Poori is a childhood favourite for R and me :-) we both love it so much hence I make it once or twice a month as a breakfast recipe. Like always I love to have twists to usual day to day recipes and this time I tried Palak Poori (Spinach Poori) and my husband totally loved this flavourful poori :-) and what a great way to add spinach into the menu. I would not say that its the most healthiest way but a cheats' way to include greens into meals ;-) try this poori for fussy eaters and I am sure they will love it. The secret ingredient in this poori is the use of fennel seeds, it does give a lovely flavour to the poori. The biggest tip to make perfect poori is to make the dough stiff and firm and not soft like how we knead the dough for chappati.
PALAK POORI RECIPE
(please read tips below before doing the recipe)
Recipe Source - Own
Makes - 15-18 pooris
Prep & Cook time - 20 mins
Serving suggestion - Potato masala, potato kurma, channa kurma, mushroom paneer curry
Ingredients
Wheat flour/ Atta - 1 and 1/2 cups, more for dusting
Spinach - 1 cup, titely packed
Green chillies - 4-5 nos
Fennel seeds - 1 tsp (recommended gives an additional flavour)
Salt - 1 tsp
Oil - to deepfry
Method
- Wash the spinach leaves in running water and let in drain the excess water in colander. Then put the spinach leaves, fennel and green chilli in a mixer to form a smooth green paste (do not add water). Add salt, sugar and flour in a bowl and mix well. To this add the prepared spinach paste.
- Knead well to form a stiff dough (I did not add any water, but if required u can add a little). Divide the dough into small portions of 15 and roll them into balls and flatten on the flour then using a rolling pin flatten into discs. You can use a lid cover to make perfect rounds, like how I have done below.
- Remove the excess dough on the sides and make perfect discs. Spread them on the counter top and continue to do this for all the dough balls. Now heat oil and bring to medium-high heat and add a pinch of dough if it touches the bottom and comes up then the oil is in perfect heat to fry the poori. Put one of the disk in the hot oil and wait for it to puff up and flip side to cook.
- Using a slotted spoon and drain the poori from the oil and serve hot.
- I did not use any water to knead the dough, the spinach puree was enough to form a firm dough, make sure you do not keep the spinach puree for long outside it has to be used immediately, else you will have a darkish green tint dough and poori
- Adding little sugar helps in the poori to brown a bit
- Make sure the oil is nice and hot and not steaming hot.
- Adding fennel seeds does give a lovely flavour to this poori recipe, so make sure you do not miss it, unless you are someone who does not like the taste of fennel
- If the dough is very moist it results in crisp/ hard poori
