Thin Poha Chivda – How to Make it Crisp and Spicy

Thin Poha Chivda – make this crisp and spicy snack at home, perfect for when you’re feeling a little peckish. Lovely with your afternoon tea or coffee, it is sure to lift your spirits!

What could be more appealing than a crispy, spicy snack, to satisfy that restless feeling mid-afternoon? A bag of chips or crackers, maybe some salted nuts…… sure!

Umm…. actually, some Chivda would really hit the spot – it has the crunch, the spice, the nuts, and that elusive something that makes it simply irresistible! Imagine a spicy ‘trail mix’ – peanuts, coconut chips, roasted chana dal, murmura and crisp poha, seasoned perfectly – that very first mouthful transports you….. to the land of “Yumm”!

Maharashtrians are very fond of the thin Poha Chivda I have shared here. My Mom as well as my mother-in-law typically made large batches of this delicious Paatal Pohyaachaa Chivda, meant to last for a week or more. Of course, it almost never did … it simply vanished in just 3-4 days! I often make large batches of this Chivda too, and the vanishing tradition continues…!

Today’s post is extra-special for me. It marks exactly one year since I started this blog on my mother’s birthday in 2020. As we all struggled with the COVID 19 pandemic, I embarked on what has been an extraordinary journey thus far, inspired by my keen desire to honor my mother. This blog is my personal tribute to her: she was, in my opinion at least, the very epitome of all the best things that the term “The Culinary Heart” signifies. She passed away in 2019, and would have turned 90 today.

What is Poha?

Some of you might wonder, what exactly is Poha? A simple answer: Rice flakes. Widely available everywhere in India, it has different names in different regions: Poha, (Poe-Haa), Pauaa (Pow-uaa), Chudaa (Chew-daa), Aval (‘Av’ – rhymes with love; ‘al’ rhymes with dull; Av-al) , Avalakki (Av-uh-luck-kee), Chire (Chi-ray, She-ray), etc. It is made from parboiled rice that has been rolled into flakes, thus also called flattened rice, or beaten rice.

Several varieties, differing mainly in thickness, are available: from paper-thin to quite thick. One especially thick variety is actually called Dagadi Poha (‘Da’ as in ‘the’: Da-gud-ee); Dagad means rock in Marathi – this Poha is rock-hard! Each variety is perfectly suited for the dish in which it is used.

Most Poha dishes typically need minimal cooking since the rice is almost fully cooked before being rolled into flakes. These dishes, which range from savory to sweet, are quite popular, perhaps because they are so easy to whip up in a jiffy. Some, like the spicy Kanda-Poha, are a popular hot breakfast/afternoon snack in Maharashtra.

My Dad also loved having thin Poha with milk and a little sugar – Doodh-Poha (Doodh means milk in many Indian languages; pronounce both ‘d’s as in ‘the’) for breakfast. What could be simpler? India’s original, ready-to-eat ‘boxed cereal’, long before this idea gained international popularity.

Paper-thin Poha – need to crisp it first

Thin Poha Chivda is made with paper-thin Poha. During storage, these papery flakes absorb moisture from the air, so, when taken out of the container, the flakes are a bit limp. This is similar to what happens to a bag of chips left open – they quickly absorb moisture and lose their crispness. So, if you proceed to make Chivda with the Poha in this condition, it will be a disaster! The Chivda will be chewy and tough – not quite what you were going for.

So, the first order of business in making this Chivda is to gently roast the flakes to crisp them up – spread out on a large baking tray, about 20-30 min on low heat in an oven works beautifully. If you don’t have an oven, roast it in small batches on the stove-top (wok/shallow frying pan) or in the microwave (dinner plate). The key is to use gentle heat and well-spread out poha to make a thin layer – otherwise, as the moisture ‘leaves’ the poha, it can make them shrink and curl up – not really what you want happening. Low heat greatly reduces this curling and shrinking.

