Poha, also known as chivda, is flattened rice, and the Poha Chivda Namkeen is a beloved traditional snack in Indian households. This crispy mixture, made by frying poha along with nuts, spices, and curry leaves, continues to be a favorite snack during festivals like Diwali and Holi. The crunchy texture and flavorful spices make it a perfect tea-time treat or festive snack.
In this recipe, I focus on the traditional method of making Poha Chivda, which involves frying the poha for that classic taste. While many still love this method, there’s also a growing trend of preparing it in an air fryer for a healthier option.
Whether you stick to the traditional frying or opt for the air-fried version, Poha Chivda Namkeen remains a delicious and easy-to-make snack that wins hearts across generations.
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History and tradition about poha namkeen
Poha Chivda Namkeen is a beloved Indian snack that likely originated from the regions where poha (flattened rice) is especially popular, such as Maharashtra and Indore in Madhya Pradesh. While the exact origins are unclear, this crispy and flavorful snack has deep roots in these areas, where poha is a staple. My mother-in-law, who passed the recipe down to me, learned how to make Poha Chivda from a local neighbor back in the early 1980s. That neighbor was from Maharashtra, which further suggests that this savory delight might have its roots there. Perfect for teatime or as a light snack, Poha Chivda Namkeen combines the goodness of poha with a medley of spices and crunchy ingredients, making it an irresistible treat.
Method to make poha chivda
- Fry nuts and spices: Heat oil in a pan or kadhai and gently fry almonds, cashews, dried coconut chips, sliced onions, chopped green chillies, and curry leaves until golden, then set aside.
- Puff the poha: Fry thick poha in hot oil until it puffs up, then keep it aside.
- Prepare the tempering: Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pan, then add asafoetida, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, mustard seeds, and turmeric powder.
- Roast the poha: Add thin poha to the pan and gently mix, roasting on low heat for 3-4 minutes until it turns crunchy.
- Mix in the flavors: Add raisins, fried ingredients, salt, black salt, coriander powder, red chilli powder, fennel powder, chaat masala, and powdered sugar. Mix everything well.
- Add lemon for tang: Squeeze the juice of a lemon and mix it into the chivda for a tangy twist.
- Store properly: Store the Poha Chivda Namkeen in an airtight container for freshness, and enjoy it over the next 2-3 weeks.
Useful Tips
- Dry roast nuts for a healthier, less oily version of Poha Chivda Namkeen.
- Adjust the amount of thick poha based on your preference for a customisable texture.
- Choose between thick or thin poha: skip fried thick poha or use only fried thick poha while omitting the thin version.
- Roast thin poha on low heat to avoid burning or browning, ensuring it stays crisp without becoming too hard to chew.
- Sieve poha before frying or roasting to prevent powdered poha from burning in the oil, preserving the taste and texture.
Storage solution
The beautiful part of this chivda namkeen is that you can easily store it for 2-3 weeks in an airtight container.
Why should you make this poha chivda namkeen
- Traditional Recipe: Poha Chivda Namkeen is a time-honored homemade snack, offering unmatched quality compared to store-bought mixtures.
- Versatile Snack: Perfect for breakfast or as an anytime snack, this namkeen is always handy when hunger strikes.
- Quick and Satisfying: It’s a filling snack that curbs hunger in minutes, making it a great go-to option.
- Festive Favorite: Like gujiyas for Holi and Diwali, Poha Chivda Namkeen is a must-have treat during festive celebrations.
Recipe Card
Poha Chivda
Ingredients
- 5 Cup Thin Poha/Flattened Rice
- 1/4 cup Peanut
- 4 tbsp Almond
- 4 tbsp Cashews cut into halves
- 3 tbsp Dried Coconut chips
- 4 tbsp Raisins
- 1 Onion thinly sliced
- 2 Green chillies Chopped
- 10-12 Curry leaves
- 1/2 cup Thick Poha
- 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
- 1/2 tsp Fennel seeds
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- 1 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1.5 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black salt
- 1 tsp Red chilli powder
- 1 tsp Coriander powder
- 1 tsp Fennel powder
- 1/2 tsp Asafoetida
- 1 tsp Chat Masala
- 2 tbsp Powdered Sugar
- 1 Lemon
- 2 tbsp Oil
- Oil For deep frying
Instructions
- Heat oil in a Pan/Kadhai and gently fry Almonds, Cashews, dried coconut chips, sliced onion, chopped green chillies and curry leaves with the help of a strainer as shown in video till they are golden. Keep aside.
- Now fry the thick poha and it will puff, Keep aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a big pan and add Asafoetida, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, mustard seeds, and turmeric powder.
- Add thin poha and gently mix and roast it on slow heat for 3-4 minutes so that it becomes crunchy.
- Add raisins and all the fried things from step 1 and mix. Add Salt, Black salt coriander powder, red chilli powder, fennel powder, chat masala and powdered sugar and mix everything well.
- Squeeze all the juice of lemon and add it in the mixture. Mix well and our Poha chivda is ready to serve. Keep it in a airtight container to consume it in next 2-3 weeks.Enjoy….
Video
Notes
- You can dry roast the nuts to make them less oily and for healthier version of this namkeen.
- You can adjust the quantity of thick poha in this namkeen.
- You can skip the fried thick poha and similarly you can make this mixture only with fried thick poha and skipping thin poha.
- Roast thin poha on low heat as roasting on a high flame can cause the poha to burn or brown, which will cause it to break. Also, do not roast for longer otherwise it will become hard to chew.
- Make sure to sieve the poha before frying and roasting, so as to prevent powder burning in oil.