crispy texture, making them perfect for your holi party.
- Dhaniya Patte Ke Pakora: Coriander Leaves Fritters
Known for their fresh and aromatic flavour, coriander leaves are ideal for making crispy and crunchy pakoras. You can make this by mixing fresh coriander leaves with besan, rice flour, green chillies, ginger, and a hint of hing. The mixture is then given the shape of round pakoras and deep-fried until crispy and golden brown. The fritters are packed with antioxidants and vitamins and you’ll be able to enjoy the goodness of herbs in every bite.
- Palak Ke Pakora: Spinach Fritters
Needless to say, spinach is loaded with nutritional value and must take centre stage in the world of crispy fritters. You can make spinach pakora with your friends, making cooking a fun game. To prepare this, fresh spinach leaves are coated with besan batter, which is spiced up with turmeric, red chillies, cumin, and coriander. These are then deep-fried in hot oil till they are crunchy. You can also add paneer to it for extra flavour and nutrition. Serve the fritters with tangy tamarind chutney or mint yoghurt dip.
- Methi Patte Ke Pakora: Fenugreek Leaves Fritters
Fenugreek leaves or methi patte, have a distinctive bitter taste that balances the savoury taste of besan and spices. Here the leaves are chopped finely and mixed with a batter made of gram flour, turmeric, chilli powder, and ajwain. The mixture is then given the shape of small fritters, which are deep-fried until golden brown and crispy. The fritters add ample vitamins and minerals to the palate and offer health benefits.
- Sarson Ka Saak Pakora: Mustard Green Fritters
Mustard greens or sarson ka saag, are one of the popular leafy greens that are widely used in North Indian cuisine. These vibrant greens are turned into crispy pakora by finely chopping them and mixing them with besan, rice flour, and spices like ajwain and garam masala. Take a spoonful of the mixture and deep-fry them in the hot oil till golden perfection. You can serve the fritters with tangy tamarind chutney.
- Ajwain Ke Patte Ke Pakora: Ajwain Leaf Fritters
Indian Borage or ajwain leaves are known for their mild peppery flavour and abilities to cure coughs and colds. The crunchy texture, which, when made into fritters, adds a unique version of snack to your holi palate. To prepare the fritters, wash and clean the leaves, dip them in a batter made with besan, rice flour, and spices like ginger, garlic, and green chillies. And deep-fry them till golden brown and enjoy the crispy fritters with ketchup.