Chivda Recipe Poha Chivda Namkeen Recipe 2 Ways

About Chivda

Chivda is a classic treat that is often enjoyed during the Diwali Festival. There are so many unique ways to prepare these snacks for any and all celebrations, and they are known by several other names like Farsan and Namkeen. The word Namkeen in Hindi means a salted or savory snack. Typically chivda recipes include a crisp base of dry rice flakes (poha) or puffed rice or lentils or sev or potato strands/sticks or makhana (foxnuts) that’s cooked and combined with a variety of nuts, dried fruits, and fragrant spices. Here I am sharing with you a Maharashtrian style chivda or namkeen recipe that is vegan and addictively delicious. It’s my personal favorite combination of ingredients for a wonderfully crispy, crunchy, sweet and salty mix of goodness. In this namkeen recipe I use a blend of cashews and peanuts, plus dried coconut and golden raisins. The mixture is tempered with bold spices, including curry and green chiles, for a terrific balance of flavors. There are two easy ways this version of chivda can be prepared: Both recipes are simple to prepare at home in under 30 minutes, so are great to make as a party snack or even for a quick (healthy-ish) evening treat. However, I will admit that the fried version does taste a bit better simply because it creates a super crispy and crunchy texture. I suggest you give both poha chivda recipes a try and find out which you like more!

How to Make Chivda Recipe

Prep and Roast Poha

1. First, measure all the ingredients and have them ready to go in separate bowls.
2. Heat a wide, thick bottomed pan or kadai with a handle. Keep the flame to a low. Then add 2 cups of thin poha (thin rice flakes) to the hot pan.
3. Roast the poha. Gently shake the pan while stirring gently so that the poha gets evenly roasted, and do not stir with a spoon. The rice flakes are papery, light and delicate! Make sure not to overdo the stirring or mixing as this will break the poha.
4. Within 3 to 4 minutes the poha flakes will change their texture and become crisp. Again, keep the heat to low and do not roast over high heat. Stir gently.
5. Remove the roasted poha on a plate and place aside.

Fry Dry Fruits and Nuts

I have here fried the nuts, lentils and raisins. But you could roast the nuts and lentils in a pan or in the oven or air-fry them. 6. Heat ⅓ cup of 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 a handle to fry the nuts.  Add ⅓ cup of peanuts and fry them till they become crisp and crunchy. Stir often while frying. 7. Remove them with a slotted spoon. Place in another dish or bowl. You can also place them on kitchen paper towels to absorb any extra oil. 8. Now add ¼ cup dry coconut slices till they become crisp and light golden or golden. 9. Remove them with a slotted spoon. Place in the same dish or bowl where you placed fried peanuts. 10. Now fry the ⅓ cup of roasted chana dal for some seconds, till they become crisp. Do not brown them. 11. Remove them with a slotted spoon. Place in the same dish or bowl. 12. Then fry ⅓ cup of cashews till they become crisp. 13. Remove the cashews with a slotted spoon. Place in the same dish or bowl. 14. Lastly, fry 2 tablespoons of raisins till they swell and become plump. 15. Remove the raisins with a slotted spoon. Place in the same dish or bowl where other fried nuts are placed.

Temper and Make Poha Chivda

16. Now heat ½ tablespoon of oil in the same pan or kadai in which the poha flakes were roasted. Lower the heat. Add 12 to 14 curry leaves, 2 chopped green chilies and a generous pinch of asafoetida (hing).
17. Stir and sauté, till the chilies and curry leaves become crisp. Sauté on a low heat.
18. Then add ¼ turmeric powder and 1 to 1.5 teaspoons salt or add salt as per taste.
19. Now add 2 teaspoons of powdered sugar.
20. Stir and sauté on low heat till the sugar begins to caramelize. Take care not to burn. Note: If you you do not want to caramelize the powdered sugar, then simply mix it with the rest of the ground spices and herbs.
21. Then add the roasted poha along with the fried ingredients – peanuts, raisins, cashews and chana dal. Shake the pan so that everything gets mixed. Do not stir but you can gently fold the ingredients together if needed.
22. Saute for 4 to 5 minutes. Continue to gently shake and mix the chivda.
23. Turn off the heat and remove the pan from the hot stovetop. Let the poha chivda sit in the hot pan for 1 to 2 minutes more.
24. Then transfer the poha chivda to another plate and let it cool at room temperature. Once cooled, serve right away as a snack or store in an airtight container to enjoy later.

