Preparation

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  1 Put the urad dal in a bowl, cover with cold water, and soak for 1–1 1/2 hours. Drain, then cover with a fresh batch of cold water. If the dal still has its black husks, plunge your hands into the water, and rub the dal together to remove them—the action is similar to washing your hands. The husks will rise to the surface. Skim off and discard, drain the dal, and again cover with cold water. Continue the rubbing and skimming process for several changes of water, then drain the dal completely. Don’t worry about removing all of the husks—just the majority. (If you buy urad dal that has already had the husks removed, just soak and rinse twice.)
  
  


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  2 Heat the 1 tablespoon oil in a heavy pan over a medium-high heat. Fry the garlic and green chile for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the onion and curry leaves, and continue to fry for 4–5 minutes until softened. Remove from the heat.
  
  


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  3 Put the drained urad dal, chickpeas, onion mixture, and half the cilantro in a food processor. Work into a paste until almost smooth, but with a little texture. Transfer to a bowl. Add the rice flour, garam masala, curry powder, asafoetida, baking powder, and the remaining cilantro, roughly chopped. Mix together, and season with salt and black pepper. Roll the mixture into small balls about 1 1/2in (3.5cm) in diameter; flatten slightly. Make a hole in the center of each ball with your little finger, so that they are like mini doughnuts.
  
  


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  4 Clip a candy thermometer to the side of a large heavy pot, and heat enough oil for deep-frying to 350°F (180°C). If you do not have a thermometer, test the oil with a little mixture—it should sizzle straight away. Fry the dumplings, in small batches, for 2–3 minutes until golden brown. Serve hot with wedges of lime or lemon.