Chivda Recipe | Poha Chivda | Namkeen Recipe

Roasting poha

1. Measure all the ingredients and keep them separately in a plate or bowl.
2. Heat a wide, thick bottomed pan or kadai with a handle.
3. Keep the flame to a low. Then add 2 cups of thin poha or rice flakes in it.
4. Roast the poha. Gently stir and shake the pan so that the poha gets evenly roasted, as a thorough constant stirring with a spoon might break the poha. Since they are papery, light and delicate.
5. Within 3 to 4 minutes the poha flakes will change their texture and become crisp. Don't roast the poha on a high flame. Since on a high flame, the poha may get browned or burned.
6. Don't brown the poha. Remove the roasted poha on a plate and place aside.

Frying dry fruits, nuts and lentils

1. Heat oil for deep frying in a small pan or tadka pan. I have used a tadka pan. Alternatively you could use a wide pan and use a heat-proof fine sieve ladle or fine mesh strainer with handle to fry the nuts.
2. Add peanuts and fry them till they become crisp. Remove them with a slotted spoon. Place in another dish or bowl.
3. Now add the dry coconut slices till they become crisp and light golden or golden. Remove them with a slotted spoon. Place in the same dish or bowl where you placed fried peanuts.
4. Now fry the roasted chana dal for some seconds, till they become crisp. Remove them with a slotted spoon. Place in the same dish or bowl.
5. Similarly fry cashews till they become crisp. Remove the cashews with a slotted spoon. Place in the same dish or bowl.
6. Lastly fry 2 tablespoon of raisins till they swell and become plump in size. Remove the raisins with a slotted spoon. Place in the same dish or bowl where other fried nuts are placed.

Tempering and making chivda

1. Heat ½ tablespoon of oil in the same pan or kadai in which the poha flakes were roasted. Lower the flame. Add curry leaves, green chilies and a generous pinch of asafoetida.
2. Stir and saute, till the chilies and curry leaves become crisp. Saute on a low flame.
3. Then add sprinkle ¼ turmeric powder and 1 to 1.5 teaspoons salt or add salt as per taste.
4. Now add 2 teaspoons of powdered sugar.
5. On a low flame, stir till the powdered sugar till it is mixed evenly or starts caramelizing.
6. Then add the roasted poha along with the fried ingredients - peanuts, raisins, cashews and chana dal. Shake the pan so that everything gets mixed. If stirring, the stir gently and lightly.
7. Roast for 4 to 5 minutes. Preferably shake and mix the chivda mixture by shaking the pan. If stirring, then gently stir. Don't apply too much force while stirring else the poha flakes might break.
8. Switch off the flame. Let the poha chivda sit in the hot pan for 1 to 2 mins more.
9. Then remove the poha chivda in another plate and let it cool at room temperature. Once cooled, then store in an air-tight box and container. It keeps well for about a week.
10. Serve the chivda as a tea time snack.