Thethri

Step 1: Mix 9 oz gram flour (besan), 2 tbsp rice flour, 1 tsp ajwain (carom seeds), 1 tsp red chilli powder, ¼ tsp ground turmeric and 1 tsp salt. Add 3 tbsp vegetable oil and rub with your fingertips for 2 minutes until the mix holds together when you squeeze a handful.

Step 2: Add ½ cup water a little at a time and knead into a firm, smooth dough that does not stick to your hands. Cover and rest for 15 minutes.

Step 3: Pinch off marble-sized pieces and roll each into a thin rope about 15 cm long. Twist ropes into knots, loops or small spirals, or plait three together into a ring. Keep them under a cloth as you work.

Step 4: Heat 3 cups vegetable oil in a kadai on medium to about 325°F, when a pinch of dough rises slowly with small bubbles. Fry 10–12 pieces at a time on medium-low for 7–8 minutes, turning, until they are firm, a light golden-orange and the bubbling slows almost to a stop.

Step 5: Drain on a rack or paper and cool completely; they crisp further as they cool. Store in an airtight tin for up to 3 weeks.