Batata Chivda is a crispy and incredibly tasty tea-time snack, where all the ingredients are deep-fried and then tossed in a flavorful spice mixture. It is also known as Aloo Laccha Chivda, as the potatoes are grated into thick strands and fried until perfectly crisp. These crunchy potato strands are then coated with a blend of spices, giving the chivda a delicious balance of spicy, sweet, and tangy flavors.
This recipe delivers a perfect market-style “chatpata” taste, with a well-balanced combination of sweetness and tanginess in every bite. Batata Chivda also has a long shelf life and can be stored in an airtight container for several weeks or even months. Despite its rich taste and texture, it is very simple to make and can be prepared quickly. Do give it a try — it tastes absolutely amazing!
The key to making market-style batata chivda at home are;
- For chivda namkeen, use fresh new potatoes (also known as wafer potatoes), as they contain less starch and turn crispier when fried. You can also use red potatoes as an alternative. Always grate the potatoes using a large-hole grater—avoid using a fine grater, as it won’t give the right texture. If you don’t have a grater, slice the potatoes thinly and then cut them into matchstick-sized pieces.
- Fry the aloo laccha on a medium flame until it becomes perfectly crispy. Adding a little salted water while frying helps remove excess moisture from the potatoes, making them extra crisp. Also, avoid stirring continuously while frying, as this can break the strands and affect the texture.
- For spice, I have used fried green chilies along with red chilli powder for both heat and colour. To give the chivda a classic Gujarati-style sweet and tangy flavour, I’ve added amchur powder and a touch of sugar, which balances the taste beautifully.
- Lastly, always allow the chivda to cool completely before storing it in an airtight container. Any moisture can make it soggy and reduce its crispiness.
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Recipe video
Batata chivda recipe | aloo laccha chivda | farali chevdo
Ingredients
- 4 big size or 1 kg potatoes
- ½ cup peanut
- Some curry leaves
- 6-7 spicy green chilli
- Some kismis - dry grapes
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- Salt to taste
- 1 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder
- 1 tbsp amchur powder
- 2 tbsp sugar
- Oil for frying
Instructions
- Take 4 large potatoes (about 1 kg) and peel the skin.
- Grate the potatoes using a large-hole grater. Wash the grated potatoes well to remove excess starch.
- Drain all the water and spread the grated potatoes on a cotton cloth. Let them dry for 15–20 minutes until the surface moisture is gone.
- Heat oil in a pan and add the grated potatoes (aloo laccha). Do not stir immediately. When the bubbles in the oil start reducing, in a small bowl mix 1 teaspoon salt with ¼ cup water. Add about 1 teaspoon of this salted water carefully into the hot oil. Do not stir at this stage.
- After 2–3 minutes, when the bubbling reduces further, gently stir and fry the aloo laccha until it becomes crispy. Fry all the grated potatoes in the same way.
- In the same oil, fry ½ cup peanuts until crispy. Remove and keep aside.
- Then fry curry leaves, 6–7 slit spicy green chilies, and some raisins on low flame. Remove and keep aside.
- Now, in a small tadka pan, heat 1 teaspoon oil. Add 1 teaspoon fennel seeds and 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, and sauté lightly. Switch off the flame and add 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder. Mix well.
- Add this tempering to the fried aloo laccha. Also add 1 tablespoon amchur powder and 2 tablespoons powdered sugar. Mix everything well so the masala coats the aloo laccha evenly.
- Finally, add the fried peanuts, curry leaves, green chilies, and raisins. Mix well.
- Your batata chivda is ready. Store it in an airtight container; it stays fresh for up to 1 month.
Notes
- You can use red potatoes instead of regular potatoes.
- Grate the potatoes using a large-hole grater.
- Wash the grated potatoes to remove excess starch.
- Dry the grated potatoes for 20 minutes.
- Do not stir the grated potatoes continuously while frying.
- Salted water helps absorb moisture while frying the grated potatoes.
- Fry the potatoes on a medium flame.
- The tempering masala coats the chevda mixture easily.