Poha Chevdo or Chivda
Chevdo or Chivda is a tea-time snack very popular in India. It’s made with flattened rice known as poha, dry fruits, and basic spices. It’s crispy, nuts provide crunch and nuttiness, and its savory and slightly sweet.
Like every other recipe, every household has some different variation to this snack.
I will share two techniques you can try this out.
- Roasted in a pan – small batch quicker.
- Roasted in the oven – big batch easier.
Both recipes have same ingredients, but stove top pan method is what we usually make, but when you have a huge group of gathering oven can be handy. The poha we will use for this recipe is thin variety. There are two varieties available in the stores.
We make this very regularly as a snack but specially during Diwali festival, you find everyone making this at home. Even though, its so popular or common, it’s very delicious. I love carrying it when we travel for leisure snacking.
Recently we went to Wyoming, I made some of this and carried with me. We loved snacking on it with our tea or coffee.
For the oven method – Roast the poha at 300 F for about 10-15 minutes. Keep tossing it in between to make sure it’s not getting burnt.
Temper the spices in oil on stove top, and then mix them in the roasted poha. Mix everything very well. This method is very useful if you are making a huge batch for any festivities or gatherings.
I opt for stove top method as I prefer to make small batches.
Some tips or points to consider:
- Roast on a low flame because thin poha is delicate and can start to get burnt.
- While stirring the poha be gentle. If stirred too much it will break down as its very thin and delicate.
- The test out if its roasted properly, it should have crisp texture and does not taste raw.
Storage – Once it cools down, it can be stored in an air-tight container or even ziplock bag. It usually lasts long time as its dry snack.
This poha chevdo is so nostalgic and brings back childhood memories and specially during Diwali gatherings we often make it. Every family you visit usually makes it too.
Poha Chevdo/Chivda
Ingredients
- 3 cups thin poha
- 4 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp Mustard seeds
- ½ tsp Cumin seeds
- 5-6 Curry leaves
- 2 tbsp cashews
- 1/3 cup peanuts
- 2 tbsp raisins
- 2 green chilies or red chilies chopped
- 2-3 tbsp dalia split chickpeas
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- ¼ cup dry coconut flakes
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
- 1 tbsp confectioner’s sugar optional
Instructions
- In a large pan on medium to slow heat up oil.
- Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and let them splutter. Once they splutter, add curry leaves, cashews, peanuts, raisins, chili, dalia, sesame seeds, fennel seeds, coconut flakes.
- Lower the heat, you want to roast everything in oil. Make sure it does not get burnt. Add turmeric and salt. Mix gently and let it cook at low heat. Only stir if needed. You don’t want to break the poha. Once the poha crisp up, about 10 mins. Add confectioner's sugar, its optional. Turn off the flame.
- Let it cool down and transfer it to a air-tight container. It can be stored for at least 2 weeks.