Fried Poha Chivda Recipe

Among many variations of making chivda, this recipe makes use of thick poha or aval (flattened rice), dry fruits and spices and is a Maharashtrian version. I have skipped adding coconut slices in this one. If you like you can add them. All the ingredients are fried and this frying obviously makes everything crisp and crunchy and nonetheless they taste delicious too. For a low-calorie version you can check the step-by-step photo guide of the roasted poha chivda recipe shared above.

Prep Chivda Ingredients

1. First measure and take all the ingredients and keep them in individual bowls or plates.
2. Rinse the cashews, raisins (my habit to rinse both of these every time) and curry leaves. Dry them in a clean kitchen towel.

Fry Poha

3. Heat oil till its moderately hot in a kadai. Take half of the thick poha first in a fine sieve or a wired mesh strainer, that is heat proof. Make sure that the fine sieve or mesh strainer has a handle. Immerse the fine sieve ladle in the hot oil and fry the poha till they expand and become crisp. Don’t brown the poha. I have used red poha.
4. For even frying you can stir with a spoon.
5. Remove and drain the poha on a plate lined with a paper towel.

Fry Lentils, Nuts

6. Same way take the roasted chana and fry in the oil till they become crisp. Just for some seconds as they are already roasted.
7. Drain on another plate lined with a paper towel.
8. Same way fry the peanuts till crisp and crunchy.
9. Drain them too.
10. Fry the cashews till light golden.
11. Drain the cashews too.
12. Next come in the raisins.
13. Just fry till they become plump and swell. Don’t fry more as they become dense and chewy.
14. Drain the plump raisins.
15. Fry the curry leaves also the same way till they crisp. A few seconds. Drain.

Make Poha Chivda Recipe

16. Heat 1 teaspoon oil and crackle the mustard seeds. Add the cumin and sesame seeds. Fry for some seconds and then add turmeric, red chili powder, asafoetida, finely granulated sugar or powdered sugar and salt. Mix well.
17. Add the fried poha, peanuts, cashew nuts, raisins, chana dal. Crush the fried curry leaves on top. Stir well and roast for 2 to 3 minutes on a low flame. Continue to stir in between. Check the taste of chiwva mixture and then add more salt or sugar or red chili powder if required. Once the mixture has cooled, Store it in an air-tight container. Serve chivda whenever required as a tea time snack.

Expert Tips

These are mildly spiced sweet and savory chivda recipes. You can alter the spices as per your liking.When making a namkeen recipe or chiwda with poha or corn flakes or grated potatoes, always use a fine sieve ladle. In Indian markets we get these sieve with a handle and they are very helpful for frying ingredients which have small pieces or flakes. Just one equipment makes the frying process easy and a breeze. So you don’t waste time and energy trying to find out the rice flakes or the chana dal in the oil.This cooking process requires a bit of planning. So keep all the ingredients ready.Also line two to three plates or bowls with paper towels.The sieve should be dry and so the ingredients. You will be frying everything one after the other, so the prep works help and is efficient too.

Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more vegetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter. Mixture Recipe | Madras Mixture Kara Boondi Recipe | Masala Boondi Mixture Sev Recipe | Karasev | Besan Sev Omapodi Recipe This Chivda Recipe from the archives, first published in October 2016 has been republished and updated on 21 Oct 2022.

title: “Chivda Recipe Poha Chivda Namkeen Recipe 2 Ways " ShowToc: true date: “2024-09-06” author: “John Brown”

About Chivda

Chivda is a classic treat that is often enjoyed during the Diwali Festival. There are so many unique ways to prepare these snacks for any and all celebrations, and they are known by several other names like Farsan and Namkeen. The word Namkeen in Hindi means a salted or savory snack. Typically chivda recipes include a crisp base of dry rice flakes (poha) or puffed rice or lentils or sev or potato strands/sticks or makhana (foxnuts) that’s cooked and combined with a variety of nuts, dried fruits, and fragrant spices. Here I am sharing with you a Maharashtrian style chivda or namkeen recipe that is vegan and addictively delicious. It’s my personal favorite combination of ingredients for a wonderfully crispy, crunchy, sweet and salty mix of goodness. In this namkeen recipe I use a blend of cashews and peanuts, plus dried coconut and golden raisins. The mixture is tempered with bold spices, including curry and green chiles, for a terrific balance of flavors. There are two easy ways this version of chivda can be prepared: Both recipes are simple to prepare at home in under 30 minutes, so are great to make as a party snack or even for a quick (healthy-ish) evening treat. However, I will admit that the fried version does taste a bit better simply because it creates a super crispy and crunchy texture. I suggest you give both poha chivda recipes a try and find out which you like more!

How to Make Chivda Recipe

Prep and Roast Poha

1. First, measure all the ingredients and have them ready to go in separate bowls.
2. Heat a wide, thick bottomed pan or kadai with a handle. Keep the flame to a low. Then add 2 cups of thin poha (thin rice flakes) to the hot pan.
3. Roast the poha. Gently shake the pan while stirring gently so that the poha gets evenly roasted, and do not stir with a spoon. The rice flakes are papery, light and delicate! Make sure not to overdo the stirring or mixing as this will break the poha.
4. Within 3 to 4 minutes the poha flakes will change their texture and become crisp. Again, keep the heat to low and do not roast over high heat. Stir gently.
5. Remove the roasted poha on a plate and place aside.

Fry Dry Fruits and Nuts

I have here fried the nuts, lentils and raisins. But you could roast the nuts and lentils in a pan or in the oven or air-fry them. 6. Heat ⅓ cup of 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 a handle to fry the nuts.  Add ⅓ cup of peanuts and fry them till they become crisp and crunchy. Stir often while frying. 7. Remove them with a slotted spoon. Place in another dish or bowl. You can also place them on kitchen paper towels to absorb any extra oil. 8. Now add ¼ cup dry coconut slices till they become crisp and light golden or golden. 9. Remove them with a slotted spoon. Place in the same dish or bowl where you placed fried peanuts. 10. Now fry the ⅓ cup of roasted chana dal for some seconds, till they become crisp. Do not brown them. 11. Remove them with a slotted spoon. Place in the same dish or bowl. 12. Then fry ⅓ cup of cashews till they become crisp. 13. Remove the cashews with a slotted spoon. Place in the same dish or bowl. 14. Lastly, fry 2 tablespoons of raisins till they swell and become plump. 15. Remove the raisins with a slotted spoon. Place in the same dish or bowl where other fried nuts are placed.

Temper and Make Poha Chivda

16. Now heat ½ tablespoon of oil in the same pan or kadai in which the poha flakes were roasted. Lower the heat. Add 12 to 14 curry leaves, 2 chopped green chilies and a generous pinch of asafoetida (hing).
17. Stir and sauté, till the chilies and curry leaves become crisp. Sauté on a low heat.
18. Then add ¼ turmeric powder and 1 to 1.5 teaspoons salt or add salt as per taste.
19. Now add 2 teaspoons of powdered sugar.
20. Stir and sauté on low heat till the sugar begins to caramelize. Take care not to burn. Note: If you you do not want to caramelize the powdered sugar, then simply mix it with the rest of the ground spices and herbs.
21. Then add the roasted poha along with the fried ingredients – peanuts, raisins, cashews and chana dal. Shake the pan so that everything gets mixed. Do not stir but you can gently fold the ingredients together if needed.
22. Saute for 4 to 5 minutes. Continue to gently shake and mix the chivda.
23. Turn off the heat and remove the pan from the hot stovetop. Let the poha chivda sit in the hot pan for 1 to 2 minutes more.
24. Then transfer the poha chivda to another plate and let it cool at room temperature. Once cooled, serve right away as a snack or store in an airtight container to enjoy later.

