The way BB’s timetable is structured, he does not have a lunch break even though they end school around 3 pm (after starting school at 7:30 am), so when he comes home, he is super hungry and starts rooting for something to eat. We usually have some biscuits at home, but I was on the lookout for something slightly healthier.
I came across a couple of versions of this chivda, which is basically a mixture of various ingredients, traditionally deep fried, but which in this case, was dry roasted and so healthier. I made it and it was a hit, and a large bottle of this chivda didn’t even last a week. As soon as I finish this blog post, I’m off to making a new batch!
Puffed Rice and Flattened Rice Flakes Chivda
Ingredients:
- 2 cups flattened rice flakes (Poha)
- 4 cups puffed rice (Mumra)
For the seasoning
- 3 tbsps oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 2 green chillies, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup raw peanuts
- 8-10 curry leaves
- 1 tbsp sugar (optional)
- Salt to taste
Method:
- In either the stove top or the microwave, dry roast the flattened rice flakes and puffed rice till they are crisp, but not burned. This should take around 10-15 minutes on the stove top and around 5-6 minutes in the microwave.
- If you are using a microwave, make sure you roast it in increments of 1 minute each and in between each roasting, stir well. In the stovetop, also keep stirring to ensure it does not burn.
- In a smaller pan, in the meantime, heat the oil, and when the oil becomes warm, add the raw peanuts and fry for a while till the peanuts start to become crisp.
- When the peanuts start to crisp up, add the other seasoning one by one in this order – mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, green chillies, curry leaves and turmeric powder. When the peanuts are really crisp and ready, add the sugar and salt and remove the pan from the fire.
- Pour this seasoning over the roasted flattened rice flakes and puffed rice and mix thoroughly. Check for sugar and salt and let it cool completely before storing it in an airtight container. It should easily last for a couple of weeks or so, but I seriously doubt it will last that long.
Despite their differences, sisters Vianne and Isabelle have always been close. Younger, bolder Isabelle lives in Paris while Vianne is content with life in the French countryside with her husband Antoine and their daughter. But when the Second World War strikes, Antoine is sent off to fight and Vianne finds herself isolated so Isabelle is sent by their father to help her.
It’s time for a new World Book Day. I’ve written about this event before here and here so do click these links to read in more detail about what this day means.
This year’s World Book Day theme is “Share A Story” and encourages adults, parents and older siblings to participate by reading and sharing stories. The ‘Share a Story’ theme will be encouraging people to ‘Take 10’ and recognise the positive impact that reading together for only 10 minutes a day can have on a child’s outcome.
In Sweden, the day is known as Världsbokdagen (“World Book Day”) and the copyright aspect is seldom mentioned. Normally celebrated on 23 April, it was moved to April 13 in the year 2000 and 2011 to avoid a clash with Easter.
Things Fall Apart tells two overlapping, intertwining stories, both of which centre around Okonkwo, a “strong man” of an Ibo village in Nigeria. The first of these stories traces Okonkwo’s fall from grace with the tribal world in which he lives, and in its classical purity of line and economical beauty, it provides us with a powerful fable about the immemorial conflict between the individual and society.
Memories and Such 