Take a blender and add the roasted chana dal, cumin seeds and 1 dried red chilli.

Grind it into a fine powder and keep it aside.

Place a sieve on top of a large mixing bowl and then add gram flour, rice flour, roasted chana dal mixture, asafoetida and salt. Sift this mixture properly and remove the sieve.

Put in the white sesame seeds, mix well and set aside.

Add 2 tablespoons of butter in a tadka pan (or small pan) and heat it. Let the butter melt, and then pour it into the flour mixture.

Combine the flour and butter well and also check if the salt is proper or, if required, add some more.

Next, slowly add water in small parts and knead the mixture properly.

Knead a non-sticky and smooth dough for the ribbon pakoda. Cover it with a muslin cloth and keep it aside.

Apply oil to the murukku or chakli maker and then place a portion of the dough inside the murukku maker. Cover it and set aside.

Take a kadai/wok and add oil. Heat it over low to medium heat. Add a tiny piece of the dough to check the temperature.

If the piece gradually & steadily comes to the top, then the oil is at perfect temperature to fry the Kerala pakkavada. And if the piece of dough comes to the top too quickly, too slowly or settles down at the bottom, then the oil is not hot enough to fry.

Now, when the oil is at the perfect temperature, just press the murukku maker, holding it on top of the hot oil and allow the Kerala pakkavada to fall directly into the hot oil. While pressing it, rotate it vigorously.

Remember not to overload the kadai with ribbon pakoda. Just add as required without making it too messy and crowded. Fry them on medium to high heat.

After this, let the pakkavada get fried without touching it with the slotted spoon immediately.

They need some time to soak in the hot oil and become crisp. Once they are all crispy or cooked, using a slotted spoon, turn them over.

Fry them until they develop a slightly golden brown colour.

Keep turning them around a couple of times so that they get fried from all sides evenly. Fry until they are crispy and golden.

When the hot oil does not sizzle any more, that means the ribbon pakoda is perfectly fried. Remove them using a slotted spoon and place them on a plate with tissue paper or kitchen paper towels.

Repeat the same process with the remaining dough.

When they are all cooled down, put them in an airtight container.

Your ribbon pakoda or Kerala pakkavada is ready to be served as a tea-time snack!