For the upcoming Diwali, would you like to try the baked version of Omapodi? It is also called Ompudi or thin sev in other parts of India. There are so many advantages to trying the baked version of this dish- starting with the fact that it uses a fraction of the oil, no need to stand in front of hot oil, or worry about how to use up the leftover oil.
When I googled ‘baked murukku’, I was surprised to see that so many bloggers have executed this concept successfully. So, I cannot take credit for being the first to come up with the idea. However, being a health-food blog, this has got to be on my recipe list. This is my first foray into baking savory bakshanam (snack). The following is the documentation of my efforts and its results.
Step by step pics
Boil Ajwain in water and extract the water from it
Mix ingredients listed
Make a dough
Add it to your ‘Omapudi’ device
Squeeze out the dough on a baking tray
Place tray in the oven
After 10 minutes, take the tray and flip the strands over. Place it back in the oven.
Another 10 minutes and it is done.
Oven roast peanuts and pan fry some curry leaves.
Mix them together and serve.
Recipe
- 1 cup Besan (Chickpea Flour)
- 1/2 cup Rice Flour
- 1.5 tsp Ajwain
- 1/4 cup Butter Room temperature and soft
- 1/4 tsp Aesofatida
- Salt (as necessary)
- Curry Leaves (Handful)
- 1 cup Peanut
- 1/2 tsp Chili Powder
- 4 tsp Oil
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Pre heat oven to 350F. Add peanuts, salt, chili powder and 2 tsp of oil to an oven-proof bowl. Mix well. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes.
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Drop oven temperature to 300F.
Add 1.5 tsp of ajwain to 1 cup of water and bring to boil. Filter this mixture and keep the decoction ready to make the dough.
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Mix chickpea flour, rice flour, salt, aesofatida, butter (room temperature) in a bowl. Add as much ajwain water necessary to make the dough.
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Add the dough to the traditional mold with the omapudi slots. Press out the dough on an oiled cookie tray.
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Pop cookie tray in the oven for 10 minutes. Take it out and flip the sev over. It may crumble and fall apart, but that's ok. Put it back in the oven for 10 more minutes. Take it out once it has a well roasted appearance and well cooked taste.
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Splutter a handful curry leaves in 1 tsp of oil.
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In a bowl. add roasted peanuts, sev, fried curry leaves and mix.
Bloopers
My initial reaction was to crank the temperature real high to 400F and get it done quickly. But, because these strings are so thin, they get burnt easily. 
Given the really thin strands of Ompudi, it is best to go ‘low and slow’. 300F at 20 minutes, with a flip in-between gave me best results.
Inspirations
This recipe is inspired by the highly talented Chitra Murali who made the fried version of this recipe.
Also, thanks to my mom who quickly dug out the rotary-style murukku tool, which was sooo much easier to use than the traditional version featured on the right below.
Conclusions
Appearance – Doesn’t it look spot on like the fried version? I was surprised too.
Taste – The taste of the baked sev is crunchy and delicious, no doubt. But, it is not “airy and light”. For e.g. think : baked Lays vs fried Lays potato chips. When you eat the baked one, it does not feel as “light” as the fried version. The reason I put “light” in quotes, is because it is a very deceptive ‘light’ – not light on calories, but dehydrated a lot more (Reason being – Oil is a much effective heat transfer mechanism than air).
However, if your weakness is fried murukku’s, then this version will help you scale down on calories. Also, this is a great substitute in chaat dishes that need sev added for crispness like Dabeli. It also makes a great chai companion.
Whenever the ‘NEED CRUNCH NOW’ monster hits you, this is a much better/healthier option than the store bought oily version.
Have you tried baked snacks? Share your thoughts, comments down below. As always, I love hearing from you!!
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