Perfect for the season

When it randomly starts to rain in the evening, one can’t help but crave for crispy and crunchy ‘pakoras’ with a hot cup of tea to go with it.
   
While it’s made differently in various parts of the country, Chef Raheel Ahmad from Bengaluru Marriott Hotel, Whitefield, brings his own twist to the lipsmacking snack.

The street ‘chaat’ drizzled with all the tangy goodness takes one’s taste buds on a journey like never before.

Karara palak pakora chaat
Spinach - 200 gms
Gram flour - 100 gms
Cumin seeds - 5 gms
Ajwain seeds - 5 gms
Red chilli powder - 5 gms
Turmeric  powder - 5 gms
Black pepper powder - 5 gms
Chaat masala - 5 gms
Yogurt - 30 gms
Coriander and mint chutney - 30 gms
Coriander leaves - 5 gms
Sev - 50 gms
Tamarind chutney - 30 gms

Method
1. Wash fresh spinach leaves and pat dry.
2. Make a smooth batter with gram flour, ajwain, salt, cumin seeds, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, water and ginger-garlic paste. The batter should be thin.
3. Heat oil in a ‘kadhai’ for deep frying. When it gets medium hot, put the battered leaves in it one by one and fry them gradually. Make sure that the leaves don’t stick to each other.
5. When the leaves become crisp, remove from the ‘kadhai’ and place them on a
platter lined with absorbent paper.
6. Now layer the leaves and drizzle it with tamarind chutney, mint chutney and
sweetened curd.
7. Sprinkle roasted cumin powder, ‘chaat masala’ and chilli powder.
8. Put ‘sev’ on top and garnish it with chopped coriander. Layer the three sauces in a shot glass and sprinkle with ‘sev’.

Coriander and mint chutney
Chopped mint and coriander leaves - 1 cup each
Green chilli - 1 no
Ginger - 1/2 inch
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Lemon juice - 1 or 2 tbsps
Rock salt to taste
Water (chilled to blend)

Method
1. Blend all the above mentioned ingredients and finally add salt.