• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Cook with Kushi
  • Home
  • About
    • Privacy policy
    • Disclaimer
  • Advertise
  • FAQ
  • Contact Me
  • Media
  • Blog
  • Easy and Healthy Recipes for the Family
  • Recipe Index
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Resources
  • About
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Resources
    • About
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Indian Snacks

    Poha Chivda | Indian Homemade Snack | Diwali Namkeen

    Published: Apr 11, 2018 · Modified: Oct 31, 2023 by Kushi · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Poha Chivda is a quick and easy-to-make, crispy, and addictive Indian snack or namkeen packed with sweet, spicy, and salty flavors prepared in less than 20 minutes. These savory rice flakes are a great substitute for chips.

    While you are here, also check out some of the best evening snacks and traditional Diwali party snacks.

    Poha Chivda Recipe  | Easy Diwali Namkeen | Quick Indian Evening Snack with tea or coffee.

    Jump to:
    • Recipe card
    • Why you'll love this recipe?
    • Ingredients
    • Making of the best poha chivda namkeen
    • Chef tips to make the crispy poha chivda
    • Storage and Make ahead
    • Recipe FAQs
    • More quick snacks at home
    • User Reviews

    Recipe card

    Poha Chivda Recipe | Easy Diwali Namkeen | Quick Indian Evening Snack with tea or coffee.

    Poha Chivda | Diwali Namkeen | Quick Indian Snack

    Kushi
    Poha Chivda is a quick and easy-to-make, crispy, and addictive Indian snack or namkeen packed with sweet, spicy, and salty flavors prepared in less than 20 minutes. These savory rice flakes are a great substitute for chips.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 15 minutes mins
    Course Snack
    Cuisine Indian
    Servings 6
    Calories 114 kcal

    Equipment

    • Pan

    Ingredients
      

    Use nuts and spices of your choice while making chivda snack

    • 2 cups Thin poha Flattened rice or Beaten Rice Flakes
    • 1 tablespoon Coconut oil or Vegetable oil
    • 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
    • 1 Green chile finely chopped
    • 1 teaspoon Ginger grated optional
    • 2 Garlic cloves crushed, optional
    • 8 to 10 Curry leaves
    • 1 tablespoon Chana dal
    • 3 to 4 tablespoon Peanuts Almonds, Cashew chopped (you can use 1 tablespoon each of almonds, cashews, peanuts, or any one of your choice)
    • 1 tablespoon Raisins optional
    • 1 tablespoon Coconut slices optional
    • 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds jeera optional
    • ¼ teaspoon Asafoetida / Hing
    • ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
    • ¼ teaspoon Red chile powder
    • Salt to taste
    • 2 teaspoon Sugar

    Instructions
     

    Dry roast the poha

    • Heat a non-stick pan on medium heat. Once the pan is hot, switch the flame to low.
    • To this, add poha and dry roast for 2 to 3 minutes till the poha becomes crispy and crunchy.
      2 cups Thin poha
    • Transfer the roasted poha to a plate.

    Roast all the nuts and spices

    • In the same pan, add coconut oil. Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds.
      1 tablespoon Coconut oil or Vegetable oil
    • When the mustard seeds start to splutter, add green chile, ginger, garlic, and curry leaves and saute until they turn crisp.
      1 teaspoon Mustard seeds, 1 Green chile, 1 teaspoon Ginger grated, 2 Garlic cloves, 8 to 10 Curry leaves
    • Next, add chana dal, almonds (cashews/peanuts), raisins, dry coconut slices, and cumin seeds and saute till they become light golden in color and crispy. Make sure the flame is low.
      1 tablespoon Chana dal, 3 to 4 tablespoon Peanuts, 1 tablespoon Raisins, 1 tablespoon Coconut slices, 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
    • Now add hing/asafoetida, turmeric powder, red chile powder, salt, and sugar and saute for 30 seconds.
      ¼ teaspoon Asafoetida / Hing, ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder, ¼ teaspoon Red chile powder, Salt, 2 teaspoon Sugar
    • To this, add the roasted poha and toss lightly till everything is well incorporated and saute for 2 to 3 minutes.
    • Let the chivda cool down completely. Store this in an airtight container.
    • Serve it as an evening snack with a cup of coffee or tea or as a Diwali namkeen.

