Chivda Recipe

Chivda

5.0

(3)

3 Reviews

Popular during Diwali, this snack mix has many variations. Yamini Joshi's version, which she keeps on hand for visitors during the holiday, includes crispy rice flakes, nuts, shredded coconut, spices, seeds, raisins, and roasted split chickpeas. Fragrant from curry leaves, sour from ground dried pomegranate arils, and lightly smoky from black salt, it's a crunchy, chewy blend that's wonderful with hot chai.

Food & Wine Editors

Updated on July 20, 2023

Tested by

Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Chivda — Photo: Photo by Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Thom Driver

Total Time:

20 mins

Servings:

Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

2 teaspoons ground anardana (dried pomegranate arils)
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon black salt
4 cups thin poha (flattened rice flakes) (about 7 ounces)
3 tablespoons corn oil, peanut oil, or untoasted sesame oil
.50 cup raw skin-on peanuts (about 2 1/2 ounces)
.50 cup raw cashews (about 2 1/2 ounces)
.50 cup unsweetened shaved dried coconut (about 3/4 ounce)
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 tablespoon white poppy seeds
1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
1 - 4 fresh Indian green chiles or Thai green chiles, to taste, thinly sliced
12 - 15 fresh curry leaves, to taste
¼ teaspoon asafoetida (hing) powder
.50 cup dalia (roasted split chickpeas) (about 1 3/4 ounces)
.3333 cup black raisins (about 1 3/4 ounces)
1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chile powder (optional)
.50 teaspoon ground turmeric

Directions

Stir together anardana, kosher salt, sugar, and black salt in a small bowl; set masala mixture aside.
Place poha in a large (12-inch) heavy-bottomed high-sided skillet; place a large bowl nearby. Cook poha over medium, stirring constantly, until it starts to dry out and crisp but doesn't pick up any color, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to large bowl. Wipe out any dust from skillet. Return skillet to heat over medium, and add oil. Add peanuts; cook, stirring constantly, until lightly browned and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes, reducing heat if peanuts brown too quickly. Remove peanuts using a slotted spoon, and add to poha in bowl. Add cashews to skillet; cook, stirring constantly, until lightly browned, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Transfer to poha mixture in bowl. Add dried coconut to skillet; cook, stirring constantly, until lightly browned, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Transfer to poha mixture in bowl. Add mustard seeds to skillet. (They will foam up and may pop.) Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 30 to 40 seconds. Add fennel seeds, poppy seeds, and sesame seeds to skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 30 to 40 seconds. Add chiles and curry leaves. (These will crackle, and some seeds will pop out of skillet.) Cook, stirring constantly, until chiles are just softened and leaves are wilted, 30 to 45 seconds. Add asafoetida; cook, stirring constantly, 15 seconds. Add dalia; cook, stirring constantly, 15 seconds. Add raisins; cook, stirring constantly, 15 seconds. Add chile powder (if using) and turmeric; cook, stirring constantly, 20 seconds. Add reserved masala mixture; cook, stirring constantly, 5 seconds. Immediately add chile mixture to poha mixture in bowl; stir until well combined. Season with additional kosher salt to taste.