Kerala Spicy Mixture

In a mixing bowl, sift and add the rice flour, gram flour/besan, turmeric powder, 1 tsp red chilly powder 1/4 tsp asafetida and salt

Mix well and drizzle melted butter

Combine well and knead this into smooth dough by adding water little by little,(Note : Do not make the dough too watery)

The consistency that is little bit looser than chappati dough and it may stick to your hands at first, as you progress with kneading you will get smooth dough),Set aside

Meanwhile heat oil in a deep frying pan

When hot, check by dropping one tiny piece of dough, if it rises immediately without changing color then the oil is ready to start frying

Fill the string hooper/seva/idiyappam mould with the dough after putting the small hole /noodle disc in it

Press the the dough to hot oil in circular motion, Fry for about 30 seconds on each side or it gets a golden color over medium-high heat (Note : This frying is pretty quick, so care should be taken not to brown the sev)

Drain the excess oil onto a colander or paper towel and let cool completely

Repeat for about 4-6 times

Now change the press design to the ribbon and fill the string hooper/seva/idiyappam mould with the dough after putting the narrow slit /pakkavada/ribbon pakoda disc in it

Press the the dough into the pan

Fry until, it gets a golden color(Note : It take little more time than sev, so they need to be cooked on low heat for couple of minutes on each side)

Repeat as needed,drain the excess oil onto a colander or paper towel and let cool completely

Now lets fry boondi, slightly thin the dough with little water to make it pourable consistency (Note : The batter should flow through the holes of the spatula on a medium speed

If it flows too fast, then the batter is too thin and if it won t fall, then the batter is too thick)

In the same oil, hold a perforated spoon about 1 to 1 1/2 inches above the oil over the center of the frying pan with one hand

With your other hand pour some of the batter onto the perforated spoon to cover all of the holes without spilling over the edge of the perforated spoon

If you hold the perforated spoon higher than 11/2 inches above the oil boondi will not be round

The batter will start dropping through the holes into the oil

If the batter doesn’t drop right away through the holes, pour the batter on the skimmer back into the batter bowl, mix a little more water to the batter and start again

Drop enough boondi into the oil so they just cover the surface of the oil in frying pan in a single layer and fry them until the sound of sizzling stops and boondis are light gold in color

Remove the boondi out of the oil with a slotted spoon (Note : this allows excess oil to drip back into the frying pan)and drain the excess oil onto a colander or paper towel and let cool completely

Fry the chana dal until it fetches a light golden color

Drain excess oil onto a paper towel

Now fry the peanuts till golden brown color,(Note : Make sure not to over fry the peanuts and chana dal as they cook very fast)

Finally fry the red chilly and just before switch off the heat, slowly slide in some curry leaves into the hot oil

Caution :it will splutter so close the pan immediately with a lid till all the splutters end,Drain them too

Now mix everything in a large bowl, place the string hoppers/sev crush it with your hand to make the sev smaller,(Note :You can decide the length of the Sev), ribbon pakodas, fried peanuts, chana dal, red chilly and curry leaves

Add the remaining 11/2 tsp red chilly powder, salt and reamining 1/4 tsp of asafoetida

Mix well and when it is completely cooled, store it in an airtight container

This will stay good for 3-4 weeks if stored properly,Enjoy