Vegan Chivda With Rice Krispies

What is Chivda

Chivda also known as Chiwda, Chevdo, Chevro, Mixture, Farsan, Namkeen, or Farali is a popular savory dry Indian snack mix recipe. Chivda has a sweet and spicy flavor and is mixed with dry nuts and other seasonings to make it even more appetizing. It is crispy, and crunchy because it's either deep-fried or roasted. In the fried version, every ingredient is deep-fried fine sieve ladle and then mixed together along with spices. The roasted version is a lighter version where all the ingredients are sauteed in a little oil.

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.

A Diwali tradition

One of the popular Diwali traditions is to distribute sweet and savory dry Indian snacks like these to friends, family, and neighbors. Everyone shares the food they made at home or bought from the store. Chivda is a dish that's always made during this time of the year and shared with all. I too hand out homemade goodies to our friends and neighbors here in the US. I also include a small gift from the South Asian small businesses I like to support, in my Diwali food hamper.

Why Rice Krispies cereal

Making chivda at home is far more healthier than buying them from stores. I have stopped making masala chivda with Poha now and only use Rice Krispies cereal instead! It has been a game-changer! This cereal chivda recipe was created accidentally! I had a packet of leftover Rice Krispies cereal that I had gotten for my friend's kids when they were visiting us. Since I had made cornflakes chivda before, I knew I could use this cereal to make Namkeen chivda too. It worked! This recipe is a great way to use leftover cereal!

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!

Why make this

• Make it in just 5 minutes
• No frying or prior roasting required
• Easy, simple make-ahead snack
• Made with easily available 10 ingredients
• Long shelf life - lasts for 8-10 weeks
• Is healthy, vegan, and gluten-free

Rice Krispie cereal - You will need the unsweetened plain variety of Rice Krispies to make this homemade chiwda recipe. It should not be too sweet. Mildly sweet is fine. Use any brand of Rice Krispies. It should be fresh and not have lost its crunch. You can also use brown Rice Krispies. This recipe is a great way to serve Rice Krispies in a different way!

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.

1. Heat oil in a big deep dish pan or a wok. Once the oil is hot, temper mustard seeds and chana dal. Next, add curry leaves and chopped green chillies. Fry for 45 seconds.
2. Now add the cashews and peanuts. Fry all of this for a minute or till the nuts turn light golden.
3. Then add spices powders like turmeric powder, asafoetida, and chilly powder along with salt. Mix the spice powders with other ingredients and continue to fry for a minute.
4. Lastly, add the Rice Krispies to the pan. Lower the flame and mix it together so that the oil mixture coats the rice flakes well. Do a final taste test and adjust the seasonings as needed.

Turn the flame off.  Remove the pan from the heat. Let it cool down completely before storing it in a dry airtight container. Enjoy it as a light in-between meal snack! Rice Krispie Chivda is best enjoyed with your evening tea or coffee. It can also be eaten as a snack between meals, as an after-school snack, or as a midnight snack! You can also pack this namkeen as food gifts for your loved ones during Diwali or the holidays. We also serve this savory Indian snack mix to guests as a light snack or pack it as travel food.

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.

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