Chewda

A crunchy hot-sweet snack food I fell in love with when I lived in Calgary.

• Ready In: 20 mins
• Yields: 12 cups

Ingredients

• 8  cups  Rice Krispies
• 3⁄4 lb  raw Spanish peanut
• 3⁄4 lb raw cashews
• 1 1⁄2 cups raisins
• 1⁄2 cup  vegetable oil
• 1 -2  teaspoon black mustard seeds
• 2  serrano peppers, finely chopped
• 2  tablespoons curry leaves, cut into small pieces
• 1  tablespoon cayenne powder
• 1⁄8 teaspoon asafoetida powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 -2  teaspoon cumin powder
• 2  teaspoons sugar
•  salt

Directions

1. Put the rice krispies in a large bowl.
2. Fry the peanuts and cashew pieces in batches in the oil until light brown.
3. (Take them out immediately, as they'll continue to cook a bit after you do!).
4. Put them on top of the rice krispies.
5. Fry the raisins in batches, until they puff-add to rice krispies mixture.
6. In the leftover oil, pop the mustard seeds.
7. Add the chilis and curry leaves (be careful of splattering when you do!).
8. Heat on low flame for a couple of minutes, to temper the oil.
9. Add the asafoetida-turn the flame off.
10. Add the turmeric, cayenne, and cumin. Mix well.
11. Add a couple of cups of the rice krispies/nuts/raisins into the pan to mix with spices.
12. Put that back in the bowl with the rest of the stuff.
13. Mix thoroughly, until you get a uniform color.
14. Add sugar and salt to taste and mix again.