Poha Chivda Recipe You Need To Try For Authentic Maharashtrian Flavour At Home

A popular Indian snack item, poha chivda is a poha namkeen recipe, which is sweet and savoury. Having its origins in Maharashtrian cuisine, poha chivda recipe is prepared from flattened rice, known as poha, cooked or roasted alongside a variety of spices, nuts and curry leaves. Chivda poha is mainly prepared on festive occasions, such as during the time of Diwali, Holi and Ganesh Chaturthi. A commonly prepared delicious snack, chivda poha is a great option for a quick bite. There are a number of ways to prepare poha chivda recipes, and there are also numerous brands that sell packed chivda poha. Preparing Maharashtrian poha chivda at home is however a much more healthier option and makes for a great snack that can be consumed alongside your evening tea.

What is poha?

Poha refers to parboiled, flattened or rolled rice that is dried in such a way as to produce rice flakes. These rice flakes vary in size and texture, depending on the pressure used during the flattening process. A nutritious and wholesome food item, poha is used in a variety of Indian recipes.

What are the benefits of consuming poha?

A wholesome snack item, poha recipes are widely prepared throughout India. Here are some of the health benefits of poha you should be aware of:

1. Balancing blood pressure levels: Poha is a food that is low in sodium content and may be beneficial for those suffering from high blood pressure levels. Consuming poha helps balance blood pressure levels, and aids in maintaining normal blood pressure. 
2. Poha for heart health: Since poha is low in fats, sodium and cholesterol, it is believed that consuming poha can be a good way to protect oneself against heart diseases. 
3. Promotion of gut health: Poha is believed to help relieve loose motions and watery stools. Good for those suffering from indigestion, consuming poha helps to aid the digestion process and prevents constipation. 
4. Energy source: Poha is a nutrient-rich food item, with large amounts of energy-rich carbohydrates. Poha is a great source to provide nourishment to the body and is a good source of energy for the body.

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Follow this poha chivda recipe to prepare a wholesome snack at home

Poha chivda ingredients

You will be needing these chivda recipe ingredients to prepare patal poha chivda recipe at home: 

1. 250 grams of poha
2. 4 medium size garlic, with crushed cloves
3. 2-4 green chillies
4. 2 sprigs curry leaves
5. ¼ cup peanuts
6. ¼ cup cashews
7. 2 tbsp raisins
8. ¼ cup dried coconut
9. 2 tbsp roasted gram
10. ¼ to ½ tsp red chilli powder
11. ¼ tsp turmeric
12. ¼ tsp cumin seeds
13. 1 tbsp jaggery
14. 2-3 tbsp oil
15. ½ salt

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Poha chivda recipe

Follow the given steps for a perfect poha chivda recipe at home: 

1. Heat a large, heavy bottom pan and add in 1 and ½ cup of poha. Be sure not to add a lot of the poha for the poha chivda recipe at once, and the poha should be evenly spread across the pan. 
2. Roast the poha for the Maharashtrian poha chivda recipe on medium heat, and stir gently from time to time. 
3. Once the poha turns crunchy and light, transfer it to a large bowl and leave to cool. Continue the same process to cook the rest of the poha for the patal poha chivda recipe. 
4. To prepare the tempering of the poha chivda, heat 1 cup of oil in a frying pan on medium flame. Once hot, add the poha and fry them while constantly stirring. 
5. Once the poha puffs up, remove them from the pan and transfer to kitchen towels to remove the excess oil. Repeat the process for the other batches of poha.
6. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a small pan. To it add the peanuts and roast them till they turn light golden in colour. Thereafter add in the cashews and fry till golden. 
7. Add the coconut and the roasted gram as mentioned in the chivda recipe ingredients and briefly fry till it turns light golden. 
8. Remove the fried chivda recipe ingredients and add to the roasted poha for the patal poha chivda recipe. 
9. Again pour 1-2 tbsp of oil in the same pan, and then add in the green chillies, garlic and curry leaves. Fry until the garlic turns crisp and golden. 
10. Add in the cumin seeds and raisins.
11. Once the raisins begin to swell, turn off the heat and add in the red chilli powder, salt, turmeric and jaggery. Give all these ingredients a quick stir till the jaggery melts. 
12. To this immediately transfer poha that you had kept aside. Evenly coat the poha with the tempering for the poha chivda, and serve once the poha chivda has cooled off completely.

Pro tip: If the poha used for the recipe of poha chivda is thin and medium in size, it can be roasted. However, thick poha needs to be deep fried.