As much as we Indians love sweets we need our fair share of savory snacks for Diwali. The variety of snacks prepared in every household is just mind boggling with specialties from all regions. Some of these snacks can require elaborate preparation, like samosa, chakli, dahi bhalla, handvo but some are as simple as a spiced savory trail mix style snack called Chivda. It has got different names, different ingredients but it so make a major part of the savories during Diwali celebrations.
Update October 9, 2022
Added video on YouTube
Chivda is often made with poha and nuts, which are traditionally deep fried but you can roast them if you’re looking for a healthy option. Poha is rice which is flattened into light dry flakes. The rice is parboiled before flattening so that it can be consumed with very little to no cooking (From Wkikpedia).
Poha Chivda is an easy and simple snack to make at home. Most of the ingredients are dry roasted and oil is only used for tempering. I love to make it in a large batch as it makes a perfect dry snack to munch on while enjoying a cup of tea. Also it makes a great edible gift option during festivals like Diwali and has a long shelf life if stored properly.
The ingredients used in preparing the poha chivda are easily available in all Canadian grocery stores. I have used thin variety of chivda, red skinned peanuts, whole cashews, dried coconut pieces and curry leaves. There are no hard and fast rules what ingredients go in the poha chivda. If you like, you could add roasted chickpeas, some seeds, potato chips, dry chilies and sev (fried noodles). If you can’t get your hands on curry leaves, omit. Nothing can replicate their unique aroma.
Poha Chivda can be eaten by itself or jazzed up (just before serving) with a bit of chopped onion, green chili, and a squeeze of lemon.
Curry leaves
An addictive crunchy snack made with rice flakes, nuts and spices.
Ingredients
- 400 g (4 cups) poha
- 165 g ( 1 cup) raw peanuts
- 130 g (1 cup) raw cashews
- 20 gm (1/3 cup) dried coconut slices
- 60 g (1/3 cup) golden raisins
- 1/4 cup oil
- 10-15 curry leaves
- 1-2 tsp amchur (dried mango) powder
- 2 tsp powdered sugar
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 3/4 tsp red chili powder or more to taste
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F
- Place poha in a single layer on a cookie tray and roast for 15 -20 minutes, until crispy. Stir once to ensure even roasting (They won't much change in color but will get crisp and shrink in volume). Transfer poha to a large mixing bowl.
- To the same baking tray, add peanuts and cashews. Roast at 350° F until the nuts are golden brown in color, for about 10-15 minutes (Stir twice in between).
- Transfer the roasted nuts to the same bowl as poha.
- Heat oil in pan or wok. Once the oil is hot, add the raisins and fry for a minutes until swell up. Remove to the same bowl as poha and nuts.
- To the same oil add curry leaves, they'll crackle as soon as they hit the oil. Throw in coconut pieces, stir once.
- Take pan off the heat, add turmeric powder and immediately add the tempering to the chivda.
- Season with sugar, salt, red chili powder and amchur powder. Gently mix everything.
- Let cool completely and store chivda mixture in an airtight container.
Malti Sharma
Hi Neetu, this is a perfect munchie I remember from my chidhood. It was always fried and for that reason I never made it myself. Its wonderful to know that it can be baked at home with much less oil. Thank you!
Balvinder
It has been my favorite for all time and I stopped making it for the same reason because it absorbs so much oil when fried. Now I am pretty satisfied with my experiment.
Bam's Kitchen
That is a very interesting combination for the munchies. How would you describe chivda? I have never tried this before or maybe I have but just did not know the name of it. Wishing you a super weekend. BAM
Balvinder
Chivda is easily digestible form of rice. It is dehusked which is flattened into flat dry flakes. They come in varied thickness and are used in making different foods. I posted a breakfast dish(poha) in the beginning of the year which was made from chivda.
Have nice weekend to you and I will find out, why am I not able to comment on your blog.
Blackswan
Indians love snacks?? Mmmm…….. I must be half-Indian then! Hahaha! Wouldn’t it be nice if we’re neighbours?? I wanna try some of your home-made snacks!!
Balvinder
Of course we can be neighbours or I can ship some homemade snacks to you.
yummychunklet
Delicious looking dish!
anne
Bal , your nibble looks delicious ! Indian rice flakes looks like the Filipino pinipig though our version is made from glutinous rice 😀
Coffee and Crumpets
My father is a chivda fanatic! He buys bags and bags of it and then started the craze with my American children! They love this stuff too, but I don’t really make it. Just buy the packaged stuff. It’s amazing my kids who love junk like hot Cheetos also love spicy chivda mix 🙂 Makes me quite proud as an Indian though 🙂 This is much healthier and since I’ve outlawed Hot Cheetos, I may have to make this for them. Looks wonderful and easy Balvinder. Thanks!
