Kerala Spicy Mixture

Mixture is a crispy and crunchy snack popular in India. It is a snack mix or a blend of crispy fries, nuts,chips,fried lentils and tossed with a spice powder.This is a common snack eaten anytime and at all times. You can find this in every bakery you visit, so back in India, there was no need to make it at home. This always comes handy when you have guests at home or just as a tea time snack.My Mom always stock up on mixture and there is one more reason,it is her favorite snack to this day. Because of her I also became a great fan of spicy mixture.I had never thought that one day I'll make this at home. My mom will be so proud of me when she will see this post :). I am not going to say this is easy to make,but it is definitely worth the effort. Make sure to store in air tight containers,mixture can be made and stored for a long time.

There are lot of variations for this humble snack- Bombay mix, Madras mixture, chivada,chuda- different regions have their own versions.This is the spicy Kerala style mixture made in coconut oil with lots of fresh curry leaves for extra flavor.You can add anything to the mixture along with sev and bondhi. It can be peanuts,cashew nuts, chips,fried lentils,puffed rice, beaten rice,corn flakes. Try this, you will surely love it.

Ingredients
To make sev
Gram flour- 1 1/2 cup
Rice flour- 1/2 cup
Butter- 1 tbs
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste

To make bondhi
Gram flour- 3/4 cup
Baking powder- 1/4 tsp
salt to taste
turmeric powder

To make spice mix
Dry red chilly-5
Ajwain- a pinch
Asafoetida- 1/2 tsp
Black pepper- 1/4 tsp
Urad dal- 2 tsp
Mustard seeds- 1/4 tsp
Garlic -1 clove
Curry leaves- 4-5
Chilly powder- 1 tsp
Salt 1/2 tsp
Sugar- 1 tbs

Other ingredients
Peanuts- 1 cup
Chickpeas or channa dal- 1/2 cup
Puffed rice- 1 cup
Beaten rice- 1/2 cup
Plantain chips- 1/2 cup(optional)
Fryums- 1/2 cup (optional)
Curry leaves- 2 springs
oil for frying

Soak chick peas for 4-5 hours,drain and set aside.
To make the spice powder, dry roast dry red chilly, curry leaves,ajwain ,black pepper, urad dal and mustard seeds in a low flame for 2-3 minutes. Towards the end add garlic too. Allow this mixture to cool down and make a fine powder. Mix in sugar, salt, chilly powder and asfoetida powder.Set this aside.

To make the sev you will need a string hopper or an idiyappam maker. In a bowl add gram flour, rice flour, turmeric power salt and mix. Add butter and rub the flour with the butter. Now add water little by little and knead into a smooth dough softer than chapathi. Fill the dough into string hopper maker/mold. It will have flat disc with tiny holes, select the smallest hole disc.Press the dough into the oil in a single stream ribbon into the oil.Fry one side for one minutes, turn to the other side and fry for one more minute. When it is crispy golden color, remove from oil and place on paper towels to absorb the excess oil.Continue frying in batches. Once it cools down crush the sev into crumble and sprinkle a little of the spice powder.

To make the bondhi mix gram flour, baking soda,turmeric powder and salt. Add water to make a smooth runny batter.Place a perforated spoon/ spatula with holes just above the oil. Pour the batter into the spoon, gently shake and allow the drops to fall into the oil. Keep the spoon just above the oil and the droplets will take shape of tiny round balls.Allow this to fry till light golden.remove from oil and place on paper towels to absorb the excess oil.Sprinkle a little of the spice powder and toss the bondhi.

In the same oil fry curry leaves till crispy drain and set aside.Fry peanuts and soaked chick peas till golden and drain. Fry fryums,chips and beaten rice till crispy.
Into a large mixing bowl add crushed sev, fried bondhi,curry leaves, fried peanuts and chickpeas,beaten rice and puffed rice. Sprinkle the spice powder little by little toss and mix well.
Store in air tight containers. Serve with tea.