- A bit of spinach, a bit of garam masala–the makings of the perfect spinach budjiya.
Spinach budjiya was one of the first and only Indian foods I enjoyed eating while growing up. They were fried crispy on the outside, warm and fluffy on the inside with a bit of spice. Because budjiya batter is often dropped from a spoon into the hot oil, they take on funny shapes, and I used to love eating those extra crunch tentacles of dough it created.
I wanted to whip out something delicious, fast and Indian for a small baby I was having, and I was shocked when I found out just how easy and popular it was. If you’ve ever seen fried vegetable pakoras on an Indian restaurant menu, this is in the same family. If you have trouble sourcing ingredients, try to find an Indian grocery store or check a health food store like Whole Foods. Trust me–this is so worth the extra effort. The recipe for spinach budjiya and cilantro chutney recipe after the click.
- I start with frozen spinach, half a box. If you would like a lot, double the recipe to use the whole box.
- Defrost and drain the spinach of any extra juices.
- The dried goods like the chickpea flour get put together, then added with the spinach and a little water to make a thick batter.
- A bit of garam masala, a hot spice mix, flavors the budjiya.
- This is what the batter will look like. Not too runny, because it needs to hold it’s shape in the hot oil.
And the final results, post-deep frying:
- Little fried nuggets of chickpea and spinach goodness!
- I like to serve mine with a spicy cilantro chutney. This dish is best served warm from the fryer!
Recipe: Trivedi Family Spinach Budjiya recipe
Summary: A great side dish or appetizer!
Ingredients
- ½ of 1-14oz package of frozen spinach, defrosted and water squeezed out
- 1 cup chickpea flour (called Besan at Indian grocery)
- A pinch of baking powder
- Salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- 2 capfuls of lemon juice
- ½ cup of water or more to bind together
Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients together, saving the water for last. You want the batter to be thicker than pancake batter, not too runny.
- Get a pot of oil heated to medium high, and slowly drop spoonfuls of the batter into the pot, and fry until golden brown. Drain and serve with cilantro chutney.
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Recipe: Trivedi Family Cilantro Chutney recipe
Summary: A spicy and garlicky condiment great with a wide range of food!
Ingredients
- 2 jalapeño Chile pepper (less if you prefer less hot), chopped into chunks
- 1 tsp grated fresh Ginger
- Salt to taste
- 1 T Lemon juice
- sprinkle of Sugar
- 1/2 bunch of cleaned cilantro
- 1/8 cup peanuts
- 2 cloves of garlic, peeled
Instructions
- Puree everything together until smooth in a blender.
- Add water if you need more liquid to blend smoothly, and taste to adjust seasonings to your likings (I like a LOT of garlic, a medium amount of heat). Serve with dish of choice (I love spinach budjiya and flat breads).
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~LTG!
