Bombay Mix

Method

1. Sift the 60 g of gram flour with the 1 tsp of rice flour, 0.25 tsp of ground turmeric, 1 pinch of asafoetida and 0.25 tsp of the salt into a bowl. Rub in 1 tsp of the sunflower oil until the flour feels sandy, then work in 3 tbsp of water a little at a time and knead for 2 minutes to a soft, smooth, slightly sticky dough. Cover and rest while the oil heats.
2. Pour the sunflower oil into a small kadhai or deep pan to a depth of about 5 cm and heat over a medium flame to 175C — a pinch of the dough should rise briskly without browning. Line a tray with kitchen paper.
3. Fry the dry goods in batches, lifting each out with a slotted spoon onto the paper: the 30 g of peanuts for 2 minutes until the skins darken and they stop hissing, the 15 g of cashews for about 1 minute until pale gold, then the 50 g of poha, dropped in a frying basket or sieve, for 10-15 seconds only, until it swells and turns opaque white. Last, fry the 10 of curry leaves and the 1 of slit green chilli for 20 seconds, standing back as they spit.
4. Load the rested dough into a sev press fitted with the finest plate and press it directly over the hot oil in slow circles. Fry for 1-2 minutes, turning once, until the bubbling almost stops and the strands are crisp and pale gold — do not let them brown. Drain on the paper and, once cool enough to handle, crumble into 2-3 cm lengths. Turn off the heat under the oil.