    Notes

    • Use a non-stick pan or thick bottom pan to prepare this recipe.
    • Use thin poha to make chivda. 
    • Most of the ingredients here are optional. Add only those available in your pantry and what your family loves. 
    • When dry roasting the poha, do not overcrowd the pan at once. You may not get the crunchier texture. See that the poha can be spread evenly. If not, roast them in batches. 
    • Make sure the flame is on low. Otherwise, the poha and nuts will get burnt.
    • Toss or mix gently once you add the poha, or else it might break.
    • The ingredient list may look lengthy. I have listed all the ingredients that are traditionally added to make namkeen during festivals. For a quick snack, you can simply make this with minimal nuts and spices.
    • You can even roast the poha in the microwave or sun-dry the poha. 
    • Instead of poha, you can even use murmura, oats, or cornflakes to make the corn chivda.
    • If you are a beginner and worry that spices or nuts will get burnt, then you can roast each nut separately first, transfer them to the plate, make the tempering, add spices, and then combine everything together.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 114kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 3gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 78mgPotassium: 89mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 701IUVitamin C: 34mgCalcium: 25mgIron: 4mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Why you'll love this recipe?

    1. Chivda (chivra or chevda or chuda) is a popular Indian snack prepared using poha, also known as rice flakes. This is vegan and gluten-free and just needs less than 20 minutes of your time to prepare.
    2. It is a very flexible recipe where you can add spices and nuts of your choice. You have a blend of textures and flavors.
    3. You can serve this as a tea time snack, mid-day snack, Diwali party snack, or even munch when you travel.
    4. Making chivda at home is not only easy but will be tastier with all the ingredients that you love.
    Best make ahead homemade poha chivda snack or Indian namkeen for evening tea time or coffee.

    Ingredients

    Poha: Use thin poha while making chivda for best results. It is also available as rice flakes, flattened rice, or beaten rice in any Indian store. 

    Nuts and seeds: Chana dal, almonds, cashews, peanuts, raisins, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, you can add anything available in your pantry. 

    Spices: turmeric powder, hing, salt, sugar, and cumin seeds are added. 

    Other ingredients: coconut slices, green chilies, ginger, garlic, and curry leaves are optional, but adding them will only enhance the taste of your snack. 

    See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

    How to make crispy roasted poha chivda at home with nuts, spices, curry leaves.

    Making of the best poha chivda namkeen

    Dry roast the poha

    • Heat a non-stick pan on medium heat. Once the pan is hot, switch the flame to low.
    • To this, add poha and dry roast for 3 to 4minutes till the poha becomes crispy and crunchy.
    • Transfer the roasted poha to a plate.

    Roast all the nuts and spices

    • In the same pan, add coconut oil. Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds.
    • When the mustard seeds start to splutter, add green chile, ginger, garlic, and curry leaves and saute until they turn crisp. 
    • Next, add chana dal, almonds (cashews/peanuts), raisins, dry coconut slices, and cumin seeds and saute till they become light golden in color and crispy. Make sure the flame is low. 
    • Now add hing/asafoetida, turmeric powder, red chile powder, salt, and sugar and saute for 30 seconds. 
    • To this, add the roasted poha and toss lightly till everything is well incorporated and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. 
    • Let the chivda cool down completely. Store this in an airtight container.
    • Serve it as an evening snack with a cup of coffee or tea or as a Diwali namkeen. 
    Crispy Maharashtrian and Gujarati style Poha Chivda. Quick and easy namkeen recipe.

