Sev is a crispy thin noodle-like savory Indian snack which is made with chickpea flour. It is made up of a few other components which vary from person to person. Mine is made up of sev off-course, roasted nuts and crispy corn poha (cornflakes). I love seasoning mine with fried curry leaves, roasted fennel seeds, chilli powder and salt. The curry leaves are aromatic and fennel seeds have a lovely licorice-like taste and this is what brings this tasty treat alive, along with the chilli powder. Be warned! This snack is quite addictive – once you start eating, you will only stop when it is completely wiped out 😆
Preparation and cooking time: Approximately 90 minutes
Ingredients Oil for deep frying 2 Cups (250ml+250ml) Chickpea flour (a.k.a besan/gram flour) 1 tsp salt ¼ tsp yellow hing 30ml sunflower or oil ½ cup (125ml) warm water 1 cup (250ml) corn poha 4-5 sprigs fresh curry leaves 4-5 green chilies sliced (add more or less according to heat tolerance) 1 cup (250ml) raw peanuts ½ tbsp fennel seeds (somf) To season: 1 tsp (5ml) salt 1-3 tsp mild Kashmiri chilli powder (adjust accordingly to heat tolerance). You will need a sev/sew maker Let’s cook :-) Add 2 cups of chickpea flour to a large mixing bowl. Add salt and hing Pour in 30ml oil Rub in the oil with your hands. Then add the water a little at a time. (this helps to prevent lumps) Bring the dough together. It will be quite sticky. Oil your hands and gather up the mixture. Roll into two thick logs (approximately 5cm diameter x 9cm long) just long and thick enough to fit into the sev maker. In a big deep pot or pan - heat oil until it is hot. Once the oil is hot. ( To test: when you drop a piece of dough into the oil and it rises immediately - the oil is too hot.) If it takes a while to rise then it's too cold. If it takes 1-2 seconds to rise to the top then the oil temperature is perfect. Now hold the machine over the pan, turn the handle - the sev will start to fall into the hot oil. As it falls into the oil, slowly move the machine in a circular motion (Starting from the outside working your way to the centre.) Reverse the handle a bit to stop it coming out. Fry both the sides until crispy - about a minute on each side. Remove it using a slotted spoon. Place it in a colander. Continue the same process for remaining dough. Let it cool completely, as it cools it will become crispier. Fry the corn poha in the same hot oil. As soon as it puffs up, drain in a colander - set aside. Now heat some oil in a pan then toss in the curry leaves - fry until crispy then place onto a paper towel. In the same pan - fry the chilies until crispy then place onto a paper towel. Now toss in the nuts and cook for about 2-3 minutes (careful not to overcook as they will burn). When cooked - place in a colander. Finally spoon in the fennel seeds and cook for a few seconds - remove and place onto a paper towel. To assemble: place the sev into a large bowl - break it up into pieces with your fingers. Toss in the cooked poha (cornflakes), nuts, curry leaves and chillies. Season with salt and chilli powder. Mix well Enjoy 😀