Ram ladoo

Step 1: Drain 5 ½ oz yellow moong dal (split, skinless) and 1 ¾ oz chana dal well in a sieve for 10 minutes. Grind them with 2 green chillies and 1 tbsp fresh ginger, adding no water or at most a tablespoon, to a thick, coarse batter that holds its shape on a spoon.

Step 2: Tip into a bowl, add ¼ tsp gluten-free asafoetida (hing) and ¾ tsp salt, and beat with your hand or a whisk for 3–4 minutes until the batter turns paler and feels fluffy. A drop should float in a cup of water. Adding water to make grinding easier is the common mistake: the ladoos spread, drink oil and come out flat.

Step 3: For the chutney, blend 1 ⅜ oz fresh coriander, ½ oz fresh mint leaves, 2 green chillies, 2 ⅛ tbsp lemon juice, ½ tsp salt and 2 tbsp cold water to a smooth, bright green paste.

Step 4: Heat 3 ¼ cups vegetable oil in a kadhai over a medium heat to about 350°F, when a drop of batter sizzles and rises steadily. Drop in walnut-sized balls of batter with wet fingers or two spoons, 8–10 at a time.

Step 5: Fry for 5–6 minutes, turning often, until deep golden and crisp all over and they sound hollow when tapped. Fried too hot, they brown outside and stay raw inside; lower the heat if they colour within a minute. Drain on kitchen paper.

Step 6: Toss 7 oz white radish (mooli) with ⅔ oz radish leaves and a pinch of salt.

Step 7: To serve, put 6 hot ladoos on each plate, press a few open and spoon over the green chutney. Pile the radish on top, squeeze over the rest of ⅞ tbsp lemon juice and sprinkle with 1 tsp chaat masala. Eat straight away.