These Spinach & Beetroot Masala Boondi are crisp little besan pearls in three natural colours: plain golden, green spinach and pink-red beetroot. The vegetable purées add colour without weighing down the batter, while black pepper, chilli, black salt and chaat masala turn them into a crunchy, savoury snack that's perfect for Diwali, chaat or simply eating by the handful!
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Boondi is one of those things I love sweet or savoury. Meethi boondi for something syrupy and soft, and masala boondi when I want crunch.
Important Ingredient Notes
You'll find the full measurements in the recipe card below, but these are the little details that matter.
Besan
Besan is the only flour I use. I've removed the rice flour from my older recipe because I found it wasn't necessary for getting crisp boondi. I sieve the besan before dividing it between the three batters.
Spinach purée
Cook the spinach briefly with the green chilli, then cool and blend just before making the batter. I keep the purée about the consistency of a blended soup and sieve it before using.
Making it close to frying helps retain as much of that natural green colour as possible.
Beetroot purée
Cook the beetroot until tender, then blend and sieve it separately.
I found my beetroot batter needed a little more added water than the spinach batter.
That's why I don't recommend giving one exact water measurement for both: adjust each batter individually until they behave the same way through the jhaaro.
Bicarbonate of soda
Just a pinch helps keep the boondi light.
Seasonings
I like black pepper with the spinach boondi and red chilli powder with black salt in the beetroot batch.
Once all three colours are fried, I mix them together and finish with chaat masala.
The Right Consistency For The Batter
All three batters should behave similarly even though they won't necessarily need the same amount of liquid.
The batter should fall naturally through the jhaaro without needing to be rubbed or pushed through.
It shouldn't race through either.
If one coloured batter is moving more slowly than another, add a little water rather than more vegetable purée.
Also, don't keep adding purée simply because you want a brighter colour.
Vegetable purée is heavier than water. Too much of it can weigh down the batter, so instead of dropping into little round pearls, the boondi can become flat or irregular.
This is one of those cases where the video cue is more useful than an exact water quantity, because spinach, beetroot and even different brands of besan all contain or absorb different amounts of moisture.
Let's Make It Together In Steps
You can also find the full video in the recipe card below.
- Make the 3 batters
- Start with frying plain boondi in small batches: Heat the oil over medium heat. Hold the jhaaro approximately 10cm above the oil and add a small ladleful of batter at a time. Let the droplets fall naturally.
- Fry spinach boondi: Cook until the boondi are crisp and cooked through. Expect the natural colours to deepen and become slightly muted.
- Fry beetroot boondi: Wipe both sides of the jhaaro after each batch. Batter left on it quickly thickens and can affect the shape of the next boondi.
- Season: Mix with chaat masala.
- Serve!
Serving Suggestions
I love this as part of a Diwali snack spread alongside other Gujarati farsan recipes.
It's also brilliant scattered over chaat where you want a little extra crunch and colour.
I've added these to my quick boondi raita and the pop of colour and flavour is brilliant with the cooling yogurt.
Storage
Let the boondi cool completely before transferring them to an airtight container.
Don't close the container while they're still warm, as trapped steam will soften the boondi.
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
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📖 Recipe
Spinach Beetroot Masala Boondi
Equipment
- boondi jhaaro
Ingredients
- 2 cup gram flour besan
- 1 cup fresh spinach palak
- 1 small beetroot boiled, peeled and chopped
- 1 green chilli
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon black salt kala namak
- salt to taste
- ¼ baking soda
- 1 teaspoon chaat masala
- water as needed
- oil for deep frying
Instructions
Make Vegetable Puree
- Wash the 1 cup fresh spinach and blanch in boiling water for 1 minute. Remove and set aside to cool.
- Place the 1 small beetroot with 2 to 3 tablespoons water in a pressure cooker and cook for about 3 whistles until soft, or cook in the instant pot. Allow to cool.
- Once cooled, firstly blend the cooked spinach with 1 green chilli and then secondly the cooked beetroot separately into smooth purées.
Prepare Batter
- In a bowl, seive 2 cup gram flour, salt to taste and ¼ baking soda.
- Take out ½ cup gram flour for spinach boondi and ½ cup gram flour for beetroot boondi into two bowls.
- In one bowl of chickpea flour, add spinach purée (you may not need it all) and 1 teaspoon black pepper. In the other, add beetroot purée (you may not need it all), 1 teaspoon red chilli powder and ½ teaspoon black salt.
- Mix each batter well and if needed add more puree or splash of water to achieve a smooth, medium-thick pouring consistency.
- To the 1 cup gram flour (for yellow boondi) add water little by little and make smooth batter.
Fry Boondi
- Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed kadai until very hot. Then start with the plain boondi.
- Hold a perforated spoon (jharo) over the hot oil and pour 2 to 3 spoonful's of batter so it drops into the oil as small pearls.
- Fry until golden and crisp, then remove using another jharo or slotted spoon.
- Clean the base of the perforated spoon between batches for even-shaped boondi.
- Then fry green boondis and last pink/red boondis.
- Once all boondis are fried, mix them together.
- Sprinkle 1 teaspoon chaat masala and mix gently.
- Allow to cool completeley before storing.
Video
Notes
- Ensure both batters are of similar consistency for even frying.
- Oil temperature should be hot enough to form proper boondi pearls.
- Store in an airtight container once fully cooled.
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
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Hayley Dhanecha says
Who says boondi has to be yellow? I love making this colourful spinach and beetroot masala boondi when I want something different for Diwali snacking or to serve with drinks when friends and family come over. The vibrant colours look so inviting, and the spicy, tangy masala makes it really moreish. It’s a fun twist on traditional boondi that always stands out on a festive snack platter!
Nithiyas Kitchen says
Looks really cute and tempting