Although Chivda is prepared with roasted poha, it doesn’t have any strict recipe rule. You can add all sorts of assorted crunchy bites to make it as per your liking. It is one of the most popular Diwali Party Food.
Ingredient Notes:
Poha (Flattened Rice) – Use the thin or medium thin textured poha. Avoid using the thick variety. Rice Krispies or Puffed rice – Both rice krispies and puffed rice works excellent in this snack mix. Puffed Rice is more popular in India as compared to Rice Krispies. Makhana (Fox Nuts) – We are a big fan of phool makhana and often enjoy it roasted with spices. If you are not familiar with this variety of nuts, go find some in any nearby Indian store. These taste like popcorns. Peanuts and Cashew nuts – Avoid it if you have nut allergy. You can use the other variety of nuts too. Raisins – My fav part in Chivda. It adds a lovely sweet bite in between. Fresh Curry Leaves – Fresh curry leaves, not only adds a lovely flavor, it also adds a green pop of color to the chivda. Dry Red Chili – I add a few dry red chili, which doesn’t makes the Chivda spicy. It adds flavor. And sometimes a tiny bite of the roasted dry red chili along with chivda and tea just uplifts the taste bud.
Spices :
The sour taste of dry mango powder and chaat masala, along with sugar and chili powder, gives a lovely savory and sweet combination to the Makhana Poha chivda.
Dry Mango Powder (Aam Chur)Chaat MasalaTurmericChili PowderSaltSugar
How to make Chivda?
You can make Chivda either in the stove top in a pan or in the oven. I personally love the oven baked as it is so effortless and tastes equally good as the stove top version. To prepare in the Stove Top:
Take a big heavy bottom pan and start by dry roasting the poha (flattened rice) and phool makhana (fox nuts).Then in a little oil, toast the nuts, dry red chili, raisins, curry leaves and add the spice powder. A quick toss is all it needs.Next, toss the roasted poha and makhana along with rice krispee or puffed rice.Taste for salt and add more if needed.Layer the cooked chivda in a cookie sheet and let it cool completely before you store in an airtight jar.
To prepare in the Oven:
Preheat the oven to 350 FIn a cookie sheet layer the fox nuts, flattened rice, puffed rice, nuts and drizzle little oil.Then add all the spices, along with salt and sugar, and mix it all around evenly.Bake for 15 minutes by tossing once in between.Fry the curry leaves and dry red chili separately in a pan and that to the roasted poha and nut mixture.Once cooled, store in an air tight jar.
How long can you store Chivda?
Once prepared and cooled completely, store in an airtight jar. It stays good for several weeks and if kept properly, it will stay crunchy too. You can easily find Chivda in any Indian stores. And while I often go and buy a packet every other day. Diwali called for the homemade assorted version. Also, homemade Chivda is healthy as I don’t fry the poha instead just dry roast in a pan. Chivda, a cup of chai and a game of cards to celebrate the festival of light.
FUN FACTS:
According to Indian Mythology, Goddess Parvati was playing the game of dice with Lord Shiva on the night of diwali. After winning, Goddess Parvati announced that whoever gambled on the Diwali night, would remain wealthy throughout the year. So, most of the people gamble that night, they believe the night to be lucky one.
