Fried pastries with spiced lentil filling (Kachori)

1. Soak the moong dal for 2 hours, drain and grind in a blender without water to a coarse, crumbly mixture.

2. Coarsely crush the fennel and coriander seeds in a mortar. Heat the tablespoon of oil in a frying pan, add the crushed spices and the asafoetida, then add the ground dal, chilli powder, amchur and salt. Fry over low heat, stirring constantly, for 6-8 minutes until dry and crumbly. Leave to cool.

3. Mix the flour with the salt, add the melted ghee and rub in with your fingertips until it looks like damp sand: this gives the kachori its short, flaky shell. Add water little by little to make a firm dough, cover and rest for 20 minutes.

4. Divide the dough into 12 balls. Flatten each into an 8 cm round, place a tablespoon of filling in the centre, draw up the edges and seal, then turn seam-side down and gently flatten with your palm into 7 cm discs.

5. Heat the oil in a smaller, deep pan only to medium (a small piece of dough should rise slowly, fizzing, to the surface). Fry 3-4 kachoris at a time over low heat, turning now and then, for 10-12 minutes until puffed, golden and crisp. Lift onto kitchen paper.

6. Serve warm or at room temperature with imli chutney and mint chutney.

Tip: A favourite breakfast and teatime pastry of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Slow, low-temperature frying is the secret: in hot oil the shell browns but stays raw and soft, while slow frying makes it evenly crisp and nicely puffed.