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I call it the spicy and savory Indian version of trail mix and it’s my favorite tea-time snack. Masala Chivda can be made using a variety of ingredients like Poha, oats, kurmura or murmura, makhana, cornflakes, sabudana, corn, or cereals like Rice Krispies or cornflakes. Poha chivda and Cereal chivda are the most popular recipes of them all. You can also make tiny crispy fried fritters using chickpea (Kara Boondi) or rice flour and make chivda using it. There are many cuisines in India that make Farali chivda but the recipe I love is made Maharashtian style because that is what I grew up eating. This Faral recipe is also Jain-friendly since it doesn’t contain onion or garlic. In South India, it’s simply called a Mixture because it is basically a mixture of a variety of spicy dried ingredients. In many homes, it’s made in large batches (mostly around Diwali time) so that it lasts a couple of months. Rice Krispies cereal is very similar to Poha or puffed rice. Rice Krispies are light, airy, mildly sweet, perfectly crispy, and have a nice flavor. Using Rice Krispies cereal to make chivda is so convenient! They are more easily accessible in comparison to Poha. No roasting is required as they are already crispy. I just fry the spices and nuts before adding the ready cereal. Mix and store! Maharashtrian chivda is my go-to snack to munch at midnight or whenever hunger strikes! Warning - This Indian snack is extremely addictive and you will be making it on repeat! Spices - green chillies, curry leaves, mustard seeds, turmeric, red chilly powder, asafoetida, and amchur powder (optional and not in the image above) provide a lot of flavor and aromatic warmth to the chiwda. Nuts and lentils - peanuts, cashews, and chana dal or you can also use roasted gram are used in this Diwali namkeen snack recipe. They provide protein and healthy fats. Ensure they are not stale or else it will spoil the flavor of the masala chivda. You can either use plain roasted peanuts or masala peanuts.
Another unique fun way to serve this delicious Diwali chivda is to serve it in single-serve bowls with chopped onions, tomato, green chillies, cilantro, finely cut raw mango, and boiled and chopped potatoes. You can also throw in some green chutney and sweet tamarind chutney. Finish it off by sprinkling some chaat masala and nylon sev on top followed by some lemon juice. You can also ask your guests to make their own Spiced Krispie Chaat by placing all these items in separate bowls on the counter.
