Uppu seedai

Step 1: Dry-roast 7 oz rice flour in a heavy pan on a low heat for 3–4 minutes until it feels light and powdery but has not coloured. Sift it with 1 ½ tbsp ground urad dal into a bowl and let it cool.

Step 2: Add 2 tbsp fresh grated coconut, 1 tsp white sesame seeds, 1 tbsp butter, 1 pinch gluten-free hing (asafoetida) and ¾ tsp salt and rub together, then add ½ cup water a little at a time to make a soft, smooth dough that does not crack when pressed.

Step 3: Roll the dough into balls the size of a chickpea, without pressing hard; they must be smooth with no cracks. Lay them on a cloth for 10 minutes and prick each once with a needle.

Step 4: Heat 3 ¼ cups oil for deep-frying in a kadhai to about 325°F, medium-low. Fry a test batch of two first, standing back. Then fry handfuls for 8–10 minutes, stirring gently, until the bubbling has nearly stopped and they are pale golden and hard.

Step 5: Drain on paper and cool completely before storing in an airtight tin for up to 3 weeks.