Bhujiya Sev Namkeen

Homemade Bikaneri Bhujiya Sev Namkeen: Crunchy, Delicious & Easy!

Tired of buying packaged namkeen when you can make a healthier, tastier version at home? This recipe for Bikaneri Bhujiya Sev Namkeen is a gamechanger! It’s super crunchy, flavorful, and incredibly easy to make. Your family will absolutely love it (0:00–0:14).

Ingredients:

• Flours:
  • 2 cups Besan (gram flour) (0:18, 0:29)
  • 2 cups Moong Dal Atta (moong bean flour), home-ground or store-bought (0:18, 0:22–0:27, 0:29)
• Spices (for plain sev):
  • 2 tsp Black Pepper Powder (0:40)
  • ½ tsp Asafoetida (Hing) (0:43)
  • 2-2½ tsp Salt (adjust to taste) (0:45–0:50)
• Oil:
  • ¼ cup Oil for frying (0:57)
• Water (for kneading) (1:35)
• Optional Spices (for spicy sev):
  • 1 tbsp Black Pepper (whole) (4:28)
  • 1 tsp Cloves (4:30)
  • Bay Leaf (4:32)
  • 2 Cardamoms (4:34)
  • Cinnamon (4:35)
  • Dry Ginger Powder (Saunth) (4:37)
  • Nutmeg (4:38–4:41)
  • 1½ tbsp Red Chili Powder (4:46–4:50)
  • 1 tsp Turmeric Powder (4:52)

Steps to Make Bhujiya Sev:

1. Prepare the Dough (Plain Sev):
   • Sieve both the besan and moong dal atta (0:30–0:34).
   • Add black pepper powder, hing, and salt to the flours. Mix well by hand (0:40–0:54).
   • Heat ¼ cup of oil until slightly smoking (0:57–1:00). Pour the hot oil over the flour mixture (1:02–1:04). This creates a good moana (hot oil tempering) for crunchy sev (1:07–1:12).
   • Carefully mix with a spoon first, then rub the mixture thoroughly with both hands until the oil is well incorporated and the mixture forms a fist when pressed (1:14–1:35).
   • Gradually add water, little by little, to form a tight dough. Moong dal atta and besan are soft, so be careful not to add too much water at once (1:35–1:47). If the dough is too sticky, apply a little oil to your hands (1:50–1:54). The dough should be thick for crunchy sev (1:57–2:03).
   • Let the dough rest for 10 minutes (2:04–2:05).
2. Prepare the Sev Maker:
   • Use a medium-sized mesh plate for your sev maker (2:08–2:10).
   • Lightly grease the inside of the sev maker with oil to prevent sticking (2:18–2:24).
   • Load the dough into the sev maker. Before frying, test if the sev comes out easily by giving it a spin (2:40–2:46).
3. Frying the Sev:
   • Heat oil in a pan. The oil should be lightly warm, not too hot (2:57–2:59). Use enough oil for good frying (3:00–3:05).
   • Slowly release the sev into the warm oil (3:07–3:10). Fry in two rounds, filling the oil as much as possible (3:11–3:15).
   • Set the gas flame to medium. Fry for 1 to 1.5 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure even circulation of oil (3:16–3:27).
   • Flip the sev and fry until light brown and crunchy (3:30–3:40). Each batch takes about 3 minutes to fry perfectly, absorbing very little oil (3:42–3:50).
   • When removing sev, keep the flame low (3:57–3:59). Also, keep the flame low when adding the next batch, as the oil will be hotter (4:01–4:06).
4. Make Spicy Sev (Optional):
   • For masala sev, grind whole black pepper, cloves, bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon, dry ginger powder, and nutmeg (4:28–4:41).
   • Add red chili powder and turmeric powder to the ground spices and make a fine powder (4:46–5:00).
   • Prepare the dough using the same quantities of flours, but add this masala powder along with hing and salt (5:03–5:18).
   • Add hot oil for moana and knead into a tight dough (5:28–5:37).
   • Fry in the same way as the plain sev (5:48–6:18). The turmeric will give it a beautiful golden color (6:21–6:26).
5. Storing the Sev:
   • Once all the sev is fried, gently press it down to release any trapped air and reduce its volume (6:47–6:52).
   • Store in an airtight steel container or glass jar. It stays fresh and crunchy for up to a month (7:10–7:17).

Tips for Perfect Bhujiya Sev:

1. Dough Consistency is Key: Ensure your dough is tight and firm, not watery. A thick dough guarantees extra crunchy sev (1:37–1:40, 1:57–2:03).
2. Hot Oil Moana: Using hot oil for tempering the flour mixture is crucial. This step makes the sev wonderfully crispy and delicious (0:57–1:12).
3. Oil Selection Matters: Avoid using groundnut oil for frying as it creates a lot of foam. Opt for sunflower oil or any other filtered oil for best results (5:57–6:14).