Diwali is just around the corner and if you are looking to make a quick, simple, savory snack, try this murmura chivda recipe.
Kurmura or Murmura Chivda is a super simple, crunchy, and easy-to-make snack that comes together in less than 30 mins and is super addictive. If you love chivda like me, then here is another recipe I’m sure you will love Poha chivda.
What is Murmura Chivda
Murmura (or Muri) is puffed rice in English, Kurmura in Marathi, and Mamra in Gujarati. It is white in color, lightweight and neutral to taste. It is often used in Indian homes to make snacks like bhel puri or sukhi bhel, murmura mixture, or Chivda. Chivda or Namkeen is an Indian snack mixture or a spicy trail mix. Depending on the region the chivda recipe and ingredients can vary. Generally, Chivdaa is a mix of dry fruits, nuts, some more fried crispy ingredients and the main ingredient which can be either oats, cornflakes, rice flakes, or puffed rice tossed together and tempered with spices and curry leaves. Today I am sharing a Maharashtrian style murmura chivda recipe. This chivda is made with puffed rice, roasted peanuts, split roasted chickpeas, tempered with basic spices, green chili, and curry leaves. It is a very simple and easy recipe that comes together in less than 30 mins time and is a much healthier and tastier option than buying store-bought versions like diet bhel, lemon bhel, sukhi bhel, or other puffed rice snacks.
Why you will love this recipe
It’s simple and easy Its quick, comes together in 20 mins Extremely delicious and addictive Healthy, vegan, and gluten-free Long shelf life at room temperature Great as snacks while traveling, or with chai Perfect for savory Diwali Faral.
Recipe Ingredients
Puffed rice: It is also known as murmura, mamra, or kurmura. It is the base of this recipe. It is white, puffed, lightweight like rice crispies cereal but neutral in taste i.e. without any flavoring or sugar. I have used Basmati murmura. These are available in Indian grocery stores and online.
Nuts: I have used raw peanuts and then roasted them until crunchy. You can use roasted peanuts to cut down the time. These add protein and a nice crunch to the chivda. Alternately cashews and coconut flakes can also be used.
Roasted split chickpeas: Also known as dalia (daliya). They also add a good crunch. These are available in Indian grocery stores and online.
Spices and seasoning: This chivda recipe requires basic tempering ingredients like Mustard seeds (rai), cumin seeds (zeera), asafoetida (hing), green chilies (reduce or skip to make it less spicy), curry leaves, and turmeric. Salt and sugar are used for flavor and add a touch of sweetness.
Oil: For tempering. Use neutral flavorless oil like canola, vegetable oil.
Please refer to the recipe card for exact measurements of ingredients.
Step by Step Method
Prep Work
1 - In a large wok or heavy-bottomed pan dry roast the puffed rice on medium-low heat till they are crispy (approximately 3-5 mins). Test by crushing one puffed rice between your thumb and index finger and it should crush easily with a sharp crunchy sound. Transfer to a clean plate or large bowl. Keep aside. Roasting puffed rice is optional but recommended to ensure the puffed rice stays nice and crispy longer. 2 - In the same pan, (wipe down if needed), heat oil and add peanuts. Saute on medium heat till the peanuts turn golden and crunchy (approximately 3-5 mins). Drain and transfer to the bowl with puffed rice. 3 - Next, add split chickpeas and saute them until lightly golden (approximately 2-3 mins). 4 - Drain and transfer to the bowl with puffed rice and peanuts. Keep aside.
How to make murmura chivda
5 - In the same pan and oil, on medium heat, add mustard seeds. The oil may look slightly discolored due to roasting peanuts but that is fine. 6 - Once the seeds start spluttering, add cumin seeds, asafoetida (hing), curry leaves, and green chili. Be careful when you add the green chili, if you are too close it might cause sneezing and coughing. 7 - Sauté until the curry leaves and green chili crisp up. 8 - Turn the heat to low and add turmeric 9 - Saute the turmeric continuously for a few seconds. Do not let it burn. 10 - Stir in roasted murmura, peanuts, split chickpeas, along with salt and sugar. 11 - Mix gently until the mixture is well coated and crispy. It will turn into a nice yellow color. Turn off the heat, keep mixing even after the heat is turned off for another couple of mins to prevent the mixture from burning. 12 - Crispy, crunchy, and spicy Murmura Chivda (Spicy Puffed Rice Mixture) is ready!
Storage and Serving Suggestions
Allow the puffed rice chivda to cool completely before storing it in an air-tight container. It stays fresh at room temperature for 3-4 weeks. Serve it as is at room temperature with chai or coffee. It also makes a great snack for travel and lunchbox. Alternately you can use this chivda as a base for bhel puri or serve topped with onion, tomato, potato, and a squeeze of lemon juice for that quick fix chaat craving! Note that adding any kind of veggies can make the mixture soggy, so eat immediately.
Recipe Tips
Use good quality, fresh and crispy puffed rice for this recipe. Sometimes even unexpired puffed rice can go soft, stale, and have an unpleasant odor sitting long in the packaging. Dry roast the puffed rice to make soft puffed rice crispy again. Double roasting the puffed rice, before tempering and with tempering ensures the chivda stays crispy longer. Saute curry leaves and green chilies until crispy. This helps increase their shelf life. This recipe can be easily doubled. You can make a large batch for sharing with friends and family or store it in an air-tight container. Adjust the spice levels to your taste. If you prefer the puffed rice chivda mild skip or use just half chili. If you prefer it hot, add two chilies or add some (¼ to ½ teaspoon) red chili powder at the end with salt and sugar. Do not add red chili powder in hot oil as it burns quickly.
More Diwali Savory Snack Recipes
Hope you enjoy this Murmura Chivda | Kurmura Chivda!! If you give this recipe a try, please rate by clicking stars ⭐️ in the recipe card. Thank you ❤️! You can also follow me on Facebook | Instagram to see what’s cooking in my kitchen!!
Recipe Card
Update Notes: This post was originally published on Nov 3, 2013, but was republished with, step by step instructions, new photos, tips, and a video in Oct of 2021.
