For Diwali, lets try the preparation of Omapodi/Sev , an easy to make , yet delicious and crunchy snack, which is the most favourite snack for all ages.
INGREDIENTS:
METHOD OF PREPARATION:
*Soak Omam for 20 minutes.
*After 20 minutes, grind the soaked omam. Add fresh water to the paste and strain using a filter and keep it aside.
PREPARING OMAPODI DOUGH.
*Take rice flour, gram flour, salt, butter and Asafoetida in a big bowl. Mix all the ingredients.
*Add the strained omam water little by little and knead it to a smooth dough.
DEEP FRY:
* Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan, and when the oil is hot, add a little piece of dough to check whether the oil is heated to the required level. When the dough raises immediately, then the oil is ready for frying.
* Put 1 hand full of dough in a press, and close the press with Omapodi mould. Hold the murukku press directly on top of the oil pan and squeeze the press to make a big circle of omapodi.
* Deep fry the Omappodi in low flame till it is crisp and bubble in the oil ceases.
* Take it out and place it in a oil strainer with a paper towel to remove excess oil and allow it to cool.
* Store it in an air tight container. Crunchy Omapodi is now ready to serve!
- * Add curry leaves and fried groundnut for garnishing if required.
TIPS:
* Make the dough soft and sticky :Make the dough little sticky. If the dough is too dry, then it will be very hard to squeeze through the murukku press
* Do not add too much Omam. Omam is one of the main ingredient in omapodi. Don’t add too much of omam as it will give a bitter taste to omapodi. So add the required amount so that it doesn’t overpower the omapodi
* Fry in Medium Flame : Omapodi gets fried too quickly in oil. If the Omapodi becomes red color while frying, then reduce the flame to medium and cook the rest of ommapodi. We will get perfect light color sev rather than deep dark color
*Its always a best practice to heat up the oil and then keep the flame in medium while the omapodi is frying.
- General guidelines for healthier food – Both body and mind:
- One should be thinking about Perumal (Nama Smaranam) while cooking, and the purpose should be to offer the preparation to Him.
- Once the food is prepared, it should be offered to Perumal first. While offering, one should make sure that the food is neither too hot nor cold. It should be offered with love and affection.
- Please do not offer either pre-cooked food bought from outside or any pre-consumed food.
- Please follow thiruvaradanam kramam as instructed by your respective acharya. (http://anudinam.org/2012/03/08/bhagavad-tiruvaradhanam/)
- Follow ahara niyamam as much as possible. Atleast make sure that onion and garlic are not used at all.(http://anudinam.org/2012/06/11/srivaishnava-ahara-niyamam/)
- Please ensure that food which are not prasadams are not consumed.
