Palak Patta Chaat, Indian Crispy Spinach

Whole spinach leaves, dipped in a nutty spiced batter. Fried to perfection. Topped with a lip-smacking array of chutneys and garnishes. You’re going to wish you made this recipe earlier, trust me. Well, there’s no time like the present!

Chaat is one of the best inventions on the planet. If you’ve ever had dahi puri or aaloo tikki chaat, you know what I’m talking about — it’s a culinary explosion of flavours that rivals the best street-food dishes in the world. And palak patta chaat, or Indian crispy spinach fritters topped with sweet yoghurt, green chutney, tangy tamarind chutney, crunchy sev noodles, juicy pomegranate, and much more, is the pinnacle of DELICIOUSNESS.

I first tasted palak patta chaat at a local Indian restaurant called Delhi House Cafe, and it was love at first bite. It’s not just me that feels this way: Palak chaat is a local favourite across Delhi, Mumbai, and other foodie destinations of India.

Spinach tastes exceptionally good married with Indian spicing. And palak patta chaat uses a TON of spinach leaves.

❓What is Palak Patta Chaat?

Palak patta chaat is one of the most beloved Indian street food appetizers. It’s made by coating spinach leaves in a crispy, nutty batter, and then deep-frying them until golden. The crispy spinach is topped with tangy tamarind chutney, sweet yoghurt, herby green chutney, chopped onions, and bursts of pomegranate seeds.

It’s a flavor explosion — and undoubtedly one of the best ways to use spinach, alongside palak paneer and palak puri.

In Hindi, palak means spinach, patta means leaf, and chaat is a type of street-food snack, usually consisting of savoury ingredients topped with an array of sauces. Hence, palak patta chaat means a spinach leaf appetizer.

Other famous chaat dishes include dahi puri (also known as chaat bombs), samosa chaat, sprouts chaat, and aaloo tikki chaat. There are countless more, but those are just a few of my favourites!

🍃 Ingredients

Chaat dishes can be overwhelming because of the sheer number of ingredients. However, palak patta chaat is incredibly straightforward and doesn’t require any more spices than an average curry recipe.

Most importantly, here are the ingredients you’ll need for the battered crispy spinach — aka the highlight of this palak chaat:

• Gram flour (chickpea flour or besan) is vital for our batter. It’s gluten-free and nutty, lending a gorgeous flavour.
• Rice flour provides an extra crunch.
• Ajwain provides a thyme-like, pungent, and savoury bite throughout the batter. Crush it between your palms for the best effect.
• Ground spices — such as turmeric and chilli powder — add earthiness, subtle bitterness, and fiery fruity spice.
• Chaat masala is key. It’s loaded with salty and sour flavours from spices like dried mango powder, black salt, pomegranate powder, and many others, giving it a distinctive taste.
• Water to thin down the batter so it perfectly clings to the spinach without being thick and stodgy.
• Baby spinach is mild, fresh tasting, and slightly sweet. Using baby spinach is essential; it has a mellow flavour and the smaller leaves are much easier to cover in the batter!

Of Course, We Can’t Forget the Toppings!

Toppings are a crucial part of chaat, and this crispy spinach wouldn’t be the same without them.

• Red onion brings a punchy spice. It’s kept raw but finely minced.
• Pomegranate adds bursts of fruity, acidic juiciness in every bite.
• Sev (chickpea noodles) are crunchy and moreish. Sprinkle liberally on top. I love nylon sev (the thinnest type) for all chaat dishes.
• Green chutney is vibrant, bright, and fresh, with a sharp spice from green chilis and plenty of herbiness.
• Tamarind chutney is sweet and tangy, with deep caramelized undertones.
• Sweet yoghurt chutney makes this palak patta chaat unbelievably refreshing. Thick, creamy yoghurt seasoned with a pinch of sugar and earthy cumin — nothing better.

🔄 Substitutions and Variations

Why not switch spinach for other greens like spring greens (collard greens), kale, cabbage, or lettuce?

Each option will bring a unique flavor completely different from spinach, but still finger-licking good.

You can play with the toppings too — Add crunchy roasted chickpeas instead of sev or crushed pieces of fried papad.

Want to make some substitutions for dietary reasons, whether allergies or lifestyle? No problem. This recipe is either already suitable or effortless to adapt.

Is palak chaat gluten free? Yes! You don’t need to swap or change any ingredients in the recipe as palak patta chaat is 100% gluten free. The crispy spinach is also completely nut-free.

Want to make palak patta chaat vegan? It’s as simple as swapping dairy yoghurt with a coconut or soy alternative. Nothing else needs changing!

🧑‍🍳 How to Make Palak Chaat

Making palak chaat can be broken down into just a few easy steps, making the process a lot less overwhelming:

1. Preheat oil for deep-frying in a large kadai or deep fat fryer.
2. Make the batter by whisking chickpea flour, spices, and water together.
3. Dip the spinach leaves in the batter, fry until golden brown, then drain on kitchen paper.
4. Assemble the chaat by placing the crispy spinach leaves on a plate then topping with tamarind chutney, green chutney, and sweet yoghurt.
5. Garnish by sprinkling with chopped onion, pomegranate arils, sev, and fresh coriander (cilantro).

If you’re serving palak patta chaat as a party dish, you can leave the toppings in bowls and let everyone add them to their plates. This is great fun and less work for you, the chef!

💭 Expert Tips

Palak chaat has a lot of elements — so having these handy expert tips in your mind can make the cooking process so much smoother.

• Use small spinach leaves for perfect bite-sized eating. Baby spinach is your friend, not desi-style spinach (which tends to be more mature and larger).
• Dip the spinach leaves in the batter by holding the long stalks for less mess.
• Add water to the batter slowly, stirring continuously, to ensure a smooth, silky, lump-free batter.
• Don’t even think about skipping the rice flour. It’s essential — it ensures the Indian crispy spinach retains its characteristic crunch.
• Don’t overcrowd the pan while deep-frying to ensure each spinach piece is gorgeously crispy.
• Play around with the toppings to change things up. Toppings are a large part of what makes chaat chaat, so I’ve included all the traditional elements in this recipe, but there’s always room for more.

🍽️ How do you Eat Crispy Spinach Chaat?

There are two ways to eat palak chaat: diving in with your hands (the traditional way) or loading up the crispy spinach leaves on your fork (the less messy way).

Personally, I always advocate for people eating Indian food with their hands (by this I mean your right hand!). It may be slightly messier, but the ancient Vedic reasoning is right — food does taste better when we eat it from our hand.

If you choose this option, scoop up the crispy spinach leaves loaded with chutneys, yogurt, onion, and pomegranate. Pop them straight in your mouth (like you’d eat chips/crisps!).

Prefer to eat with cutlery? No problem. I recommend a fork here, as you can “stab” the spinach leaves.

📝 This Palak Patta Chaat Recipe Is:

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