Omapodi or Sev is a popular Indian spice mixture made with besan (chickpea flour). This easy Diwali snack is made using a Sev Maker. It's a vegan crispy crunchy snack that all love.
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Diwali memories
Diwali is an Indian festival also known as the festival of lights and is celebrated with a lot of pomp and vigor.
There are many traditions followed in every household as we approach this festival.
Some like to paint their homes before Diwali or do some serious deep cleaning around the house. All of us buy and wear new clothes on that day.
We light oil lamps using earthen pots outside the house, They are placed over hand-drawn colorful rangolis.
Savory snacks for Diwali
Diwali time is known for the variety of snacks that are prepared in every household. All the ladies of the house come together to make these dishes.
All kinds of sweet and savory snacks are prepared during this time of the year. Here are some that we make at home.
- Thattai
- Cilantro Mathri
- Raw Banana Chips
- Kara Boondi Mixture
- Mixed Flour Crackers
- Masala Peanuts
While you can make any of these Diwali snacks, our house celebrations are incomplete if we don't make Omapodi!
If you want to check out all the savory snack recipes that can be made for Diwali, check out this post.
Why make this recipe
The Indian Sev is a crispy and crunchy snack that is very addictive!
- It's a 4 ingredient savory recipe and can be made under 30 minutes
- Uses basic pantry staples and is very easy to make
- Ideal for gifting during the holidays
- A small-batch stays good for 2-3 weeks
This is my mother-in-law's omapodi/sev recipe and she has been making it this way for years. Hence, it's a fail-proof tried and tested recipe.
We need two kinds of flour for this sev recipe - chickpea flour also known as gram flour or besan and rice flour.
You can use ghee or regular vegetable oil to knead the dough and for frying.
Another key ingredient here is Omam seeds. Also known as ajwain or carom seeds, they have medicinal properties and aid digestion.
Besides these ingredients, you also need a sev maker to make this Indian spice mixture. They can be found at any Indian grocery store or on Amazon.
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- In a mixing bowl, add sieved chickpea flour, rice flour, asafoetida, and salt.
- Add hot ghee/vegetable oil and omam water. (Read notes below on how to make omam water)
- Knead it to a stiff dough by adding water gradually. The dough should be a little soft and non-sticky.
- Make a small cylindrical shape with the dough and stuff it inside the greased sev maker. Keep the rest of the dough covered with a wet cloth to prevent it from drying.
- Heat oil in a frying pan, and when its hot, reduce the heat to medium, then hold the sev maker directly on top of the oil pan and squeeze it in a circular motion to make a big circle of Omapodi. Do not overcrowd.
- Deep fry the Omappodi till it is crisp and bubble in the oil ceases. Fry both sides until golden brown. Do not break them while frying.
- Take it out and place it on a paper towel to remove excess oil and allow it to cool.
- Follow the same steps till you finish the dough.
After it cools down completely, store it in an airtight container, and enjoy it any time of the day.
You can break them or enjoy then as is. They can be added as toppings to snacks.
It's mostly eaten along with evening tea/coffee. We also enjoy it as a late-night snack or while munch on it while watching TV or reading a book.
You can pack them as gifts to give your loved ones during the holidays.
These can be made at any time of the year. It has a shelf life of 12-15 days if stored properly.
The thickness of the sev is a personal preference. You can make them thin or thick. We like it a bit thick. Alter the omapodi recipe to make it spicy by adding chilly powder/paprika to the dough while kneading. Serve Sev with Sindhi Kadhi. It's a popular food combo.
How to make omam water?
Dry roast ajwain for a minute. Then crush using a mortar and pestle. Add this powder to 2-3 tablespoon of warm water and set aside for a while. Then strain it and use the water to knead the dough.
You can also skip adding ajwain and make just plain sev instead.
How to get the perfect dough?
If you find it difficult to press the dough through the sev maker, sprinkle some water to loosen the dough.
In case the dough gets dissolved in oil when frying, that means the fat content is high in the dough or there's excess water in the dough. Add more flour to the dough and knead.
How to test if the oil is hot enough for frying?
Add a little piece of dough to the oil. When the dough ball raises immediately then the oil is ready for frying.
Don't fry in very hot oil, it will not be cooked evenly.
No need to refrigerate this Indian spice mixture. It stays fine at room temperature. Just store it in an airtight container.
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Recipe 📖
Sev Recipe | Omapodi Recipe
Equipment
- sev maker
Ingredients
- 1 cup chickpea flour
- ½ cup rice flour
- salt
- 1 tablespoon warm ghee or vegetable oil
- ¼ teaspoon asafoetida
- 3 tablespoon omam water
- oil for frying
- 2 teaspoon paprika optional
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, add sieved chickpea flour, rice flour, asafoetida, and salt.
- Add hot ghee/vegetable oil and omam water. (Read notes below on how to make omam water)
- Knead it to a smooth dough by adding water gradually. The dough should be a little soft and non-sticky.
- Make a small cylindrical shape with the dough and stuff it inside the greased sev maker. Keep the rest of the dough covered with a wet cloth to prevent it from drying.
- Heat oil in a frying pan, and when its hot, reduce the heat to medium, then hold the sev maker directly on top of the oil pan and squeeze it in a circular motion to make a big circle of Omapodi. Do not overcrowd.
- Deep fry the Omappodi till it is crisp and bubble in the oil ceases. Fry both sides until golden brown. Do not break them while frying.
- Take it out and place it on a paper towel to remove excess oil and allow it to cool.
- Follow the same steps till you finish the dough.
- After it cools down completely, store it in an airtight container, and enjoy it any time of the day.
- You can break them or enjoy then as is. They can be added as toppings to snacks.
Want to save this recipe?
We'll email this recipe to you, so that you can look at it later!
Marilyn C Sequeira says
Hi, can I use this sev to make laddu?
Priya says
Hi, Sev is savory and laddu is sweet. Sorry, I didn't get your question.
Alisha Rodrigues says
Gonna try this one this Diwali ... I remember friends and family doing it every Diwali at their place but never attempted doing it myself.. You just make it look so easy
Priya says
Yes, it's super easy to make. Thank you.
Dannii says
I haven't heard of this before, but I am always looking for more snack ideas.
Priya says
Yes, do try it. Thank you
Angela says
What a great recipe! So flavorful, the perfect Indian dish. YUM!
Priya says
Glad you liked it. Thank you
Beth says
This looks so delicious and tasty! Can't wait to make this! My family is going to love this!
Priya says
Thank you 🙂
jack says
I love these, they are so crunchy and delicious!
Priya says
Thank you so much
Colleen says
This looks amazing and I love that it's gluten-free too! Thanks for sharing.
Priya says
Glad you liked it. Thank you
Mirlene says
Love seeing these new recipes when i come to your site. This dish looks absolutely amazing. i cannot wait to try it.
Priya says
Thank you so much Mirlene. 🙂
Whitney says
I love making Indian food and this looks simple to make! Thanks for sharing!
Priya says
yes, do give it a try..thank you
Denay DeGuzman says
I loved learning about your family's cultural traditions! I'm so excited to make this delicious recipe. I know my own family will really enjoy it. Yum. Yum!
Priya says
Glad you enjoyed reading about them. Thank you 🙂
Julia says
This is a fantastic snack, thank you for sharing!
Priya says
Glad you like it. Thank you