DIET POHA CHIVDA /
LOW CAL CHIVDA (THIN BEATEN RICE FLAKES MIXTURE - A LOW CAL SAVOURY)
First of all “HAPPY
DIWALI TO ALL”. MAY THIS DIWALI BRING HEALTH, WEALTH & PROSPERITY TO ALL.
Diwali is a time for making and sharing goodies. The markets
are filled with colourful mithais and namkeens that look so tantalizing, that We usually overindulge in the goodies
and either put on loads of weight or become sick. This year I thought why not
make something which is guiltless. Who doesn’t enjoy guiltless snacking?
Earlier I had shared a recipe of the Patal Pohe Chivda in my
blog, (Click on the link below)
Traditionally in this recipe you have to deep fry all the ingredients
including the poha...then it’s very tasty.
But in my recipe, I had roasted the poha until crisp by
adding a little oil...rest of the ingredients I deep fried.
The problem with Indian snacks is, it’s difficult to make
them totally guiltless.
These days in Singapore we easily get many ingredients which
were not easily available when I landed here 15 years ago. I’m glad that an
influx of Indian migrants in Singapore have brought in a demand for things which is a
bonus for food bloggers and people who love cooking. I always go to Mustafa (a huge shopping centre
in Singapore) a week before Diwali to check out their stuff and this year while
browsing through I saw packets of Diet Poha and I thought Hey!!! This is
exactly what I wanted as I’m trying to watch my weight.
I even avoided adding Copra(Dried coconut
flakes) which is there in my previous recipe.
Here is my recipe, this can also be made on a regular basis
for a tea-time snack.
Ingredients
Diet Poha - 1 Kg.
Peanuts - 1 cup
Daliya (Roasted Gram Dal/ Chutney Chana dal) - 1 cup
Cashewnuts- 20-25 pieces
Golden Raisins - 20 -25 pieces
Chopped Green chilies - 12-15
Curry leaves - 5
sprigs (25-30 leaves)
Mustard seeds - 2 teaspoons
Cumin seeds – 2 teaspoons
Sesame seeds - 2 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 3 teaspoon
Asafetida - 1 teaspoon
Salt as per taste.
Powder sugar - 2 teaspoon
Oil - 1/2 cup
Method
Diet Poha is very thin and fragile so it gets crumbled very
quickly. Take the poha and sieve it for any fine powder to be filtered leaving
only the flakes. Keep aside.
Diet Poha has very thin flakes so it gets cooked very fast.
I decided not to fry it and dry roast it instead. You can also put it in the
microwave. If in case you are cooking in the microwave, put the diet poha in a
shallow microwave safe dish and microwave it on high for 30 seconds only.
For those who don't have a microwave you can dry roast it in
a wok (Kadhai)on a very low flame till it becomes crispy. This needs attention else it can burn very
easily. Keep this Poha aside.
If you have roasted the poha in the microwave, then Add 2 tablespoons
oil in a big wok, add in the mustard seeds, cumin seeds and sesame seeds and
when they start spluttering, add in the green chillies and curry leaves, fry
them well. Then add in the diet poha, turmeric, salt and sugar and saute for
about 3 minutes. Keep aside.
Now in another wok fry all the ingredients one by one on a
low flame ensuring that you don't burn them. Fry the peanuts until golden and
split, then the daliya until golden, then the cashews until golden, Raisins
until plump. Preferably use a net to fry all this as it can catch all the
ingredients from the oil. Ensure that none of the ingredients become black. If
they become black throw them, don't use them in the chivda as the taste of the
chivda can spoil with it. Drain the oil well and mix all the ingredients that
you fried in a vessel with the diet poha.
Toss everything well with a light hand ensuring that you
don't break the thin poha flakes. Roast for another 2 minutes on a low flame
while mixing. Put off the flame and spread this on a newspaper or a big plate.
Let this get cool for some time then store it in an air - tight dabba(box). Your Diet Poha Chivda/ Low cal Chivda is ready for
some Guiltless indulgence.
Tips
- If you do not have the confidence of adding the chilly and curry leaves to the tadka afraid of burning the tadka then you can fry them separately...after you fry all the nuts, you can fry these too also using a net in the oil and then mix with the mixture.
- You can add poppy seeds to the tadka while adding mustard and sesame but Poppy seeds are banned in Singapore so I didn’t add them
- You can add Puffed rice (kurmura) with Poha.
- You can add red chilly powder instead of green chilies.
- You can add citric acid or amchur powder for some sourness. I didn't do it in my recipe.
- You can add deep fried garlic in the Chivda
- You can deep fried onion to the chivda.
- I have seen a recipe wherein fresh coriander seeds are roasted, pounded into a powder and added to the chivda for extra flavor.
- My Mother-in-law adds Roasted and pounded fennel seeds into the chivda.