    Chef tips to make the crispy poha chivda

    • Use a non-stick pan or thick bottom pan to prepare this recipe.
    • Use thin poha to make chivda. 
    • Most of the ingredients here are optional. Add only those available in your pantry and what your family loves. 
    • When dry roasting the poha, do not overcrowd the pan at once. You may not get the crunchier texture. See that the poha can be spread evenly. If not, roast them in batches. 
    • Make sure the flame is on low. Otherwise, the poha and nuts will get burnt.
    • Toss or mix gently once you add the poha, or else it might break.
    • The ingredient list may look lengthy. I have listed all the ingredients that are traditionally added to make namkeen during festivals. For a quick snack, you can simply make this with minimal nuts and spices.
    • You can even roast the poha in the microwave or sun-dry the poha. 
    • Instead of poha, you can even use murmura, oats, or cornflakes to make the corn chivda.
    • If you are a beginner and worry that spices or nuts will get burnt, then you can roast each nut separately first, transfer them to the plate, make the tempering, add spices, and then combine everything together. 
    Showing the crunchy chivda made at home with nuts and spices, poha served on parchment paper.

    Storage and Make ahead

    • Chivda is the best make-ahead Indian snack and namkeen recipe for Diwali or any special occasion.
    • You can store them in an airtight container for up to 15 days. I don't think it will last that long as it is so tasty.

    Recipe FAQs

    What is chivda called in English?

    Chivda or Poha means flattened rice or beaten rice flakes in English. It is called aval in Telugu, attukulu in Tamil, avalakki in Kannada and povu in Konkani.

    What is chivda made of?

    Chivda is an Indian snack mix, also called namkeen, traditionally made with poha, nuts, and spices. It has a mixture of sweet, spicy and salty flavors.

    More quick snacks at home

    • Crispy Masala Vada | Chattambade | Paruppu Vadai | Dal Vada - Indian street food, snack recipe.
      Crispy Masala Vada | Chattambade | Paruppu Vadai
    • Banana Pakora, pakoda, bajji, fritters, Indian snacks, besan, paneer, aloo, cauliflower, vegetarian, vegan, keto
      Banana Pakora | How To Make Fritters
    • Churumuri | Street Style Charamburi Upkari | Charmuri Pachadi | Spicy Murmura | Indian bhel #chaats
      Churumuri | Spicy Murmura | Street Style Charamburi Upkari
    • Roasted phool makhana recipe. Easy Indian evening snack or trail mix. Masala makhana namkeen.
      Roasted Makhana Recipe | Phool Makhana Snack

    Did you like this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below and/or a review in the comments section. You can also stay in touch with us through social media by following us on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

    Note: We originally posted this poha chivda recipe in April 2018. It has now been modified in Oct 2023 with Expert Chef Tips, FAQs, Storage Instructions, etc.

    More Indian Snacks - Easy, Quick, and Healthy

    • Simple coconut chutney recipe for dosa, idli, South indian breakfast & snacks (thengai chutney).
      Coconut Chutney Recipe
    • Onion Chutney - Indian Chutney recipe without coconut for idli, dosa, snacks, sandwiches, etc.
      Onion Chutney | Chutney Without Coconut
    • Jackfruit dosa recipe with ripe jackfruits (ponsa polo). Indian breakfast and snack recipe idea.
      Jackfruit Dosa Recipe
    • Dragon Fruit Sago Drink Recipe | Tapioca Drink | Easy Sabudana Dessert Recipe.
      Dragon Fruit Sago Drink | Tapioca Drink

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    No Comments

    5 from 3 votes (3 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Sridevi! I am a Software Engineer by qualification, a full-time Food Blogger by passion, a self-published Author, and a happy person two kids (monsters) ago.

    More about me →

    Best Casseroles

    • green bean casserole recipe from scratch with fresh beans, and fried onions, without mushroom soup
      Best Green Bean Casserole Recipe | Thanksgiving and Christmas Green Beans
    • cheesy corn casserole served in a baking pan along with a slice of toasted bread.
      Baked Corn Cheese Casserole | Cheesy Creamed Corn

    Chicken Recipes

    • Best, simple and authentic Indian butter chicken recipe (murgh makhani) with naan, roti, chapati.
      Indian Butter Chicken Recipe | Best Chicken Makhani
    • Best and easy chicken pulao with spicy and flavorful chicken thigh and drumsticks.
      Easy Chicken Pulao | Spicy One Pot Chicken Rice Pilaf

    See more Chicken recipes →

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer

    Contact

    • Contact
    • FAQ
    Lists the popular websites in which cookwithkushi.com was featured.

    Copyright © 2024 Cook With Kushi

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.