Aloo Chiwda / Vrat Ki Falahari Namkeen

Fried potato sticks,peanuts and cashews tossed Indian style

During Navratri and other fasting days we need some snacks or munchies along with the main course meals.As there are only few option to use during fasting ,so often we have to try something mainly with potato,banana and yam.This aloo chiwda can be easily used during fasting.

Potato is grated and fried and then fried peanuts,cashews,green chilies and few spices which are acceptable in fasting are added .You can also make this with sundried potato sticks if you want to make it quick and easy.but the taste and texture will be slightly different.

Prep time- 10 min
Cooking time-20 min
Difficulty level-medium
Spice level-mild
Cuisine-North Indian
Type-snack,vrat ki recipe
Yield-approx. 5 cups
INGREDIENTS-

• Potatoes /aloo - 4 medium(500 gms)
• Peanuts/moongphali - 3/4 cup
• Cashew nut/kaju,halves- 3/4 cup
• Raisins /kishmish - 2 tbsp
• Green chili/hari mirch ,chopped- 2 tsp
• Curry leaves/kadi patta - 10

Spice mix-

• Castor sugar/pisi hui chini-1.5 tsp
• Tatri/citric acid,powdered -1/4 tsp *
• Pepper powder/kali mirch - 1 tsp
• Rock salt/sendha namak-to taste

PROCEDURE-

1. Peel potato and then grate it with a thick grater .
2. Wash the grated potato with enough water and then squeeze well.
3. Now spread it on a kitchen towel for 20 minutes.
4. Take a small bowl and mix all the spices and keep aside.
5. Heat oil in a deep and wide pan.
6. Add the grated potatoes in the pan and fry on high flame for 2 minutes.
7. Then lower the flame and fry till they become golden and crisp.
8. Drain the fried potatoes on a paper napkin.
9. Repeat the process and fry potatoes in batches.
10. Then fry peanuts on low heat till they become golden and crisp,drain on a paper napkin.
11. Fry cashews on low heat till golden and then drain
12. Add chopped green chilies in the hot oil and fry,after few seconds add chopped curry leaves .
13. When curry leaves become crisp, add raisins.
14. When raisin floats on top of the oil then take out and drain on a paper napkin.
15. Now sprinkle the spices over all fried ingredients and mix well.
16. Let the chiwda cool down completely then serve or store.

Note-
1-Citric acid can be substituted with mango powder,or you can skip both.
2-Instead of making with freshly grated potatoes,you can also make this potato chiwda with readymade sun dried potato sticks/sev .But the taste and texture will be different
To make sun dried Aloo sev and papad-check the recipe here