When you crave something spicy and crispy with tea in the evening, many people prepare traditional potato, onion, or cauliflower pakoras. However, if you want to try something new, you can make spinach and paneer pakoras. These snacks are distinguished by their exceptional taste and crispy texture.
Spinach and paneer pakoras are very tasty, and they are quite simple to prepare. The specialty of this recipe is that a spicy filling made from paneer is placed inside spinach leaves. Then, these leaves are dipped in a legume batter and cooked. This provides a crispy outer shell and a tender, aromatic filling inside. In addition to evening tea time, they can be served to guests as an appetizer. Notably, instead of deep frying, they can be prepared in an air fryer.
Preparing the Filling
To create the filling, take crumbled paneer in a bowl. Add finely chopped onion, green pepper, red pepper powder, coriander powder, and salt, mixing the ingredients thoroughly. This prepares the spicy filling for the pakoras.
Preparing the Batter and Assembly
In another container, take chickpea flour (besan), mix it with red pepper powder, turmeric, and salt. Then gradually add water to obtain a thick and smooth batter, ensuring it is not too runny. After this, wash and dry the spinach leaves thoroughly with a clean towel. Take one spinach leaf, apply a little chickpea batter to one side, place the prepared paneer filling in the center, and then fold the leaf. This process is repeated with all the remaining spinach leaves.
Air Frying
Completely dip the finished spinach leaves in the chickpea batter so that a layered coating forms evenly on them. Then, place them in the air fryer basket. Set the air fryer to 180 degrees Celsius, and cook the pakoras for about 25 minutes. When the pakoras turn golden and crispy, remove them. The cooking time may vary depending on the air fryer's specifications.
The resulting crispy spinach and paneer pakoras are ready to serve. It is recommended to eat them hot with green chutney, ginger chutney, or any other favorite sauce, which will make the tea enjoyment even more pleasant.



