Kid-Friendly Chevdo (Chivda)
Kid-Friendly Chevdo (Chivda). My son Bodhi’s favourite mix of kid-friendly puffs, cereals and spices. This recipe is inspired by Chevdo, a classic Indian tea-time snack. No added salt, chilli or whole nuts.
Chevdo is a crunchy, savoury Indian snack. In traditional Chevdo (Chivda), we fry every ingredient to golden perfection before we toss them with salt, turmeric, cinnamon, cloves, sugar and chilli.
The ingredients vary from recipe to recipe but the essentials include: Potato sticks, corn flakes, roasted moong daal, nuts, crispy curry leaves and raisins or sultanas.
What is Kid-Friendly Chevdo (Chivda)?
This recipe for Chevdo (Chivda) takes its’ cue from the old classic in terms of flavour. However, it has been adapted for little ones to enjoy.
Nobody should miss out on tasty snacks!
I remove any added salt, refined sugar, chilli, whole nuts and lentils. I include ground spices so no large pieces of cloves and cinnamon get in the way.
The only whole spice in this recipe is cumin. If you prefer, you can replace it with the same measure of ground cumin.
What ingredients do I need to make Kid-Friendly Chevdo (Chivda)?
Savoury finger foods
My recipe includes all of Bodhi’s favourite snacks. Kid-friendly puffs, straws and hoops bought from the children’s aisle at the supermarket.
Cereal
There’s also a mix of cereals in this child-friendly Chevdo. Rice Krispies, Cornflakes and Cheerios (multigrain hoops) are my little lad’s favourites but you can use any cereals you like.
Please note that most cereals contain some form of added sugar. If you’d prefer not to use them, you can always seek out sugar-free cereals or replace with something you find more suitable.
Other ingredients
Potato straws (unsalted), unsweetened desiccated coconut (optional), raisins or sultanas, oil, curry leaves and mixed spices. I stick to the classic flavours of asafoetida, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, fennel and turmeric.
Citric acid is also a common ingredient in Chevdo. If you don’t have it, simply omit.
Do I have to add oil?
In order to extract the full flavour from spices, it’s necessary to first temper them in hot fat. If you add your spices without tempering, they will remain dull and raw in flavour.
Think of the act of tempering as a ritual that wakes your spices up from a deep slumber.
What other oils can I use?
Any oil with a high smoke point will work fine for this. Sunflower, rapeseed, corn, rice bran or vegetable oils are perfect. I don’t recommend using olive oil due to low smoke point.
Don’t use fats or oils that solidify at room temperature, such as coconut oil, butter or ghee. They will give the Chevdo an unpleasant and fatty coating.
A note on allergies
Be mindful of allergies & intolerances. If any of the ingredients in this recipe are unsuitable for your child, omit them or replace with something suitable.
How to store Kid-Friendly Chevdo (Chivda)
Store the chevdo in an airtight container at room temperature. It will keep well for 2 weeks.
Products I use for this recipe
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Kid-Friendly Chevdo (Chivda) recipe
Ingredients
- 100 g cereal of your choice (I used Rice Krispies, Cornflakes and Cheerios)
- 100 g mixed kids baked puffs and veggie straws (I used Ella's Kitchen Melty Puffs, Kiddylicious Veggie Straws and Organix Melty Rings)
- 40 g potato straws
- 40 g raisins or sultanas
- 20 g unsweetened desiccated coconut (optional)
For the tadka:
- 70 ml oil (I used rapeseed)
- 12 g curry leaves (appox. 50 leaves)
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/2 tsp asafoetida
- 1 1/2 tsp ground fennel seeds
- 3/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/4 tsp citric acid (optional)
Instructions
- In a large bowl or basin, mix together all the cereal of your choice, kids baked puff snacks, potato straws, raisins and coconut (if using). If you have a little one, this is a lovely little job they can help with.
For the tadka:
- Heat the oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and sauté for 2 minutes, until the curry leaves become brittle, crispy and translucent.
- Add the remaining ground spices and sauté briefly, about 30-40 seconds over a low heat. Remove from the pan and allow to cool.
- Mix the snacks and cereals with the tadka well, until everything is well coated. Pack into an airtight container and allow to stand for a few hours before serving so all the flavours have a chance to develop.
Recipe Video
Sanjana’s Notes
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Thanks for the simple and easy chivda recipe. It tasted good and my kids loved it.