Fried Poha Chivda Recipe

Among many variations of making chivda, this recipe makes use of thick poha or aval (flattened rice), dry fruits and spices and is a Maharashtrian version. I have skipped adding coconut slices in this one. If you like you can add them. All the ingredients are fried and this frying obviously makes everything crisp and crunchy and nonetheless they taste delicious too. For a low-calorie version you can check the step-by-step photo guide of the roasted poha chivda recipe shared above.

Prep Chivda Ingredients

1. First measure and take all the ingredients and keep them in individual bowls or plates.
2. Rinse the cashews, raisins (my habit to rinse both of these every time) and curry leaves. Dry them in a clean kitchen towel.

Fry Poha

3. Heat oil till its moderately hot in a kadai. Take half of the thick poha first in a fine sieve or a wired mesh strainer, that is heat proof. Make sure that the fine sieve or mesh strainer has a handle. Immerse the fine sieve ladle in the hot oil and fry the poha till they expand and become crisp. Don’t brown the poha. I have used red poha.
4. For even frying you can stir with a spoon.
5. Remove and drain the poha on a plate lined with a paper towel.

Fry Lentils, Nuts

6. Same way take the roasted chana and fry in the oil till they become crisp. Just for some seconds as they are already roasted.
7. Drain on another plate lined with a paper towel.
8. Same way fry the peanuts till crisp and crunchy.
9. Drain them too.
10. Fry the cashews till light golden.
11. Drain the cashews too.
12. Next come in the raisins.
13. Just fry till they become plump and swell. Don’t fry more as they become dense and chewy.
14. Drain the plump raisins.
15. Fry the curry leaves also the same way till they crisp. A few seconds. Drain.

Make Poha Chivda Recipe

16. Heat 1 teaspoon oil and crackle the mustard seeds. Add the cumin and sesame seeds. Fry for some seconds and then add turmeric, red chili powder, asafoetida, finely granulated sugar or powdered sugar and salt. Mix well.
17. Add the fried poha, peanuts, cashew nuts, raisins, chana dal. Crush the fried curry leaves on top. Stir well and roast for 2 to 3 minutes on a low flame. Continue to stir in between. Check the taste of chiwva mixture and then add more salt or sugar or red chili powder if required. Once the mixture has cooled, Store it in an air-tight container. Serve chivda whenever required as a tea time snack.

Expert Tips

These are mildly spiced sweet and savory chivda recipes. You can alter the spices as per your liking.When making a namkeen recipe or chiwda with poha or corn flakes or grated potatoes, always use a fine sieve ladle. In Indian markets we get these sieve with a handle and they are very helpful for frying ingredients which have small pieces or flakes. Just one equipment makes the frying process easy and a breeze. So you don’t waste time and energy trying to find out the rice flakes or the chana dal in the oil.This cooking process requires a bit of planning. So keep all the ingredients ready.Also line two to three plates or bowls with paper towels.The sieve should be dry and so the ingredients. You will be frying everything one after the other, so the prep works help and is efficient too.

Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more vegetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter. Mixture Recipe | Madras Mixture Kara Boondi Recipe | Masala Boondi Mixture Sev Recipe | Karasev | Besan Sev Omapodi Recipe This Chivda Recipe from the archives, first published in October 2016 has been republished and updated on 21 Oct 2022.