Surti Locho, Besan Sev, Lachha Pyaaz and Coriander Mint Chutney

Ingredients

• 2 cup Besan
• 0.25 cup Rice Flour (for extra crispiness)
• 1 tsp Ajwain
• 0.5 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1 tsp Red Chili Powder
• 0.25 tsp Hing
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil (hot, for the dough (moyan))
• 0.6 cup Water (or as needed)

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the Dough

   • In a large mixing bowl, sift the besan and rice flour. Add the ajwain, turmeric powder, red chili powder, hing, and salt. Whisk well to combine all dry ingredients.
   • Heat 2 tbsp of oil until it's quite hot. Carefully pour this hot oil (this is called 'moyan') over the flour mixture. Use a spoon initially, then your fingertips to rub the oil into the flour until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
   • Gradually add water, a little at a time, and knead to form a soft, smooth, and pliable dough. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky, not stiff.
2. 2

   Set Up the Sev Maker

   • Choose the disc for fine sev and attach it to your sev maker (sev press or sancha).
   • Grease the inside of the sev maker cylinder and the disc with a little oil to prevent the dough from sticking.
   • Shape the dough into a log and place it inside the greased cylinder.
3. 3

   Heat Oil for Frying

   • Pour the remaining 2 cups of oil into a heavy-bottomed kadai or deep pan. Heat over medium flame.
   • The oil should be moderately hot, around 175°C (350°F). To test, drop a tiny piece of dough into the oil. It should sizzle and rise to the surface steadily. If it browns too quickly, the oil is too hot; if it sinks, the oil is not hot enough.
4. 4

   Fry the Sev

   • Hold the sev maker directly over the hot oil. Turn the handle to press the dough out into the oil, moving in a circular motion to form a large, flat spiral.
   • Fry for 1-2 minutes on one side. You will notice vigorous bubbling. Once the bubbling subsides significantly, carefully flip the sev spiral using a slotted spoon.
   • Fry the other side for another minute until it is light golden and crisp. Avoid over-browning.
   • Work in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan, which can lower the oil temperature.
5. 5

   Drain and Cool

   • Once crisp, remove the sev from the oil with a slotted spoon, allowing excess oil to drip back into the pan.
   • Place the fried sev on a wire rack or a plate lined with paper towels to drain further.
   • Let the sev cool completely at room temperature. It will become even crispier as it cools.
   • Once cooled, gently break the sev spirals into smaller, bite-sized pieces.
6. 6

   Store

   • Store the completely cooled besan sev in a clean, dry, airtight container.
   • It will stay fresh and crispy for up to 3 weeks at room temperature.

Ingredients

• 2 large Red Onion (About 350-400g total)
• 2 cup Ice Cubes (For soaking the onions)
• 4 cup Cold Water (For soaking the onions)
• 2 tbsp Lemon Juice (Freshly squeezed)
• 1 tsp Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder (Adjust to your spice preference)
• 1 tsp Chaat Masala
• 0.5 tsp Salt (Or use a mix of black salt and regular salt)
• 1 pc Green Chilli (Finely chopped, optional for extra heat)
• 2 tbsp Coriander Leaves (Freshly chopped, for garnish)

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the Onions

   • Peel the red onions and slice them into thin, uniform rings, about 1/8-inch thick. A mandoline slicer works best for this.
   • Gently separate the slices into individual rings and place them in a large bowl.
2. 2

   Soak for Crispness

   • Add the ice cubes and cold water to the bowl, ensuring all onion rings are fully submerged.
   • Let the onions soak for 10-15 minutes. This crucial step makes them incredibly crisp and mellows their sharp, pungent flavor.
3. 3

   Drain and Dry Thoroughly

   • Drain the onions completely using a colander.
   • Spread the onion rings on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels and pat them completely dry. Removing all excess moisture is key to preventing a watery salad.
4. 4

   Season and Toss

   • Transfer the dry onion rings to a clean mixing bowl.

Ingredients

• 2 cup Coriander Leaves (Packed, with tender stems)
• 1 cup Mint Leaves (Packed, stems discarded)
• 3 whole Green Chilies (Adjust to your spice preference)
• 1 inch Ginger (Peeled and roughly chopped)
• 3 clove Garlic (Peeled)
• 2 tbsp Roasted Chana Dal (Also known as Dalia or Bhuna Chana)
• 2 tbsp Lemon Juice (Freshly squeezed for best flavor)
• 0.5 tsp Chaat Masala
• 0.5 tsp Black Salt (Also known as Kala Namak)
• 0.5 tsp Sugar (Optional, helps balance the tanginess)
• 0.25 tsp Salt (Adjust to taste)
• 3 whole Ice Cubes (Or use 3-4 tbsp of ice-cold water)

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the Herbs (3 minutes)

   • Thoroughly wash the coriander and mint leaves under cold running water to remove any grit or dirt.
   • Pluck the mint leaves from their stems; discard the thicker stems as they can be bitter.
   • For the coriander, use both the leaves and the tender upper stems, which are packed with flavor. Roughly chop the bunch.
2. 2

   Combine Ingredients in Blender (2 minutes)

   • Place the washed coriander and mint leaves into a high-speed blender jar.
   • Add the green chilies (broken in half), chopped ginger, garlic cloves, roasted chana dal, lemon juice, chaat masala, black salt, sugar (if using), and salt.
3. 3

   Blend to a Smooth Paste (2 minutes)

   • Add the ice cubes or 3 tablespoons of ice-cold water. Using ice is highly recommended as it prevents the herbs from oxidizing and helps maintain a vibrant green color.
   • Blend for 1-2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the jar as needed, until you achieve a completely smooth, uniform paste.
   • Avoid over-blending, as the heat from the motor can darken the chutney. If the mixture is too thick, add one more tablespoon of cold water and pulse briefly to combine.