Or, if the sun is out in full force, just set it outside, spread out on a large metal plate/tray – the metal plate heats up quickly and the Poha becomes crisp. I used to watch my Mom do that on hot summer days – what a great lesson in energy conservation that was! As age-old wisdom dictates…. make hay while the sun shines!

Make the Chivda – with Poha, peanuts, coconut, spices… Yum!

While the Poha is getting crisped, you can start with the rest of the prep. Heat oil in a large wok and fry each ingredient, one at a time, till it becomes crisp. Transfer the fried green chillies, curry leaves (cover to catch splatter), peanuts, coconut flakes, etc., to a large plate.

When done, transfer all the fried ingredients back to the wok. Stir in the seasonings, then add the crisped Poha and gently mix – I like to use 2 large flat spoons/spatulas to do this. Why? The crisped Poha is quite brittle and crumbles very easily – using 2 spoons for stirring minimizes the crumbling and helps retain the delicate structure of the paper-thin Poha .

That’s it! Your Chivda is ready to devour!

Tasty and Nutritious Snack

This crispy and spicy delight is nutritionally sound too. Packing a hefty 5 g of high quality protein and 2 g of fiber per 1/2 cup serving, this Chivda leaves you feeling satisfied in a way that a bag of potato chips just cannot. But that’s not all….each of the ingredients bring their own stash of essential vitamins and minerals as well.

No wonder this snack is so popular, especially at that time of day when everyone starts to feel the need for a delightful little “pick-me-up”!

Peanut lovers, everywhere…

By the way, if you happen to love peanuts, like I do, maybe you’d like to try my Street-Style Peanuts: they are so easy to make in the microwave ready in less than 10 min! No kidding!

Special Diets

This Thin Poha Chivda is vegan, gluten-free (you may want to watch out for gluten in the Hing, though!) and soy-free. To make it nut-free, omit peanuts and use a nut-free oil of your choice. The peanuts (along with the roasted Chana) add significant protein to the Chivda, so if you decide omit nuts, perhaps you might substitute with squash/melon seeds, which also add protein, and taste delicious too. See Recipe Notes for further ideas.

So….

Go ahead and make this deliciously crisp and spicy thin Poha Chivda. Put out a bowl of it when friends come over and watch their faces light up. Within minutes, the bowl will be empty! What better compliments can you get?

Do leave a review and a rating. Much appreciated!

Enjoy!

Thin Poha Chivda- How to make it crisp and spicy

Crisp the Poha, Daaliya and Murmura in the oven, microwave or stove-top. Fry the chillies, coconut slices and peanuts till crisp. Make tadka in a large wok, add the seasonings, fried ingredients and the crisped Poha, Daaliya and Murmura. Stir gently for a few minutes over low heat to mix well. Cool and serve wth tea/coffee/lemonade. Enjoy!

5 from 5 votes

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine Indian, Maharashtrian

Servings 20 people

Calories 198 kcal

Equipment

• Traditional Convection Oven and/or microwave oven for crisping Poha is preferred; if not available, this can be done on the stove-top.
• Large wok (about 14 inch diameter), is preferred for making this Chivda; if not available, a large stockpot (8-12 quart/liter) can be used instead.

