Crispy Fried Spinach with Tomato, Onion, Tamarind, and Yogurt

1. 1In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, water, cumin powder, sugar, and salt. Cover and refrigerate.

Make the tamarind sauce:

1. 1In a small bowl, thin the tamarind chutney with water. Cover and refrigerate.

Make the batter:

1. 1In a NutriBullet or small blender, blend the gram flour, deggi mirch, turmeric, salt, and water until smooth. It will have the consistency of crempe batter. Pour into a small bowl.

Make the spinach chaat:

1. 1Have ready two large bowls, a colander set over a plate or bowl, and two baking sheets lined with paper towels. Divide the spinach into four 2-ounce piles.
2. 2Pour the oil into a wok or kadai and heat to 400°F
3. 3In a large bowl, coat all the leaves in one pile of spinach with ¼ cup (a 2-ounce ladle) of batter. You can use a rubber spatula to fold the batter over the leaves, but your hand is a more efficient tool. (Have a towel handy to wipe it on as you work).
4. 4Drop the leaves in the oil, covering the entire surface area rather than just clumping everything in the center of the wok. (The leaves will spatter and emit steam as the water in them comes in contact with the oil and evaporates.) Working quickly, use a spider strainer or a skimmer to circulate the leaves and keep them from sticking to each other as best you can. Fry until the leaves look crisp and the batter lightly browned, 60 to 80 seconds. Using the spider strainer, transfer the spinach to the colander, tilting it to let excess frying oil drain. Then transfer the spinach to the paper towels.
5. 5Repeat with the remaining three batches of spinach and batter, allowing the oil to return to 400°F each time and using the spider strainer or a skimmer to remove as many particles of fried batter from the oil as you can. Discard any leftover batter.
6. 6Place all of the fried spinach in the second large bowl. Sprinkle the cumin powder, deggi mirch, and black salt over it and toss the leaves gently to distribute the spices evenly.
7. 7To serve, pile the spinach on six serving plates an drizzle with yogurt sauce and tamarind sauce. Garnish with the red onion, tomatoes, and cilantro. Serve immediately so the leaves don’t get soggy.