Receta Omapodi Recipe – Plain Sev | Easy Diwali Snacks Recipes
Omapodi or oma podi or om podi is usually made for Diwali snacks or savories. I love to just eat them plain by handful. It is the main ingredient that forms the major part while making the South Indian Madras Mixture. It is also used in chaats, to add more crunch either as the base or as a topping. I actually have 2 nozzles which came with the mould. One is super fine and squeezing the dough is super difficult with it but it gives the finest sev like we get in shops. So I have used that only this time. I love the omam flavoring of this simple yet delicious snack.
Omapodi Recipe
- Prep time: 30 mins | Cook time: 15 mins | Makes: 2 cups
- Recipe Cuisine: South Indian | Recipe Category: Snacks
- Ingredients:
- Kadalai Maavu (Besan / Chickpea flour) – 1 cup
- Rice flour – 1/4 cup
- Omam (Ajwain / Carom Seeds) – 1/2 tbsp
- Red chili powder – 1/4 tsp
- Turmeric powder – 1/8 tsp (optional)
- Hot oil – 2 tsp
- Salt – to taste
- Water – to knead
- Oil – for deep frying
Instructions:
Dry grind or pulse the omam (ajwain) in a mixie jar to a coarse powder. Soak this in 1/8 cup hot water for 30 mins. Pass the mixture through a sieve and extract the decoction and keep aside.
Heat a pan with oil. While it heating, in a bowl mix together besan, rice flour, red chili powder, turmeric powder (if using) and salt.
Add the hot oil and mix well. Using the extracted omam decoction and more water, as needed, knead into a soft dough.
Grease the murukku (chakli) mould with oil and fit the idiyappam (multi fine holed) nozzle.
Fill the mould with the prepared dough. Check the temperature of the oil by putting a pea sized dough. If it rises to the top immediately, the temperature is correct.
Squeeze the dough in a circular motion directly into the hot oil and cook till golden brown.
Drain onto a kitchen paper and let it come to room temperature.
Break into pieces and store in an air tight container.
Eat them as plain or use in chaat recipes as you prefer.
Notes:
I prefer using hot oil as the sev remains crisp. But use either ghee or softened butter.
Always start kneading the dough after you have put the oil for heating in a pan, this way the omapodi or sev will maintain the golden yellow color instead of darkening.
Make sure that the temperature of the oil in uniform and not over hot. Else the sev will darken.
Always store in an air tight container or preferably a zip lock bag to maintain the freshness and crispness.
I do not use turmeric powder for making omapodi, hence given it as optional.
If you do not have the flours in hand, you can also use the ready made bajji bonda mix from the shops for making, but since the addition of chili powder is high in them, the omapodi will be a bit dark orange or red in color instead of golden yellow.