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 8 cups Thin Poha a 14 oz/400g pkg has about 8-9 cups; also called beaten rice, flattened rice, Pauaa, Chuda, Chire, Aval, Avalakki, etc.
• 2 cups Murmura (puffed rice) OK to use less if you wish (1 cup OK)also called Kurmura, Mamra, Moori/Moodi, etc,; any variety OK; if not available, OK to use Rice Krispies cereal instead.; also OK to completely omit if not available, but you will need to decrease the quantity of seasonings, especially the salt
• 1/4 cup Oil + 1 tbsp more, if you like; I like to use peanut oil, but any edible oil is fine; I do not recommend using Extra Virgin Olive oil for making this Chivda.
• 15-20 leaves Fresh Curry leaves Washed, towel-dried to remove excess moisture; if not available, dried curry leaves OK
• 2-3 whole Fresh Green chillies (medium spicy) any variety of medium spicy chillies – Serrano pepper works well; sliced about 1/4 inch thick (or thinner, if the chilli is very fleshy)
• 1 cup Raw peanuts with skin preferred; if not available, blanched peanuts OK; if raw peanuts not available, roasted peanuts OK.; see Recipe Notes for modified directions if using roasted peanuts; OK to use less if you wish (1/2 cup OK); for nut-free ideas, see Recipe Notes
• 1 tsp Mustard seeds small black mustard seeds preferred; larger black seeds OK too
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1 tsp Fennel seeds
• 3/4 tsp Turmeric divided into 2 portions – (1/4 tsp + 1/2 tsp)
• 1/4 tsp Asoefetida (Hing) if not available, OK to omit, but it will change the flavor
• 1 tsp Salt divided into 2 portions – (1/4 tsp + 3/4 tsp)
• 1 cup Daaliya also called Phutaana, roasted Chana; OK to use less if you wish (1/2 cup OK)
• 3/4 cup Dried Coconut chips; OK to use less if you wish (1/2 cup OK); if not available, OK to omit
• 2 tbsp Sesame seeds OK to use less if you wish (1 tbsp OK); I like brown sesame seeds, but white seeds OK too
• 1 tbsp Coriander powder
• 2 tsp Cumin powder
• 2 tsp Fennel powder
• 3-4 tsp Sugar adjust as per taste preference
• 1 tsp Amchur break up lumps before adding

Instructions

 

• Prepare to crisp the thin Poha in the oven (Method 1) or microwave (Method 2) :

  Note:

  If you do not have an oven or microwave, you can crisp the Poha on the stove-top . See Recipe Notes for details.

  Method 1: crisping Poha in oven

  Spread Poha on 2 large cookie sheets (baking trays)
  
• Method 2: Crisping Poha in the microwave

  Divide the Poha into several small portions about 1 cup each.

  Spread out one portion on a glass/ceramic dinner plate. Repeat with a second portion on another plate.
  
• Method 1:

  Heat oven to 200F. Bake 30-40 min, till crisp. Check periodically for crispness and stir a few times to enable even crisping.
  
• Turn oven off and leave the tray inside until ready to add to Chivda.
  
• Method 2:

  Microwave one plate for about 2 min on 30% power. Check for crispness. If needed, repeat heating at 30% power for 1-2 min, as needed, until Poha becomes crisp. Be watchful, because the Poha can brown and burn easily, if over-crisped.

  Repeat with the second prepared plate.

  Meanwhile, transfer the crisped Poha to large bowl. Spread a fresh batch of Poha (about 1 cup) on the plate. Place in the microwavefor crisping after the 2nd plate is done.

  Repeat this process with the remaining Poha, alternating between plates until all of the Poha is crisped and ready for making Chivda.

  It will take 4 batches on each plate to crisp the 8 cups of Poha used in the recipe.
  
• While waiting for the thin Poha to become crisp, start getting everything else ready.

  Rinse the Serrano pepper (or other hot chilli pepper) and towel-dry to remove excess moisture. Slice thinly to allow easy crisping when fried.
  
• Measure the coconut chips. Break up any large pieces – pieces should be about 3/4-1 inch long.
  
• Spread the Daliya (roasted Chana) on a glass/ceramic dinner plate.

  Microwave on 30% power for about 2 min to make it crisp. Set it aside.
  
• Spread the Murmura on a glass/ceramic dinner plate.

  Microwave on 30% power for about a minute or so to crisp the Murmura. Check for crispness, heating longer if needed, on 20-30% power. Be watchful, the Murmura burns very easily if over-crisped. Set it aside.
  
• Heat oil in the wok for 2-3 min on high heat.
  
• Turn heat down to low, then add chilli pepper slices and cover immediately to catch splatter.
  
• Remove cover and fry till crisp.
  
• Transfer the crisped slices to a bowl and set aside.
  
