Healthy Cereal Chivda – A Perfect Munchie!

Being healthy and staying healthy should never be a hard thing to do. Eat right and exercise – simple! This recipe for Cereal Chivda will take care of your munching needs without all the unnecessary calories and fat from fried snacks.

Prep time: 5 min
Cook time:10 min

Ingredients:
Corn Flakes – 1 cup
Plain Cheerios – 1 cup
Rice Puffs – 1 cup
Wheat Chex – 1 cup
Honey Nut Cheerios – 1/2 cup
Canola Oil – 1 tbsp
Asafoetida – 1/8 tsp
Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp
Carom Seeds (Ajwain) – 1/4 tsp
Curry Leaves – 1 sprig
Raw Peanuts – 1/3 cup
Red Chili Powder – 1/2 tsp or to taste
Citric Acid – 1/8 tsp
Salt – 1/2 tsp

Method:
1. Combine all Cereals in a bowl and mix well.
2. Combine Salt and Citric Acid and grind to a fine powder in a mortar and pestle.
3. In a large pan, heat Oil on medium heat.
4. Once Oil is hot, add Mustard Seeds and allow them to pop.
5. Add Asafoetida and Carom Seeds and cook for 15 seconds.
6. Add Curry Leaves and cook for 30 seconds allowing the leaves to become crisp.
7. Add Peanuts and sauté them until they are lightly golden.
8. Once Peanuts are done, pull them aside in the pan and add the Salt & Critic Acid mixture and Red Chili Powder (optional) into the Oil.
9. Quickly mix the spices and turn off the stove.
10. Working fast, add Cereal and toss until everything is mixed well (3-4 minutes).
11. Transfer the Chivda to another bowl and allow it to cool to room temperature.
12. Store at room temperature in an air-tight container or a zipper bag.

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22 thoughts on “Healthy Cereal Chivda – A Perfect Munchie!

  1. Awesome recipe!! The tried it and tastes so good, my kids loved it too. The only thing I felt is wheat chex is a little hard to bite on, maybe I can replace it with corn chex.

    1. Hi Diya,

      No, we used rice puff (the cereal “Rice Krispies”), not mamra. It has added vitamins and minerals that mamra does not – just a healthier option.

      1. Hi Hetal

        First of all thanks for reply. I tried your oat muffins turned out great. My husband don’t like trying new things but he loved oat muffins.

  2. hi hetal and anuja,i always watch your vdo and cook.my son loves your salsa recipe.he does not like indian food.so can u please give us more american food recipe?please,please

    THANK YOU,DIMPLE.

  3. Hi Anuja and Hetal!
    Wow, awesome recipe!
    I’ve always been a sucker for the chevda snacks that are sold in Indian grocery stores, it’s so awesome to learn how to make them at home – with much less fat and sugar!
    I have a question though: Would it be possible to replace the sweetened cereal with something else – perhaps bits of dried fruit? Raisins? Dried apricots? Diced dates?
    I’d also think of incorporating shredded wheat (minis) cereal. Maybe the brown sugar-cinnamon type instead of the honey-nut cheerios? I just find those too aggresively sweet.
    Thank you for your reply.

    1. Hi Malika,

      You can really use any cereal of your choice. The honey nut cheerios is lesser in quantity than the other cereals so you only get a couple in each bite…just enough to give the chevda some sweetness. You can definitely use raisins, dates, etc – they would taste great as well. In my (personal) opinion, the sugar cinnamon shredded wheats would be far sweeter than the cheerios, but you can give it a try.

  4. Hi Hetal and Anuja,

    I tried this extremely tempting and nutricious cereal chiwda just now. It is awesome!

    I have been trying your recepies since last 1 1/2 years after getting married. I came to UK to join my husband. It was a challenge to cook good and low cal. I have been easily doing this with your easy to try healthy and tasty recepies.

    I owe all the appreciation and praise that I get from all to you both. Thanks for being my friend philosopher and guide in the field of cooking.

    Keep doing the great work 🙂

    Alka

  5. Hi Anuja and Hetal,
    Do you have the recipe for making Poha chivda in the oven? My friend once made this and it takes less oil without losing the taste. I remember she puffed up the poha in the oven and then added peanuts and seasonings.

      1. If it is cooked in microwave I would not eat it.
        Microwave makes healthy food unhealthy according some researches.
        http://www.health-science.com/microwave_hazards.html
        Is it possible that millions of people are ignorantly sacrificing their health in exchange for the convenience of microwave ovens? Why did the Soviet Union ban the use of microwave ovens in 1976? Who invented microwave ovens, and why? The answers to these questions may shock you into throwing your microwave oven in the trash.

  6. Hey Hetal and Anuja
    You are both doing wonderful job.
    And I love your Cereal Chivda recipe. Let me tell u it is awesome. Keep up your good work.

  7. Hi Guys,

    Small tip, I add in little bit of organic haldi along with the red chili powder, it gives a good flavor and color, along with some heath benefits.

    You guys are great! 🙂

    Lots of love,
    Rani

  8. Anuja,Hetal…It was an awesome recipe…I made it just now …just added cashewnuts as well….but it was fabulous and and a must keep.

  9. Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe. I tried it today it has turned out great. Will try the recipes one by one. Keep up the good work Hetal & Anuja. Wish you happy holidays.

  10. Hi Pavithra,

    Citric acid is used for the tartness. Since this is a dry chivda and we want to it to have a long shelf life, we cannot used fresh lemon/lime juice. Citric acid can be found at Indian grocery stores. If you cannot find it, try using dry mango powder (amchur). It will also give the tart flavor.

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