Chevdo

Step 1: Two days ahead, soak 10 oz whole green gram (mung beans) in warm water. Change the water three times a day.

Step 2: The day before, soak 13 ½ oz husked bengal gram lentils (chana dal) in water. Drain both and pat dry on a cloth.

Step 3: Grate 13 ¼ lb small (golf) potatoes on a long-ridged grater, and a few on a round-ridged grater, to get both long and round crisps. To make peeling easier, add a little salt to the water the potatoes soak in. Rinse the grated potato and pat dry on a cloth.

Step 4: Mix 2 tbsp red chilli powder, 1 tbsp ground turmeric, 6 ½ oz powdered sugar and 2 tbsp salt for the seasoning.

Step 5: Heat oil for deep frying in a large pan (or on a jiko). Sprinkle a little salt into the oil first to stop it splattering. Fry the potato in batches until crisp, sprinkling 1 tablespoon of seasoning over each batch as it comes out.

Step 6: Towards the end, fry 1 oz curry leaves, 3 ½ oz fresh coriander and 1 ¾ oz green chillies in the oil until crisp.

Step 7: Fry the chana dal and green grams separately over medium heat until crisp and done. Fry 1 ⅛ lb flattened rice (pawa) in a sieve dipped in the oil until it puffs.

Step 8: Fry 10 ½ oz cashew nuts, 9 oz peanuts and 1 ¼ oz sultanas separately until light brown. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of seasoning over each fried batch as it comes out.

Step 9: Mix all the fried ingredients in a very large basin.

Step 10: Heat ¼ cup oil for the tempering in a saucepan. Add 1 ½ tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 3 tbsp fennel seeds, 2 tbsp sesame seeds, 3 tbsp coriander seeds, 3 cloves, 2 cinnamon sticks and ½ tsp asafoetida, and lastly ¼ cup lemon juice.

Step 11: Simmer until the lemon juice has been absorbed and the spices are dry.

Step 12: Pour the tempering over the chevdo and mix well. Taste, add any remaining seasoning, and store in air-tight containers once completely cool.