Chiwda (Bombay Mixture)

Bombay chiwda is the original Kettle corn: a bit spicy, a bit sweet, a bit salty, and thoroughly wonderful. Since poha consumes a lot of oil when fried, this dish falls firmly in the category of "special occasion food." But do make it anyway; you won't be sorry. If your household includes no homesick Indians, you can easily halve the recipe and it will turn out just the same.

2 tsp cayenne
2 tsp granulated sugar
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
2 c thick poha (beaten rice; available at Indian markets)1 c golden raisins
1 c whole skinned peanuts
1/2 c whole or halved cashews
3/4 c curry leaves, halved if large
1/2 c large-flake unsweetened coconut, broken into pieces if large
1 c rice bran or other oil for frying

Mix together cayenne, sugar, turmeric and salt; set aside. Measure all ingredients; set aside. Have ready a 5-quart stainless steel bowl and two heatproof silicone spatulas.

In a large stainless steel skillet, heat 1 Tbsp oil. When it shimmers, scatter a small handful of poha over the top. It will immediately puff. Toss in skillet with a clean spatula until evenly puffed and browned, then remove to stainless bowl. Put another Tbsp of oil in skillet to heat. Using the second spatula, toss puffed poha with a bit of spice mixture until evenly coated. Repeat until all of poha is puffed and all of spice mixture is used.

Fry peanuts and cashews in a very little bit of oil until beginning to brown; add to bowl. Crisp curry leaves in batches in a bit of oil; add to bowl. Toast coconut, using up any remaining oil in skillet. Toss thoroughly. When cool, store in an airtight container. Makes 4 quarts.

Murukku (Chakli)

Traditionally these spicy palm-sized treats are fried by pressing dough in spirals directly into hot oil. I am neither that talented nor that brave, so I pre-press them in batches onto the oiled backs of metal bowls, then invert the bowls carefully into the hot oil. The oil detaches them and they keep their shape perfectly as they fry. You may also use a flat perforated metal ladle, if you own such a thing.

1/2 c moong dal
1/4 c chana dal
3 c rice flour
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp untoasted sesame seeds
1 1/2 tsp salt
large pinch asafetida powder
1 1/2 Tbsp ghee
1 to 1 1/2 c water
rice bran oil or other high-heat oil

In a large skillet, dry-roast moong dal until very slightly brown. Remove and let cool. Grind until very fine; sieve and re-grind large pieces. Repeat with chana dal. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine dal powders, rice flour, cumin and sesame seeds, salt, and asafetida. Stir to combine. Drizzle in ghee, working it in with your fingers to a breadcrumb consistency. Add water, starting with 1 cup and adding by tablespoons until proper consistency is reached. Dough should be very stiff but not crumbly.

Heat a 2" depth of oil to a frying temperature of 375 (temperature setting 6.5 on my induction cooktop). Place a quantity of dough in your murukku press. Squeeze dough out into spirals, giving 4 or 5 revolutions per murukku, onto oiled bottoms of metal bowls or an oiled perforated metal ladle. Fry until intense bubbling stops and murukku is lightly browned. Remove to a metal rack set over a sheet pan to drain and cool. Repeat with remaining dough. Store in an airtight lidded container.

Kara Sev

Time once again for Diwali preparations! I get a little braver every year, so this time around I'm making my own namkeen (spicy snacks). This one is traditionally made by rubbing dough through the holes of a sevai ladle. This struck me as unnecessarily laborious, and anyway I don't have a sevai ladle. So I used my murukku maker. If you don't have one, I'm sure something could be worked out using a spritz press, or even a handheld (not box) grater. You might not get the traditional short-fried-noodle shape of kara sev, but they would still be delicious.

1 c besan (chickpea flour)
1 c rice flour
1/8 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cracked black pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp ghee
Water (5-6 Tbsp)
Rice bran oil for deep-frying

Sift together besan and rice flour to remove lumps. (Besan will clump up a traditional sifter, so it's better to use a metal sieve.) Add baking soda, pepper, cayenne and salt; stir to combine. Add ghee and 4 Tbsp water. Mix this, adding water by tablespoonfuls, until you have a moderately stiff but not crumbly dough.

Heat oil on high until it shimmers, then back off to medium-ish (I used 6.5 setting). While oil is heating, prepare a resting place: put a single layer of paper towels on a cooling rack, and set this on a sheet pan to catch any drips.

Put dough in a murukku maker with the sevai plate (many large holes). Squeeze out 1" lengths and cut them off into the frying oil. Fry until bubbling subsides and sevai are just golden. Remove with a spider to your cooling rack. When completely cooled, store in an airtight container. Makes 6 cups.