Murmura Chivda is a light, crunchy, and flavorful Gujarati-style namkeen that is both easy to prepare and loved by all. In this recipe, I share a special technique to make the murmura (puffed rice) perfectly crispy, ensuring that every bite has that delightful crunch. Along with this, I prepare a unique chavanu masala by blending everyday spices in just the right proportion. This special masala mix is the heart of the recipe — it infuses the chivda with a market-style chatpata taste that combines a hint of spiciness with a subtle sweetness and tanginess, just like the authentic Gujarati namkeen you get from traditional shops.
Murmura chavanu is not just a snack; it’s a part of festive traditions. It is often prepared during celebrations like Janmashtami, Holi, and Diwali, when families come together and enjoy homemade snacks. It also makes for a perfect evening-time treat with tea or as a light munch during the day.
Another reason this recipe is a household favorite is its long shelf life. Once prepared, it can be stored in an airtight container for several weeks — even months — without losing its flavor or crispiness, making it an ideal make-ahead snack. Do try this!
The key to making market style murmura chivda at home is:
- The star ingredient of this chivda is murmura (puffed rice). While the traditional method is to roast murmura in a little oil until it turns crisp, I prefer to deep-fry it instead. This technique makes the murmura puff up beautifully, giving it an exceptionally light, fluffy, and super-crispy texture that works wonderfully for chivda. The key is to fry them quickly over the right temperature so they remain crisp without absorbing too much oil.
- To give this chivda its unique flavor, I prepare a special market-style spice mix. This blend has a chatpata taste — a perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and spicy notes. For the tanginess, I use limbu na phool (citric acid), which adds a bright and zesty flavor. If you prefer, you can substitute it with amchur powder (dry mango powder), which provides a slightly different but equally delicious tang. The amount of each spice can be adjusted to suit your taste, making the flavor as mild or bold as you like.
- Once the spice mix is ready, I lightly roast it in warm oil before combining it with the fried murmura. This step is crucial because it helps the spices release their aroma and ensures they coat the murmura evenly. As the murmura and spices come together, the flavor gets locked in, giving every bite that perfect masala punch.
- Finally, after mixing, I allow the murmura chivda to cool completely before storing it in an airtight container. This is an important step because even a small amount of trapped heat or moisture can make the murmura lose its crispiness and turn soggy. Stored properly, this chivda stays fresh and crunchy for days, making it a delightful snack to enjoy anytime.
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Murmura chivda recipe | market style murmura chivda | murmura namkeen
Ingredients
For chivda spice mix
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp fennel seeds
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp kashmiri red chilli powder
- Salt to taste
- ½ tsp black salt
- 1 tsp chaat masala
- ¼ tsp citric acid - limbu na phool
- 3 tbsp sugar
For murmura chivda
- 200 grm murmura
- 100 grm or 2 cup makai poha
- 100 grm or ¾ cup peanuts
- 50 grm or ½ cup roasted chana dal
- Some curry leaves
- 4-5 spicy green chilli
- 5-6 tbsp oil or oil for frying
- Pinch of hing
- 3 tbsp sesame seeds
- Prepared spice mix
- 1 cup salted fried boondi
- 2 cup besan sev
Instructions
- Take 200 g murmura. Now heat oil and, in a sieve, add the murmura and fry it on medium-high flame till it puffs up and becomes crisp. It takes only 1 minute. Do not brown the murmura. Fry all murmura in the same way.
- Now add 1 tsp turmeric powder and salt to taste to the fried murmura. Mix well. Keep it aside.
- Then, in a mixer jar, add 1 tbsp coriander seeds, 1 tbsp cumin seeds, 1 tbsp fennel seeds, ½ tsp turmeric powder, 1 tbsp Kashmiri red chilli powder, salt to taste, ½ tsp black salt, 1 tsp chaat masala, and ¼ tsp citric acid. Grind it. Spice mix is ready; keep it aside.
- Now, in a mixer jar, add 3 tbsp sugar and grind it. Powdered sugar is ready; keep it aside.
- Then heat oil. Add 2 cups makai poha in batches and fry it till it puffs and doubles in size. Add the fried makai poha to the murmura.
- Take ¾ cup or 100 g peanuts and add them to a sieve. Stir continuously till they become golden brown and crispy. Add the fried peanuts to the murmura.
- Then take ½ cup or 50 g roasted chana dal and add it to a sieve. Stir continuously till it becomes slightly brown.
- Now cut 4–5 spicy green chillies into slices and fry them in a sieve till they become crisp. Keep them aside.
- Then fry curry leaves in a sieve till they become crisp. Keep them aside.
- Now take a small pan, add 5–6 tbsp oil, and heat it. Add a pinch of hing and 3 tbsp sesame seeds. Sauté them.
- Then switch off the gas and add the prepared spice mix to the oil. Mix well.
- Add the masala to the murmura, also add 3 tbsp powdered sugar, fried chillies, fried curry leaves, 1 cup salted boondi, and 2 cups besan sev. Mix well till the masala is properly coated on everything.
- Murmura chivda is ready. Store it in an airtight container. It stays good for months.
Notes
- Frying murmura makes it fluffy and super crispy for chavanu.
- Coat turmeric and salt when the fried murmura is slightly hot.
- Grinding the masala together gives an even flavour to chavanu.
- Addition of chaat masala gives a chatpata taste to chavanu.
- You can use 1 tsp amchur powder instead of limbu na phool.
- Do not add sugar while grinding the masala.
- Fry makai poha on medium-high flame so it puffs up.
- Fry peanuts on medium flame till slightly golden brown, then divide into two parts.
- You can use soaked and dried chana dal instead of daliya dal.
- Puff up chavanu masala in oil and then add it into chavanu so it will coat evenly.
- Store it in an airtight container. It stays good for months.
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