The spinach leaves are fried to a delicate crispiness with a dusting of chickpea flour, then garnished with finely chopped tomato, red onion, cilantro, a sprinkle of red chili powder, chaat masala/ black salt, and toasted cumin powder,  then drizzled with a spicy tangy tamarind and creamy yogurt sauces. 

I add thin sev (Indian chickpea flour noodles) because a chaat is not a chaat without the sev!  Once the spinach is fried, assemble it with the garnishes just before serving otherwise it will get soggy. It’s unlike any other chaat you’ve ever tasted. 

This restaurant recreation has been a firm favorite in my kitchen, and after countless times of making it for family and friends, I can confidently say—you’re going to love it too!

Make it Vegan! Simply swap the whole milk yogurt for your favorite plant-based alternative. 

Is palak chaat gluten free? Yes! You don’t need to swap or change any ingredients in the recipe as it is 100% gluten free and nut-free.

Ingredients:

• 10 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
• 2 tablespoons gram flour (chana/besan)
• 1/2 teaspoon toasted cumin powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon chaat masala or black salt(kala namak- optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon red chiili powder or deggi mirch
• 1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 tomatoes, pulp removed, finely chopped 
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• 5 cups neutral oil, for deep-frying
• Store bought fine chickpea flour noodles AKA Nylon sev (Indian sev I love this brand)

Yogurt sauce:

• 1/2 cup whole-milk yogurt, whipped
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin, toasted and crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons Water, to adjust consistency
  

For a visual guide on preparing Palak Chaat, you might find this video helpful:

Tamarind chutney:
4 tablespoons Tamarind-Date Chutney (I used the store bought Deep brand for this recipe)

Make the yogurt sauce:

In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, water, cumin powder, sugar, and salt. Cover and refrigerate.

Green Chutney:
Mum’s Green Chutney (Cilantro and Green Hot Pepper Chutney)

Fry the spinach:

1. Line a baking sheet with paper towels and place a wire rack on top.
   
2. In a large bowl, sprinkle the chickpea flour over the spinach leaves. Wet your hands, then lightly sprinkle or shake water over the flour—just enough moisture to help the flour cling to the leaves. The goal isn’t to create a slurry or paste; a light dusting that sticks unevenly is perfectly fine. (DO NOT add water—this isn’t a fritter or bhajia!)
   
   
3. Set this aside for about 10 minutes. Then before frying, divide the spinach into three or four piles, since you are going to fry in batches.
   
   
4. Heat oil in a wok or kadai to 375°F (or 400°F, depending on factors like the type of oil, the weight of your wok, and the strength of your burner).
   
   
5. Drop the spinach leaves in the oil in small batches (be careful as the leaves will splatter) or place the leaves in a wire sieve and lower the sieve into the oil if it’s easier.
   
   
6. Use a spider spoon or a skimmer to move the spinach around and prevent sticking to each other. 
   
   
7. Fry until the leaves look crisp about 1 minute or little more. Using the spider spoon, transfer the fried spinach to the wire rack to drain.
   
   
8. Repeat with the remaining batches of spinach, ensuring each batch stays light and crispy.
   

Assemble the Spinach Chaat:

Assemble the chaat by placing spinach on plates, garnish with the red onion, tomatoes, and cilantro and a sprinkle the cumin powder, red chili powder, and chaat masala and sev, then  drizzle with yogurt and tamarind sauces.  Finish with a light dusting of chaat masala and or deggi mirch.

Notes

What is Deggi Mirch? Deggi Mirch is a special blend of red chili powder commonly used in Indian cooking. It is known for its vibrant red color. In North India, Deggi Mirch is used in chicken and vegetable curries, dals, as well as paratha dough for a hint of spice and color. Down south, it finds its way into kebabs, rice dishes, dals, sambhars, soups, and stews.

What other garnishes can i use? Pomegranate arils or fresh roughly chopped cilantro bring so much life and color to this already bright chaat!

And you can fry the spinach up to one hour before serving, although you should assemble it just before serving, to prevent the leaves from getting soggy.

For perfect bite-sized eating, Baby spinach is your friend, not desi-style spinach or large leaf, which is mature and tougher.

If you’re serving palak chaat at a party, set out the toppings in separate bowls and let guests customize their plates to their liking.

Hands or Fork? As much as I advocate for people eating Indian food with their right hand, this chaat may be slightly messier! pick up for your forefinger and thumb or provide forks!

Did you make this recipe?

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