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Cornflakes Chivda or Makai Chivda is a light, crunchy, chatpata, and perfectly spiced savory snack that will tickle your taste buds.

Cornflakes Chivda snack is so easy to make and so delicious that you will keep reaching for more.

Namkeen, or savory snacks, are very popular during the festive season in India. However, this is the kind of snack that does not need any occasion to be enjoyed. This is a widely savored snack during tea time or during small gatherings.

Cornflakes Chivda or Makka Poha Chivda is made from Makai poha or Makka poha. The pohas are deep-fried and then further seasoned and flavored to make this chiwda.

What is Makka poha?

Makka, or Makai poha, is a part of Indian cuisine. It is also referred to as corn or maize flakes. However, unlike cornflakes, these are not ready to eat and are very raw. They need to be fried in hot oil so that the pohas puff up and get cooked, making them light, fluffy, and crunchy. This is one of the very popular parts of the farsan or snack family. And cornflakes chivda is just the perfect product made from these pohas.

Ingredients for Cornflakes Chivda:

Makka poha / Makai poha - Makka or Makai poha is raw, flattened corn. It is hard and raw. It needs to be fried in oil or toasted to become edible. Fried Makka poha makes the best cornflakes, chivda.

Oil - You will need good-quality oil for frying as well as for the seasoning.

Asafoetida/ Hing - Hing is popularly used in most Indian recipes as it aids in digestion and also adds aroma to the food.

Mustard seeds - I usually use Andra mustard seeds as they are small and have better flavor. However, you can always use regular mustard seeds, easily available in any Indian store.

Red chili powder - I like to use spicy or hot red chili powder, but you can use less spicy ones as per your heat tolerance.

Turmeric

Chat masala - Chat masala adds some tanginess and the chatpata flavor to the cornflakes chivda.

Salt

Sugar - This is optional but recommended for the best flavor outcome.

Curry leaves - Curry leaves add a very unique flavor to this chivda.  They will give off a nutty aroma and slight notes of anise and citrus

Peanuts/ground nuts - Fried peanuts add a beautiful flavor as well as texture to the chivda. You can add roasted peanuts too, but the fried ones are so much better in flavor and nuttiness.

Cashews - Cashews are completely optional. I like them because they add a beautiful flavor and texture, and above that, they make the cornflakes chivda very rich. Fried cashews taste the best but you can always oven-roast them if you want to make them healthy.

Raisins - Raisins add a little sweet balance to the tangy and spicy Cornflakes Chivda. If you do not want to add the sweet balance you can skip this ingredient.

How to make Cornflakes Chivda or Makka / Makai Chivda?

Since this Cornflakes Chivda recipe's cooking process is so quick and all the ingredients go into the pans in quick succession it is recommended that you measure all the ingredients and set them aside.

Take a kadhai or pan for deep frying. Pour oil into the pan for frying and set it on medium-high heat. The best temperature to deep fry is between 350-375°F. So use an oil with a high smoking point.

Once the oil heats up fry the raw Makka poha so they fluff up and become nice and crunchy. Drain the fried cornflakes into a colander or a big bowl.

Once all the Makka poha are fried set them aside and then in the same oil fry the peanuts and the cashews and set them aside too.

Now all the ingredients for the cornflakes chivda are ready.

Place a big kadhai or a large pan on medium heat, and add oil to the pan.

Once the oil heats up add mustard seeds, followed by curry leaves and asafoetida.

Once the tempering crackles add the fried peanuts, cashews, and raisins and mix them well.

Once you have mixed all the ingredients add dry spices. Then add salt, sugar, turmeric, red chili powder, and chat masala. Now turn off the heat and mix it all together.

Once all the ingredients are mixed together then add the fried Makka or cornflakes and toss it all together. Turn on the heat and toss everything together till all the Makka poha are evenly coated in masala and perfectly flavored.

Now your cornflakes chivda is ready to serve. Serve it hot or let it cool down and once cooled store it in an air-tight container and it will stay good for a few months.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Are Cornflakes and Makka/Makai poha the same?

Makka or Makai poha is part of Indian cuisine and a very popular ingredient in the Farsan family. It is also referred to as corn or maize flakes in various parts of India. Though both Makka poha and cornflakes are made from corn they are very different. While cornflakes are ready-cooked and can be consumed as it is the Makka poha are raw and need to be cooked before ready to eat. Also, cornflakes are roasted and the Makka poha we are using in this recipe are deep fried.

Can I roast the Makka poha for cornflakes chivda?

Yes, you can definitely roast the Makka poha for the cornflakes chivda. It will make the cornflakes chivda healthy.

However, if you are roasting the pohas then for tempering the chivda you need to use 2 to 3 tablespoons of extra oil so that the seasoning is evenly distributed.

Can I fry the Makka / Makai poha ahead of time?

Yes, you can fry the poha ahead of time but not too many days. 1 Week earlier would be good. Once you have fried them let them cool down to room temperature before storing them in an air-tight container.

How to store the Cornflakes Chivda or Makai Chivda?

When the Cornflakes chivda has cooled down to room temperature you can store it in an air-tight container. Storing the cornflakes chivda in an airtight container will keep it crunchy and fresh for a long time.

Can you replace chili powder with green chili?

Red chili powder has the perfect taste for this cornflakes chivda as well as it imparts a beautiful color to the dish. However, you can always replace it with green chili. You need to add it to the tempering right after the mustard seeds.

Can this cornflakes chivda be made from ready-made cornflakes cereals?

Yes, If you are not able to find the makka poha for the chivda or are trying to avoid the oily version you can always use the ready-made cornflakes. However, the cornflakes for the cereal are lightly sweetened so you will have to alter the recipe a little.

So while making the chivda with cereal cornflakes do not add any extra sugar and also increase the ratio of a few ingredients, you will need a couple of tablespoons of more oil, ¼ teaspoon of chili powder, and 2/8th teaspoon of chat masala. This will enhance the flavors and give the cornflakes chivda the perfect taste.

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