400 g channa flour
120 g rice flour (use local rice flour)
3 teaspoons oregano seeds or ajwain, blended with 125 ml water & strained
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon chilli powder
2 tablespoons ghee
400 ml water (more or less)
oil for deep frying

METHOD
1. Put all ingredients except oil into a bowl and mix to form a soft dough.
2. Heat oil.
3. Put a little of the dough into a fine murukku press and press out strands of the dough into hot oil and fry till crispy.
4. Drain on paper towels and cool thoroughly.
5. Break up the murukku and store in air tight containers.

Indian Heritage Cooking by Devagi Sanmugam, published by Marshall Cavendish

VEGETABLE SAMOSAS (vegetable stuffed pastry)

TO MAKE THE FILLING
2 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon urad dhall
1 teaspoon channa dhall
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
3 green chillies, sliced
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cm ginger, minced
3 sprigs curry leaves, shredded
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon chilli powder
150 ml water
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
500 g potatoes, boiled and chopped coarsely
3 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves

METHOD
1 Heat oil and fry the urad and channa dhall until golden brown.
2 Add in the mustard and fennel seeds until aromatic.
3 Add in the chilli, onion, ginger and curry leaves and sauté till onions turn golden brown.
4 Add in the spice powders, water and salt and simmer for 1 minute.
5 Add in the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine well.
6 Cool it lightly and roll into balls.

TO MAKE THE PASTRY
300 g plain flour ½ teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon butter or ghee 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 6-7 tablespoons cold water
Flour to dust
Oil for deep frying

METHOD
1. To make the pastry, sift flour and salt into a mixing bowl.
2. Add butter and cumin seeds and rub into the flour.
3. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time and roll into a stiff dough.
4. Shape into balls and roll out on a floured board into thin rounds.
5. Cut into half and roll into a cone pressing the ends together.
6. Fill cone with 3 tablespoons of the prepared filling and seal end, brushing dough with cold water to help seal it.
7. Heat oil in a wok. Add samosas, lower the heat to medium and fry for 5-6 minutes.
8. Drain on absorbent paper and serve hot

Indian Heritage Cooking by Devagi Sanmugam, published by Marshall Cavendish

IDIAPPAM (also known as string hoppers; puttu mayam)

250 g rice flour, brown rice flour or millet flour
1 teaspoon salt
450 ml boiling water (more or less)

METHOD
1. Place rice flour on a clean muslin cloth and steam for 10 minutes. Cool it thoroughly and sift.
2. Put the sifted flour into a mixing bowl. Dissolve the salt in the hot water.
3. Pour the water into the flour and using a wooden spoon stir quickly to form soft dough.
4. Put a little dough into 'idiappam press'.
5. Press out the dough into long strands to form a circle on a rattan plate or a saucer.
6. Repeat procedure till all the dough has been used.
7. Place the prepared idiappams in a steamer and steam for 10 minutes or until they are fully cooked and springy in texture.
8. Cool the idiappam before removing from the rattan plate.
9. Serve with brown sugar and grated white coconut.

Indian Heritage Cooking by Devagi Sanmugam, published by Marshall Cavendish