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There are lots of Indian dry snacks available in most supermarkets these days.  Snacks such as Bombay Mix, Gujarat mix etc… Most of them have a variation of nuts and crisps as a base.   Chevdo/chewdo is a Gujarati snack made usually during celebrations such as Diwali.  There are lots of variations of chevdo/chewdo.  One of my favourites is the Kenya chevdo has it’s own unique taste.

Farari Chevdo / chewdo is mainly eaten (by hindus)  during the days and months of fasting.  On the days  Hindus fast, there is a list of foods that they are “allowed” to eat. The list – often referred to as farali food – includes all the fruits and nuts, milk and milk products including yogurt. It also includes potatoes, sweet potatoes, cassava, tapiaco, ragigara flour etc…. In fact, the sumptuous delicacies you can eat in place of everyday food makes you feel that you are having a feast because of the variety you can make.

I like to make this Chevdo /chewdo for the fasting months but also all the year round as it has so many high energy nuts in it. It makes a nice snack to serve with drinks too.

I have listed the ingredients I used.  You can adjust them to your own taste and add more nuts or even raisins if you like them.  I have also suggested some cheat ingredients – there is nothing wrong in accepting a bit of help at times!! The cheat ingredients will have salt in them so don’t add too much  more salt to the chevdo if you are planning to adding these ready cooked products to the chevdo/chewdo.

Preparation required (about 30 minutes).
Cooking time 60 minutes.
(this will make about a kilo of chevdo/chewdo)

Ingredients

• 6 Medium sized new potatoes (I used locally grown Charlotte potatoes)
• 1 cup peanuts
• 1 cup almond
• 1 cup cashews
• 2 tsps cloves and cinnamon powder
• 1 tsps ground white pepper
• 4-5 small sticks of cinnamon
• 5-6  cloves
• 3-4 chopped green chilies (you can use more or less)
• 5-6 curry leaves (limdo)
• 2 tablespoons oil for tempering
• 1 litre oil for frying.
• 1 large packet of ready fried crisps (optional)

If in a hurry you can use the following cheat ingredients:

• ready cooked crisps
• ready chip sticks 
• ready fried jumbo peanuts 
• ready fried cashews. 

Method:

1. Peel and wash the potatoes.  Grate them and soak them in ice cold water for as long as you can.  If possible soak them overnight or at least a minimum of 30 minutes.

2.  Wash the grated potatoes two more times with cold water and then drain them using a colander and spread them on a clean dish cloth.

 

3.  Heat the oil in a wok or karai.  To check if it’s hot, drop a potato chip in the oil.  If it rises quickly, then the oil is ready.  Pat the grated potatoes with the dishcloth and then drop a handful of the potatoes in the oil.  Reduce the heat and allow them to cook.  The potato crisps will float to the top when cooked.  Allow them to cook until crispy. Once cooked, keep them in a dry bowl.

 

4.  Next  spray the peanuts, cashews and almonds with oil and cook them separately in a microwave at 30 second intervals.  It’s a little bit healthier than deep frying them. If you don’t have a microwave, then you can deep fry them.

5.   Now mix all the crisps and nuts.  Also add the packet of ready made crisps.  Now add spices to make it to your taste.  Add the salt and pepper and a teaspoon of the cloves and cinnamon powder. Taste the chevdo/chewdo and adjust it to how you like it.

6.   Finally temper the chevdo (vaghar as the Gujarati’s like to call it).  Take 2 tablespoons of oil and heat it in a saucepan. Add the cinnamon sticks and cloves to the hot oil.  Once the cloves pop, add the green chilies and curry leaves and allow them to cook for just a minute.  Switch off the heat and stir this in to the chevdo mix.

7.  Your Farari (Farali) Chevdo /chewdo is ready. Store it in an airtight cupboard and this  shouldstay fresh for a couple of weeks.

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