Chivda

 CHIVDA

 चिवडा 

Cooked, tested and tasted by: Sandhya Ekbote 

Photo Credit: Sandhya Ekbote 

Course : Savory

Cooking time : About 2.5 hours

List of Ingredients: 

• 1 Kg. fine Pohe (flattened rice) 

• 2 vatis Peanuts

• 2 vatis Phutanay 

• 6 vatis Murmuray

• 2 vatis Dry coconut pieces (finely chopped)

• ½ vati Sugar

• Salt to taste

• ½ vati Jeera (Cumin)

• ½ vati Ova

• ½ vati Khuskhus (Poppy seeds)

• 10 Lavangs (cloves)

• Hing (asafetida), halad (turmeric), mohri (mustard seeds), red chilly powder

• 1 Large onion, cut in long strands, baked or sun dried and then deep fried

• 4 large garlic pods - cut in long strands and then deep fried. Then crush them gently into smaller pieces at room temperature.

Procedure:

1. Turn the gas on and place a large karahi (a wok) on it. 

2. Add little oil and when it heats up add 5 vatis of pohe. Stir gently for five minutes. 

3. Remove from karahi when they are crunchy to taste and in texture. Pour them into another vessel and keep them aside.

4. This is a typical batch. Repeat the process in batches of 5 vatis of pohe till you finish treating the entire 1 kg. of pohe. 

5. Then fry all the coconut pieces in little oil. Keep them aside.

6. Then fry all the peanuts in little oil. Keep them aside.

7. Then fry all the phutanay in little oil. Keep them aside. 

8. Make a powder of ova, jeera and lavang. Keep it aside.

9. Then to the empty karahi add oil. When it is hot add mohri. 

10. When it crackles add 2 vatis of pohe to it and immediately add haldi, red chilly powder, asafetida, khuskhus and the powder of ova, jeera and lavang. 

11. Add salt and sugar also. Mix it well.

12. Add the rest of the ingredients now, that is left over pohe, peanuts and phutanay. Mix well.

13.    Add the fried onions and garlic. Mix well.

13. Then divide it in four batches and roast in karahi for five minutes/ batch.

14. Finally combine all the batches. Add murmure to this and mix well. 

15. When it comes to room temperature, box it.

16. Serve in a vati as a savory snack.

       Close up view of thin pohe

Chivda in progress

 Chivda ready to serve

Tips

1. If you use sun dried onion, then cut and spread it out on a plate and leave it outdoors to dry up (on a sunny day) for at least two days before you make the chivda. This way when you fry them, it becomes crispy quickly without absorbing excess oil! However if there is no sun, then bake them in an oven at 350 degree F, till they become dry. Then fry them.

2. This is a very popular snack made during Diwali season and for weddings as well. Try not to make it in the rainy season when the humidity can ruin its crisp and crunchy texture.

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