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Kid-Friendly Chevdo (Chivda)

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!

Indian snacks for children

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.

Snacks for kid-friendly chevdo

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.

Cereal for kid-friendly chevdo

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.

Spices for kid-friendly chevdo

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.

How to make Chevdo for kids

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.

Mixing kid-friendly chevdo

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

This post contains Amazon Affiliate links. These are all products I have purchased of my own accord and ones that I use myself. None of the products mentioned have been gifted to me. By using an affiliate link, I receive a small commission at no expense to you. This commission helps to support this blog. Thanks in advance if you choose to make a purchase through these links!

Kid-Friendly Chevdo (Chivda) recipe

Kid-Friendly Chevdo

Kid-Friendly Chevdo

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.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Course: Snack
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: cereal, chevdo, easy, great for kids, snacks
Servings: 10
Author: Sanjana

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

Store the chevdo in an airtight container at room temperature. It will keep well for 2 weeks.
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.
12+ months children only. Please ensure your child is ready before offering this as a snack. Check the packaging of your snacks for information on age suitability for each particular product.
Always ensure adult supervision whilst your child(ren) is/are eating.
Share your remakes with me!Follow me on Instagram @Sanjana.Feasts and tag #SanjanaFeasts for a chance to be featured!

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KID-FRIENDLY CHEVDO (CHIVDA) - INDIAN SNACKS | Sanjana.Feasts

If you like this, you’ll love my recipe for Vegetable & Coconut Milk Kurma

Vegetable & Coconut Milk Kurma
This simple coconut milk-based curry is rich with aromatic spices, nuts and a rainbow of colourful vegetables. It’s Bodhi’s favourite curry.

Love Sanjana (& Bodhi)

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Recipe Rating




Shortcut Kenya Chevdo Recipe - Sanjana.Feasts - East African Dishes

Friday 18th of August 2023

[…] a recipe for Kid-Friendly Chevdo (Chivda). My son Bodhi’s favourite mix of kid-friendly puffs, cereals and […]

Albertina

Wednesday 11th of November 2020

Thanks for the simple and easy chivda recipe. It tasted good and my kids loved it.