Nazneen
Balvinder
Its the same with my daughter, she loves some of the spicy Indian snacks. Thank you, I appreciate your comment.
charu
Yummy, I wish I was your neighbour.. and a great low fat solution.. btw my mom has been making microwave chidva.. & its quite tasty too…thanks for inspiring me to go make a new batch.. 🙂 charu
Balvinder
I would love to know more about microwave chivda. I am sure she would keep the chivda in a bowl, does it get evenly cooked?
Sugar et al
This is a all time favourite in my house and I have managed to carry store bought ones with me from India. I love that you have baked it and turned it into a guilt free snack. Can’t wait to make this recipe!
Balvinder
Mine too, My mom used to make it especially during Diwali and summer vacation and we loved munching this mixture while watching TV( It was our popcorn).
Nava Krishnan
Nice combo of ingredients and flavor. One of my fav but been long time since I have tasted. That crunch from rice flakes and peanuts is so good. We don’t get mango powder over here, so I need to look for something else to replace it.
Balvinder
Nava, mango powder is not essential but a little bit of tart flavor with sweet and spicy goes a long way. If you get chaat masala, you can put that or replace mango powder with 1/8 tsp citric acid.
Jennifer Eloff
Ah, I must have some Indian blood in me. I like snacking too! 😉
Juliana
I never heard of chivda, and the way you describe sounds addictive…sweet and a touch of spiciness…I think I could much on these all day long…
Thanks for introducing me to something new Balvinder.
Have a wonderful week ahead my dear 😀
Sarvani (baker in disguise)
I can eat chivda by the bowlful especially around the 4 pm time..ma makes it at home.. but she always does it the old-fashioned way.. I love love the way you’ve made it in the oven.. am gonna try this soon.. :))
Balvinder
I used to do it the same old way for many years but when I reduced frying food I had to look up for other ways to cook my favorite food. Baking do not puff the chivda but it gets nice and crisp.
Asmita
Hi,
I love chivda and is my favorite snack at tea time. This looks amazing!
Amelia
Hi Balvinder, very interesting recipe, something new to me but it look so good and healthy. 🙂
Looking at the ingredients, it must be very flavorful and delicious.
sm
Balvinder,
My daughter has celiac disease and we’ve been warned off any processed cereals that are not certified gluten-free. Do you know of a source for certified gf poha, or do you just use regular poha? We’re too scared to use the regular poha for her due to cross contamination concerns.
Balvinder
Hi Shabnam, I am gluten intolerant, not celiac, but I do all my recipes gluten free that are good for celiac, if I am doubtful I write it on my blog. Rice flakes are not processed with wheat as in oats, if you are still scared, buy from a store that sells gluten free things, their cross contamination is not possible.
sm
Thanks. But haven’t been able to find gf poha anywhere in the usa or online, (except, I think… in the UK). If anyone knows, I’d love to find out….
Balvinder
If you are daughter seriously get ill due to cross contamination, you should try making poha with brown rice flakes. It is labeled gluten free in specialty store. Where exactly do you live in US?
I saw this on amazon.com http://www.amazon.co.uk/FLAKES-GLUTEN-CEREAL-BREAKFAST-FLATTENED/dp/B00C89KB00.
John / Kitchen Riffs
I don’t think I’ve ever had poha. I know I haven’t heard of it. Sounds neat — in fact this whole dish sounds wonderful. Thanks!
Abbe@This is How I Cook
I’ve not heard of this but I do think I could snack on it quite nicely!
Judee
Wow! It looks so good. I love Indian cuisine with all the healthy spices and flavors. I am not familiar with Poha but I love learning about new foods. thanks
laura
Balvinder, this dish sounds so tasty and full of flavor and texture! Such a festive addition!
Rahul @samosastreet
Love to make roasted poha during diwali. Its so easy to make and perfect companion for the cup of joe. Loved the addition of dry mango powder. I am gonna try it next time I make it
Dennis Yannakos
It tastes better with sugar but I decided not to add sugar and it becomes my healthy snack! Thanks a lot for sharing it!
Aarthi | Prepbowls
I haven’t made this , but tried it when one of my friend shared it with us. We loved it, and wanted to try making it , and this recipe is just perfect. Like all the cashews nut, coconuts and peanuts in this recipe, thank you for sharing it, Balvinder!
Heidi | The Frugal Girls
This is such a tasty fun snack idea. I love that you can make it ahead of time!!
Carol
I feel like I took a short exotic trip. The snack looks appetizing!