Ompodi, Sev

          Ompodi/ Sev, this is one of the simplest snacks, in spite of having eaten it so many times, both store bought and homemade, this is the first time I tried making it. I have made other stuff like murukku, pakodas and mixture, but I don't know, for some reason I have never tried making this. The basic ingredient is besan flour/ chickpea flour/ kadalai maavu/ bengal gram flour and the other important ingredient which gives the flavor and also the name is omam/ ajwain seeds. It is very easy to prepare, in fact, it took me under 30 minutes from start to finish ( for the measurements given below ). This can be had as such or used as a garnish or topping on chats..

Need To Have

• Besan Flour - 1 cup
• Rice Flour - 1 tablespoon
• Ajwain Seeds - 1/4 teaspoon and a pinch
• Dried Red Chillies - 4
• Salt to taste

Method

          The murukku press with the ompodi mold and the ajwain seeds.

          Soak the ajwain seeds and red chillies in a little water for 15 to 20 minutes and grind it as smoothly as possible.

          Sift the besan and rice flours. Strain the ground chilly and ajwain mixture, add it to the flour along with salt and a teaspoon of hot oil. Mix it well, then adding water, prepare a smooth dough with it.

         Heat the oil for deep frying, grease the murukku press ( similar to a cookie press with different molds), fill it with dough and press it, releasing the dough directly into the oil, moving in a small circle, cut off the dough with your hand. Cook on both sides till golden and remove, repeat with the rest of the dough. Cool, break with your hand into small pieces and store in an airtight container.

Note
If doing more than a cup, do everything the same way till you mix the flour with oil, salt and the chill-ajwain mix, then divide into portions, take one portion, add water, make dough and do the sev, then do another portion and so on.
If the dough is too hard to press through the murukku press, then sprinkle little water and knead the dough and proceed.
The oil should not be too hot, add a pinch of dough to the hot oil, it should rise slowly to the top. Also, when you press the dough into the oil, it'll sizzle at first and gradually settle down, at that point, flip it slowly and cook on the other side the same way and remove, it'll take 1 to 2 minutes.
Use the mold that has the smallest holes.