Chicken Pakoras, Spicy Chicken Fritters

“Rainy days should be spent at home with a cup of tea and a good book.”
― Bill Watterson

Well, add some crispy, spicy, hot finger food to this scenario, like Chicken Pakoras, and it completes the bliss for me. Finally, monsoon is here in South Asia and the sun is tired of spewing fire. The season itself is a celebration in this region, of relief from heat, of new beginnings and hope. It has a certain romance attached to it, a sense of strong nostalgia, of raindrops falling over the parched soil and bringing it back to life, of half naked children playing on the streets, of paper boats in rainwater puddles and of moms in kitchen rolling pooris and frying pakoras.

The season revives the dormant appetites, picnics and parties are arranged with lip smacking hot samosas, hot pakoras with green chutney, roasted corn on the cob rubbed with lemon and all sorts of tangy and spicy snacks come highly in demand. The list is endless, it is a pure pleasure to gorge on some tasty hot snacks along with a cup of hot coffee or Masala Chai on a rainy day.

These delightful Palak Chicken Pakoras are part of the rainy season celebration ritual at our place. Tender pieces of chicken, lots of greens, herbs and spices are coated in gram flour ( gluten free) batter and fried till crispy and golden on the outside. Dip them in a hot and spicy Chilli Garlic Sauce or green chutney to spice up the gossip, enjoy a good movie or book or simply put your feet up and unwind.

Skip the chicken to conveniently make the vegetarian version, also check Vegetable Fritters

1 chicken breast
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
1 teaspoon garlic paste
1 teaspoon ginger paste
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3/4 cup gram flour/besan
2 tablespoons rice flour
A pinch baking soda
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon dry fenugreek leaves
1 cup chopped spinach leaves
1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves
1 green chilli pepper, chopped
Oil for shallow frying

Cut chicken breast into tiny almond sized pieces. Marinate the chicken in salt, red chilli powder, ginger-garlic paste and lemon juice for ten minutes.

Add gram flour in a mixing bowl. Add rice flour, soda, cumin and coriander seeds and dry fenugreek leaves, mix.

Add a little water gradually to make thick batter, thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add the chopped greens and chilli pepper. Add the chicken with the marinade and mix everything thoroughly.

Heat oil for shallow frying on medium low heat. Drop the batter tablespoons full in the oil. Do not over crowd the pan. When crisp and golden on one side, flip to fry the other side.

Always drain fried snacks on a sieve instead of a paper towel, it keep them crispy for a longer while.

Serve hot with your favourite dip.

Serves 2