Kara Sev For Indian Cooking Challenge

The Indian Cooking Challenge is all about trying traditionally used recipes, that many of us are unable to be cooking on a regular basis for lack of time, inclination and what not. This month Srivalli chooses Karasev. She told me about the apprehensions in trying this recipe because most of us may not possess the special ladle that enables the karasev fall in long strips. Surprisingly, most of the members were game for it, irrespective of their inconveniences. And today, you may get to see many blogs raining karasev.
So far as I remember, I have only bought karasev from sweet shops or Haldirams packets. Two years ago for deepavali I made it as part of mixture and found that it was quite a simple recipe. Notwithstanding, I had used my murukku press then. Soon, I hunted shops selling cookware in India for the ladle. Recently I purchased one, not very convincing initially. I have used that for the challenge and find it very convenient.
Srivalli had given two recipes that could be tried. I have tried both on two consecutive days, reducing the quantity to tablespoons in the place of cups. The karasev lasted just that one evening and the rainy weather and foot ball match played their part, I should say.
The recipes are as follows:

Kara Sev Recipe 1

Ingredients:

Gram Flour - 2 1/2 cups
Rice flour - 1 cup
Chilli powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Black pepper coarsely powdered - 1 teaspoon
Ghee - 2 1/2 teaspoon
Cooking soda pinch (optional)
Salt to taste
Crushed garlic (optional) 2 pods
Oil to deep fry

Method:
Sieve both flours together in a bowl and make a pit.
Add chilli powder, pepper powder, salt, crushed garlic, ghee and soda-bi-carbonate, if using.
Mix thoroughly with hands to bread crumbs texture. Divide the dough into four portions.
To one portion add little water and knead to a stiff dough like that for puris.
Heat oil in a heavy pan, Using the karasev ladle, rub a portion of the dough directly into oil.
The dough will drop in oil in small strings. Deep fry them until well done and crisp.

Remove from oil and drain the excess oil off.
Allow to cool and store in airtight containers.

Kara Sev Recipe 2
Gram flour - 2 ½ cups
Rice flour - 1 cup
Ghee - 1 tablespoon
Soda - bi - carbonate - 2 pinches
Salt
Oil - for deep frying

Grind to a fine paste with water:
Red chillies - 6 numbers
Pepper - 1 teaspoon
Garlic - 7 or 8 flakes ( optional)

Method:
Sieve both flours together.
Cream the soda-bi-carb and ghee to a frothing cream on a flat dish rubbing the mixture thoroughly with your palms.
Add the flours, salt and this creamed mixture.
Strain the chilli- garlic paste through a strainer. Mix this to the flours and combine them well.
Add enough water to get a soft yet stiff dough.
Heat oil in a heavy pan and rub the flour using the karasev ladle directly into the oil.

Fry the dropped dough strips until crisp.

Remove from oil and drain the excess oil on a kitchen tissue.
Wash the ladle with water every time after use, so that the pores are clean to aid the next lot of dough to drop easily.

Some notes for good results:

Dividing the dough into smaller portions before pressing down, helps keep the dough fresh and consumes less oil while frying.
The dough has to be really stiff, if it little runny, add more gram flour to get the right consistency.
If you are using the kara sev ladle, rub it down directly on the oil.
If you are not comfortable pressing directly in the oil, you may press on a slightly oiled sheet or plate and transfer the bits into the oil.
You may try pressing with a murukku press ensuring that the dough falls in broken strips.

If you do not own a murukku press, try to roll thin cylindrical shapes using fingers, just about 2" long and deep fry. This is time consuming and as the dough is stiff the strips may dry soon.
Please ensure you are very careful while pressing down on the oil, it will be very hot, this is really not safe to have kids around. And the steam that emanates might be hot for your own hands. So rub quickly in the oil.
This normally stays crisp for a month when stored in air tight containers.