Chivda : A quick evening snack

At the onset of kids' vacations or even during daily tea time, we feel the need for some interesting snacks. While the market these days are flooded with varieties of snacks, at times you might feel the need or like to have something home-made. Ofcourse, none so complex to prepare but something that you can put together in a few minutes.

One such irresistible snack is the famous 'Chivda'. It has variations to it and can be made based on your creativity. This is a healthy and interesting snack which might attract the kids as well.

Here am sharing a very simple 'chivda' made out of puffed rice and flattened rice (poha).

 Ingredients:

  

1. Flattened Rice (white / red) : 2 cups
2. Puffed Rice (pori) : 2 cups
3. Peanuts / Ground nuts(raw or fried) : 1/4 - 1/2 cup (remove the skin)
4. Roasted Gram Dhal : 1/4 cup (or lesser as preferred)
5. Green Chillies : 2-4 slit vertically (as per your spice preference)
6. Curry leaves : 6-10 (as per your taste)
7. Dry Fruits: Add desired dry fruits in balance quantity
8. Turmeric powder : 2 pinch
9. Salt : Per Taste
10. Mustard seeds: Optional (just a tspn)
11. Oil : 2 tbspn (doesn't require much oil as per the quantity you are making)
12. Asafoetida: a pinch
13. Dried coconut : Thin slices - 5-10 numbers

Method:

Chivda is just a mix of all the above ingredients fried till crunchy/crispy and mixed together with salt.

1. In a kadai (cooking vessel), add oil. When the oil is little warm, add mustard seeds. 
2. As they crackle, add curry leaves, chillies, turmeric powder. Fry them till they become crispy. 
3. Add the roasted gram dhal and saute it for a few minutes
4. Add the flattened rice and fry them till they become crispy. 
5. Add the puffed rice and saute for a minute
6. Finally, add the fried ground nuts [If raw ground nuts, then fry them first with some salt. If you are using the readily fried/salted peanuts then you can use them as is (ensure they are crunchy). Remove the skin once cooled. Then, add it to the other fried ingredients in the kadai]
7. Fry the coconut pieces and add them to the kadai
8. Add the dry fruits you like (I added only dried grapes)
9. Remove from fire and sprinkle salt. Mix well
10. Remove it to a broader plate or bowl and allow it to cool for sometime
11. Place it in a air-tight container

Note:

1. You can make chivda out of Oats / Sabudhana
2. Use Red Chillies as an alternative for Green chillies
3. Next time, I plan to sprinkle some Chaat masala as well :)
4. Ensure its cooled completely before you store else it might become soggy

Yummy and crunchy tea-time snack is now ready. Try & share your feedback and more suggestions. Happy snacking :)