Healthy and nutritious Spinach Puda is prepared with spinach leaves in a chickpea flour batter and Indian spices. It’s the perfect weekend brunch!
Spinach Puda is perfect for a weekend brunch. It goes perfectly with a cup of hot masala chai. The best part is it’s super easy to make. If spinach isn’t your cup of tea, you can try my Zucchini Carrot Besan Puda Cheela.
What is Spinach Puda?
Spinach Puda is also known as Spinach Pudla, Spinach Cheela, Palak Cheela is essentially spinach leaves added to a chickpea flour (besan) batter along with Indian spices. This dish is typically eaten for breakfast or brunch. It’s healthy, nutritious, vegan, and gluten-free.
Tips on making Spinach Puda:
Use fresh spinach leaves.
Finely chop the spinach leaves. Do not add large pieces of spinach leaves.
Add enough water to ensure the batter is flowy, and not thick and tough.
Add lots of ginger, you can’t have enough. The flavor is in the ginger.
Also, you need to add Indian green chilies to this dish. If you don’t have Indian green chilies, use serrano peppers.
1. Chop lots of ginger, some green chilies, and finely chop fresh spinach.
2. In a large bowl, add besan (chickpea flour).
3. To the besan, add spinach, ginger, and green chilies.
4. Add all the spices – coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder, carom seeds (ajwain), and salt. Mix.
5. Add water (1 3/4 cups + 2 tbsp). Start with 1 3/4 cups and add a little more if needed. The batter should be slightly runny.
6. This is what you should have.
Cook
1. Heat up a castiron skillet over low-medium heat. Let it heat up for about 5 minutes. Once hot, spray avocado oil.
2. Using a 1/3 cup measurement, pour the batter on your castiron skillet. Gently spread out the batter.
3. Once bubbles form on top about 45 seconds later, drizzle a 1/4 tsp of oil over the top. You don’t need more than a 1/4 tsp of oil.
4. Flip.
5. This is what you should have. Cook on the other side for about 2 minutes or until cooked through. Serve with cilantro chutney and Ching’s red chili sauce.
2 1/2cupswateradd 2 cups initially, add 1/2 cup later
avocado oil spraybefore cooking each puda
1tbspavocado oil divided - 1/4 tsp oil per puda
Instructions
Prep
Chop lots of ginger, some green chilies, and finely chop fresh spinach.
In a large bowl, add besan (chickpea flour).
To the besan, add spinach, ginger, and green chilies.
Add all the spices - coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder, carom seeds (ajwain), and salt. Mix.
Add water (1 3/4 cups + 2 tbsp). Start with 1 3/4 cups and add a little more if needed. The batter should be slightly runny.
This is what you should have.
Cook
Heat up a castiron skillet over low-medium heat. Let it heat up for about 5 minutes. Once hot, spray avocado oil.
Using a 1/3 cup measurement, pour the batter on your castiron skillet. Gently spread out the batter.
Once bubbles form on top about 45 seconds later, drizzle a 1/4 tsp of oil over the top. You don't need more than a 1/4 tsp of oil.
Flip.
This is what you should have. Cook on the other side for about 2 minutes or until cooked through. Serve with cilantro chutney and Ching's red chili sauce.
A foodie who is passionate about living a healthy-ish lifestyle, cooking, and traveling. You'll find a mix of everything here and lots of seasonal content. I moved from Jersey City leaving behind my family & friends to beautiful Southern California for love. I'm adjusting to the laid-back SoCal lifestyle and learning a lot about myself along the way. Come join me on a soul searching journey and I'll tell YOU "what's cooking" through my love for food, fashion, and travel.
Loved this! Excellent recipe.