These besan paares are crunchy and spicy. Paares makes a great snack. Serve anytime.

Recipe will serve 4 to 6.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all purpose flour (plain flour, maida)
• 1 cup gram flour (basen)
• 2 tablespoons fine semolina flour (fine sooji)
• 4 tablespoons oil
• 1 1/4 spoon salt, adjust to taste
• 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain)
• Pinch of asafetida (hing)
• 1/2 cup water or add as needed
• Oil to fry

Method:

1. Mix flour, semolina (sooji), gram flour (basen), salt, carom seeds, asafetida, chili flakes, and oil, together.
2. Add water as needed to make firm but smooth dough. Cover with damp cloth and set aside at least for ten minutes.
3. Knead the dough for another minute and divide into four equal parts.
4. Take each part of the dough and make a flat ball shape.
5. Roll them thin into about 9-inch circles. Prick them with a fork all over the rolled dough, so the paares do not puff when frying.
6. Cut each of the rolled dough into about half inch wide and 3 inch long pieces. Note: you can cut them in your desire shape.
7. Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium heat.
8. The frying pan should have at least 1inch of oil. To check if the oil is ready, just put a small piece of dough in the oil. The dough should make the oil sizzle and come up slowly.
9. Make sure to place just enough paares so you can turn them over easily when frying. Fry the paares until both sides are light golden-brown.
10. After basen paares come to room temperature they should become crisp.

Tips:

1. Basen paares can be stored for one month in airtight containers.
2. If the Basen paares are cooked on high heat, they will be soft.

Suggestions:

• Try replacing carom (ajwain) seed with dry fenugreek leaves.