• Add coconut chips to the wok and fry on low-medium heat, stirring constantly, until lightly browned and crisp.
  
• When it begins to brow, turn heat down to low.
  
• Remove the browned chips out of the oil, and collect on the side to allow excess oil to drip down and to prevent over-browning while removing the chips from the wok.
  
• Transfer the fried coconut chips to the bowl with the fried chilli slices. Set aside.
  
• Add peanuts to the wok and fry on low-medium heat for 2-3 min; then add 1/4 tsp salt and the mustard, cumin and fennel seeds.

  Fry for 3-4 min until peanuts just begin to brown.

  Note: If you are using roasted peanuts instead of raw peanuts, you need to modify this step a little. See Recipe Notes for details.
  
• Add poppy seeds, sesame seeds and Hing. Continue to fry.
  
• 
• Add curry leaves – cover to catch splatter if using fresh leaves (rinsed and towel-dried to absorb excess moisture); if not available, use dried leaves (shown in accompanying picture here)
  
• Add the crisped Daaliya and stir fry for about a minute..
  
• Add the seasonings: coriander powder, cumin powder, fennel powder and remaining turmeric. Stir to mix.
  
• Add the fried coconut, chillies and remaining salt. Stir.
  
• Add crisped Poha, and sprinkle Amchur all over.
  
• Stir to gently mix evenly.
  
• If you wish, find and gently crush all the crisp curry leaves between your fingers. This adds attractive little specks of green all over the Chivda. It is also easier to eat the tiny bits of crushed curry leaves than the whole leaves, which have a pretty strong flavor.
  
• Add the crisped Murmura and stir to mix.
  
• I like using 2 flat spoons/spatulas for stirring. This helps to minimize crumbling of the paper-thin crisp poha.
  
• Transfer to a bowl and serve. Store the remaining Chivda ina container with a tight fitting lid to prevent moisture getting in. With a loose-fitting lid, the Chivda might lose its crispness and become chewy.
  
• Serve with tea/coffee and other snacks.

  If you like, you can add your favorite toppings too… thin Sev, finely chopped onions and/or tomatoes, finely chopped fresh green chillies, a squeeze of lime/lemon, a dollop of yogurt, etc.

  Enjoy!
  

Notes

To crisp the Poha on the stove-top:

• .Heat a wok or large frying pan.
• Add about a cup of Poha and gently roast on low heat, stirring constantly, until Poha is uniformly crisp.
  • do NOT increase the heat too much, it will make the Poha curl up and shrink.
  • It will probably take 4-5 min to become crisp.
• Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.
  
• Repeat with a fresh batch of Poha, transferring the crisped batch to the large bowl before beginning a new batch.
• Repeat until all the Poha is crisped and ready for making Chivda.

 

If using roasted peanuts instead of raw peanuts:

• At step number 18: Add the mustard, cumin and fennel seeds first, then add the roasted peanuts.
• Stir fry for only a couple of minutes, then continue as per the directions.

 

To make Nut-free Chivda:

• Use nut-free oil of your choice – Canola oil works well
• Use pumpkin seeds and/or melon seeds instead of peanuts
• Omit coconut chips

 

To store:

• Store at room temperature in a container with a tight-fitting lid to preserve crispness.
  • Preferably keep away from direct sunlight.
• Consume within 2 weeks or so for best flavor.
• If the Chivda develops a rancid smell, or has an “off” and unpleasant taste, discard it.

Nutrition

Calories: 198kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 5gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gSodium: 121mgPotassium: 88mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 62IUVitamin C: 30mgCalcium: 28mgIron: 1mg

Keyword Aval snack, Beaten rice Chivda, Chevdo, Chivada, Chivda, Chiwada, Coconut chips, Crispy Chire, curry leaves, Daaliya, Maharashtrian snacks, Patal Poha Chivda, Pauaa chevdo, peanuts, Poha, Roasted Chana, Savory Indian snacks, sesame seeds, Teatime Snack, Thin Poha, White poppy seeds

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