In a bowl, mix besan, red chilli powder, turmeric, ajwain, hing, salt, and 1 teaspoon oil. Add water a spoon at a time until you have a soft, slightly sticky dough that will pass through a sev maker or slotted spoon. If it is stiff, add a little more water. If it is runny, add a spoon of besan. Load a sev maker with a gathiya or thick-sev disc.

Heat oil or ghee in a kadhai over medium. Add mustard seeds. When they pop, add cumin seeds, hing, dried red chillies, curry leaves if using, and the green chilli paste. Let them sizzle 20 to 30 seconds until the hing smells toasted, not raw.

Lower the flame. Stir in Kashmiri chilli, turmeric, and cumin-coriander powder. Mix for 10 to 15 seconds so the masala does not burn.

Pour in the buttermilk and 1 cup water while stirring. Add salt and jaggery. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring so the chaas does not split. The gravy has to be simmering before the gathiya goes in.

Hold the sev maker over the kadhai and press the dough directly into the boiling gravy. Keep moving so the strands do not pile up and stick. If you are using a slotted spoon, set a handful of dough on it and press through with your fingers, moving around the pan.

Do not stir for 1 to 2 minutes so the gathiya sets. Then cover and cook on medium-low for 7 to 8 minutes, until the gathiya is soft and cooked through. If the gravy thickens too much, add a splash of hot water.

Taste for salt, chilli, and jaggery. Garnish with coriander if your kitchen uses it. Serve immediately with roti, thepla, bajra rotla, or rice.