Ingredients:
1/2 kg groundnuts (cleaned)
1 cup bengalgram flour (besan)
1/2 cup rice flour
1 - 1 1/2 tsp chilly powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 sprigs curry leaves (minced)
salt to taste
oil for frying

Grind to a paste:
1 tsp poppy seeds (khus-khus)
1/2 tsp aniseeds (sauf)
3 cloves
2-3 cardamoms
1/2" piece cinnamon
a large pinch of asafoetida

Method:
1. Dry roast the nuts on low heat, stirring all the while so that they get roasted evenly. You can use 1tsp of oil for this. When fried the skin will peel off easily - this can be tested by taking 1-2 nuts with your fingers and pressing them.

2. When fried, transfer the nuts on to a plate and rub gently to remove the skins. Clean the nuts, discarding the skins.

3. Put all the ingredients (except oil) into a mixing bowl, including ground paste. Pour 1tbsp hot oil into the bowl, sprinkle very little water and make a fairly stiff batter.

4. Heat oil in a kadai. Take a handful of nuts and mix them into the batter (a little at a time) - see that the nuts are fully coated with the batter. Drop them into the hot oil. Try to drop them in singles, otherwise they will bunch together and form a mass. Keep stirring the oil, so that the nuts are separated while frying. Fry on medium heat till brown.

5. Cool thoroughly before storing.

Note:
You can make this without the ground paste also.