• Wash the chillies. Cut each chilli lengthwise and then into two pieces, making four pieces from one chilli. Remove as many seeds as possible during cutting.
• Thinly slice the onions.
• In a bowl, combine the chopped chillies and sliced onions.
• Add the coarsely crushed coriander seeds, carom seeds (crush them between your palms before adding), asafoetida powder, turmeric powder, salt, and chopped coriander leaves.
• If desired, add red chilli powder. A mix of Kashmiri chilli powder and regular red chilli powder.
• Mix all these ingredients well. The mixture will become moist as the onions and chillies release water.
• Add the gram flour and rice flour to the mixture.
• Mix everything thoroughly without adding any extra water. The moisture from the vegetables should be enough to bind the flour. The goal is to use just enough flour to coat the vegetables.
• Heat oil in a kadhai (wok) until it's very hot.
• Once the oil is hot, drop small portions of the mixture into the oil.
• Fry the pakodas on high heat. Do not fry on medium or low heat.
• After some time, when the initial frothing subsides, stir the pakodas.
• Fry until they turn golden brown and crispy.
• Remove the fried pakodas from the oil and drain any excess oil.
• Your "Crispy Chilli-Onion Pakoda" is ready to be served.

Optional:

• You can also add mint leaves or curry leaves to the oil while frying for extra flavour.
• These pakodas are very tasty and not too spicy, as frying reduces the heat of the chillies.
• You can make these pakodas with just chillies, without adding onions.