Chivda Mixture - A Quick and Easy Snack

This is an easier version of the traditional Mixture where you have to make a hundred different things - Boondi, Aloo chips, Maida squares, Omapodi, Karasev -  before getting the final Mixture ready to eat. I  know Mixture is laborious neverthesless worth all the effort. But, Chivda is a great option when you wanna make huge quantities of a quick snack!  It's lite, cheap and easy to get your hands on, like a free version of a great iPhone app :)

You need Poha(Aval), Pori (Puffed rice), Cashews, Groundnuts/Peanuts, Roasted gram (pottukadalai) and may be some store-bought Sev ;). My mom used to make this during Summer vacation days as we were at home all day and wanted to munch something while watching TV!

Chivda - Easy mixture

Here's how she makes it...

Ingredients -

• Poha(Aval or Flattened Rice flakes) - 2 handfuls (Use thin variety)
• Pori (Puffed rice) - 4 handfuls
• Sev/Omapodi - 200 g (I just bought a packet of Aloo Bhujia from grocery store, it cost me $1)
• Cashewnuts - 100 g
• Groundnuts/Peanuts - 150 g
• Roasted gram (Pottukadalai) - 200 g
• Roasted Moong  - 200 g (optional)
• Salted pistachios - 150 g (optional)
• Raisins - 50 g
• Sugar - 1/2 tsp (optional)
• Ghee - 1/2 tsp (optional, to roast cashews)

There is no hard and fast rule to the quantity of each ingredient; feel free to add more roasted gram or more cashews, if you love them :) 


Set A :

• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Black Mustard seeds - 2 tsp
• Curry leaves - 2 twigs
• Red chilli powder - 1 and 1/2 tsp (adjust to taste)
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Hing - a generous pinch
• Aamchur / Dry Mango powder- 1/2 tsp
• Garam masala - a generous pinch
• Salt - to taste (adjust according to quantity of nuts that are pre-salted)

How To -

• Take a big kadai/pan, heat oil and splatter mustard. Follow it with the ingredients listed in Set A. Fried curry leaves are utterly crispy and  soo good to eat!

• First, add Thin Poha/Aval/ Flattened rice flakes and fry well in the spice-oil mixture. This step is important as, poha does not taste good, if raw!

Flattened Rice flakes / Poha getting fried

• After 5-7 minutes, add peanuts and cashews and roast them too. Add a bit of ghee, at this point, if you like :) 
• I bought roasted and salted cashews and peanuts, so added them as such. Also, I added puffed rice (Pori) and then the nuts.
• You can roast peanuts with their skin on. It tastes better that way. Add some more oil, if necessary.

Puffed rice going next

Roasted gram (Pottukadalai) and Roasted peanuts

Roasted cashewnuts

• Then, add Pottukadalai (Roasted Gram), Roasted Moong (I didn't have this) and Sev (optional, but nice to have). Add salted pistachios and some raisins, if you like. Toss everything well together. 

Raisins

Sev or Oma podi going in next

• Check for salt.

• Sprinkle sugar finally (and mix), if you like. I can see some of you showing faces at me at the mention of sugar! It's okay, sugar does add taste but it's purely optional, entirely upto you and what your family loves.

Chivda, ready to munch with coffee/tea

That's it! Chivda is ready! Store in air-tight containers. It stays good for 10 + days :)