Making Dough For gathiya--
Measure and keep all the ingredients ready for the gathiya. Sieve the besan and keep aside.
Add the sifted besan in a mixing bowl or pan. Add all the spices like - teaspoon turmeric powder, red chili powder, carrom seeds, asafoetida. Also, add salt as required. If you are using baking soda then add it now.
Mix everything very well. Make a small depression in the center of the flour. Keep aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a small pan.
Now pour the hot oil in the center.
Allow the oil to cool. Once the oil has become warm, then rub the oil with the flour mixture.
Mix well, that the entire mixture should appear like bread crumbs.
Then add 2 tablespoons water and begin to knead.
The dough should be soft and smooth. If the dough becomes sticky then add some gram flour and knead again. If the dough is dry or hard, then add a few teaspoons of water.
Cover the dough with a damp cloth and keep aside for 10 to 12 minutes.
After 10 to 12 minutes, remove the damp cloth and knead again for a minute.
Making tikha gathiya
For making the gathiya, you will require the discs with slightly larger holes. Grease the chakli moulds and the discs with little oil.
Place the greased disc towards the bottom of the cylindrical gathiya maker.
Rub a bit of oil in your hands. Take a part of the dough and roll it into a log and gently place in the gathiya maker. Cover the gathiya maker with the lid.
Frying Sev
Heat 2 cups of oil in a pan or Kadai. The oil has to hot before you fry the gathiya. You can do a small test by adding a piece of dough if it rises gradually and steadily. Then the oil is hot enough.
In the hot oil, directly press the gathiya maker to make sev. Move-in a circular motion so that gathiya is equally distributed.
The oil will sizzle as soon as it comes in contact with the gathiya.
Once the base has turned golden and become crisp, then gently turn over and fry the other side.
Fry until the color changes to golden and the gathiya becomes crisp and the oil stops sizzling.
With a slotted spoon remove the fried gathiya from the oil.
Place the fried gathiya on paper towels to absorb excess oil.
Repeat the same with leftover dough. Once they come to room temperature, then break the gathiyas. Store into an air-tight container. The gathiya should last for about a month.
Serve the tikha gathiya as a tea time snack.
