Super Healthy Crisp Foxnuts Mixture – Makhana Poha Chivda

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Childhood summers in one frame. This post is an ode to the simple tasty unassuming chivda / roasted tea time mixture that forms an indispensable part of my growing up years, reminiscent of many a summer well spent in my Uncle’s home in Lonavala, Maharashtra & hence I truly believe that you can take a Maharashtrian out of chivda, but you can never take the chivda out of a Maharashtrian!!

This uber healthy version of my childhood crisp tea time mixture or chivda comprises of roasted foxnuts/lotus seeds (phool makhana) and thin flattened rice or poha that is fortified with delicious crunchy groundnuts &  healthy protein rich ones such as almonds, cashews etc., then seasoned & tossed in select mild Indian spices to give it a sweet n savoury appetizing flavour! Foxnuts have a high protein, fibre, calcium, potassium & antioxidant content & low on fat & sodium, great for healthy snacking & fasting. Oh the simple joys of life!

Lonavala, the popular hill town close to Mumbai, well known for its beautiful tourist sights & Chikki (peanut brittle), varieties of fudge and chivdas, was home for my Uncle & Aunt where all of us cousins would gather for a whole month during most school summer vacations in April-May. It was on the large campus of a reputed boarding school that he managed for most of his life. Come March & we cousins would be longing to get through our exam season purely due to the enticing prospect of another exciting vacation there.

And boy, did we have the time of our lives!! It was everything you could imagine an innocent, joyful simple yet funfilled month could pack in. From cheerful loud war cry greetings for one another, being taught to play TT & marbles by our older cousins whom we idolized, to perfecting our carrom moves & practicing card tricks, hand clapping games like Miss Mary Mack, life was super! Waking up early to go on short treks to nearby dams plucking local fruit like karonda & jambhul along the way & returning home ravenous after 2-3 hours to delicious rustic homecooked meals of roti-dal-subzi, long evening walks, we did it all, often tearing our hair out fighting & ganging up on one another .

But the most fun part of the day was the fact that being without our parents, left in the care of our indulgent uncle & aunt, meant that not only did we get to snack through the day, in fact they plied us with these large 1 kilo containers of wholesome jaggery chikki & flavoursome crunchy sweet n spicy chivda from our favourite local store.

Another very warm memory to wrap up our day would be our post dinner light nocturnal strolls in the cool pleasant summer air of Lonavala, to the jugalbandi of the joyful background score provided by crickets & the glow of fascinating fireflies that lit our path accompanied by the sweet perfume of the large Raat-ki-Rani or Night blooming Jasmine tree! All of us cousins slept huddled together on large mattresses laid out in the small living area of the teachers’ quarters, enjoying the lack of space cause we could share secrets under our sheets after the lights were turned off at 10pm.

Even if those days are long gone, they have indeed left an indelible mark in our hearts of sweet, carefree days beautifully spent in the summer sun!

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Recipe for Super Healthy Crisp Foxnuts Mixture – Makhana Poha Chivda

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Notes:

1. Remember to use a thick & heavy bottom pan to make this delightful quick n easy tea time treat on a low to medium flame to prevent any burning of ingredients.
2. As the poha is very delicate & thin, it is advisable to use light delicate moves to stir, tossing as much as possible instead, to prevent it from breaking.
3. Always store at room temperature in a good air tight container to ensure freshness for a longer time.
4. Use 1-2 cloves of crushed garlic with skin intact during tempering for added flavour.
5. Do not use the thick variety of poha to make this mixture.

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