This Diwali, Our Young Reader Shares His Mother’s Special Maharashtrian Chiwda Recipe with You All

Ever since I moved to Maharashtra, there’s this one dish that I really can’t do without — Chiwda. Crispy and spicy at the same time, it’s the perfect snack for those who want a munching treat. It is simple to cook and has a long shelf life as well.

This festive season, indulge in preparing Chiwda and gift it to your friends and relatives. I am sure they’ll appreciate your gesture!

Source: Flickr

These are the required ingredients:

1. Mustard Seeds (Rai) (1 tea spoon)
2. Dried Red Chilli (3-5)
3. Chopped Green Chillies (10-11)
4. Poppy seeds (Khas-khas) (1 table spoon)
5. Asafoetida (Heeng) (1 tea spoon)
6. Curry Leaves
7. Red Chilli Powder (1 table spoon)
8. Turmeric Powder (1 table spoon)
9. Black Pepper Powder (1 tea spoon)
10. Salt to taste (your taste!)
11. Dry Scraped Coconut (1 coconut will be sufficient!)
12. Split Chana Dal (250 gm)
13. Ground Nuts (150 gm)
14. Chaat Masala (2 table spoon)
15. Lemon juice (Juice squeezed from 2 medium sized lemons will do!)
16. Chiwda (Poha)(1 kg)
17. Sugar or Sugar Powder to taste (your choice!)
18. Refined Oil (2 medium sized tea cups)
19. Sev

People adopt different ways of making Chiwda. Here is one method that I have learned from my mother:

Source: By ampersandyslexia [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

1. Roast the ground nuts and split chana dal separately on a pan and mix the two. (You can also do without roasting the dal.)

2. Roast the chiwda till it gets a light brown colour.

3. Heat refined oil in a sauce pan and then add lemon juice to it.

4. Then add rai to the oil and proceed slowly by mixing dried red chilli, curry leaves and green chilli to the concoction.

5. Add heeng, poppy seeds, scraped coconut, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, pepper, and salt in the saucepan.

6. Stir thoroughly and add this mixture to the chiwda kept aside.

8. Add chaat masala and sugar. You may choose to garnish the dish with sev.

9. Store the dish in air tight containers and serve it to your family members. Remember to share it with your near and dear ones too!

Bon appetite!

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