Murmura Chivda Recipe (Spicy Puffed Rice)

// Murmura Chivda or Murmura Namkeen is a crunchy, crispy, spicy, and easy Indian tea-time snack made with puffed rice, peanuts, and spices.



Murmura Chivda or Murmura Namkeen is a crunchy, crispy, spicy, and easy Indian snack made with puffed rice (murmura), peanuts, and some essential spices! This easy-to-make snack tastes super delicious when paired with a steaming cup of coffee or masala chai. This super tasty light snack is vegan and gluten-free.

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murmura chivda | spicy puffed rice | murmura namkeen in a an antique brass pot and a coffee glass on the side

This fuss-free evening snack is straightforward and effortless. Made with simple ingredients, gets done in under 10 minutes from start to finish.

This tasty, healthy, and addictive snack recipe is immensely loved by everyone, so it is an ideal munchie for all age groups. Make this healthy and delightful homemade snack once, and you would definitely want to make this again and again.

About Murmura Chivda

This Murmura chivda recipe (spicy puffed rice) is a Maharashtrian style crispy tea-time snack made with puffed rice (murmura). Bursting with an infusion of flavors and textures, this chivda makes a perfect guilt-free snack to satisfy spicy snack cravings because it is cooked in less oil.

You can surely enjoy it any day, but this chivda also makes a wonderful festive snack to gift during the festive season. I just adore all types of mouthwatering chivdas, be it poha chivda, oats chivda, cornflakes chivda, or murmura chivda (spicy puffed rice). There is so much love in a tempting chivda or chatpata (spicy) murmura namkeen. The mélange of contrasting flavors and textures make this chivda so enticing.

Making this murmura namkeen is super quick and needs very little preparation like chopping green chilies and collecting ingredients. So it can literally be done in just 10 minutes. Not to mention it is super delightful and so addictive.

Once you start eating it, you won’t just stop at 1 or 2 helpings.

Due to its long shelf life, it stays fresh for up to 1-2 months when stored in an air-tight jar at room temperature, but in my home, it never stays for more than a week. ;)

Other namkeen chivda you may also love is makhana namkeen.

Easy to customize

The spice levels are slightly hot in this murmura chivda recipe, but you can easily customize the flavorings of this crunchy and delicious snack.

This recipe has the tempering of curry leaves, green chilies, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, fennel seeds, urad dal, chana dal, and hing (asafoetida).

For seasonings, I used the basic fragrant flavor profile of chivda flavors which are a mix of regular salt, black salt, red chili powder, chaat masala powder, and some sugar. You can modify this seasoning according to your taste preferences.

For example, you can add ground black pepper, roasted cumin powder, dried mint powder, or even some garlic powder.

Other than this murmura namkeen, puffed rice or murmura makes many other delicious snacks such as bhel puri, jhal muri, masala murmura, etc.

This Murmura Chivda

✔ is very simple and easy to make

✔ can easily be customized

✔ pairs well hot chai or coffee

✔ is healthy and tastes delightful

✔ makes a nice gift for the festive season

✔ is vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free

✔ can also be served as a snack any time of the day

✔ comes together in just 10 minutes

✔ has a long shelf life

✔ is also wonderful for road trips

murmura chivda | spicy puffed rice | murmura namkeen in an antique brass pot

What is Murmura Chivda?

Murmura chivda is a crispy and delicious tea-time Indian snack made with puffed rice. Chivda might be one of the most loved tea-time snacks in India.

Murmura is a Hindi name for puffed rice, and Chivda is a name for crunchy and spicy Indian snack mix or trail mix.

Chivda is made using dried and fresh ingredients consisting of one main ingredient which can be either poha (rice flakes) oats, cornflakes, or puffed rice and nuts, dried fruits, green chilies, curry leaves, nuts, lentils, and Indian spices.

In different Indian States, this ingredient ‘Murmura’ is known by different names such as kurmura, muri, and Mamra, etc.

Murmura has a crunchy texture, neutral taste, and is very light in weight, and these qualities make it an ideal ingredient for combing with different ingredients such as fried lentils, fried nuts, chilies, and spices

Murmura Namkeen Ingredients

Murmura chivda or spicy puffed rice is made with some easily available kitchen ingredients. These ingredients are:

Murmura: You need fresh white-colored, lightweight, and crispy puffed rice. You can easily find it at any Asian grocery store. If you can’t find rice puffs, then you can also use rice crispies that have a neutral flavor.

Peanuts: I have used a good amount of raw peanuts in this recipe. You can increase or decrease the amount according to your taste buds. Almonds, cashews, coconut flakes, and raisins can also be added to this chivda.

Lentils: I have used split Bengal gram (chana dal), and skinned and split black gram (urad dal) in the tempering. You can also use roasted split chickpeas.

Oil: I have used 4 tablespoons of neutral flavorless cooking oil for tempering. Feel free to reduce the amount of oil in this recipe.

Seasoning & Spices: This murmura namkeen recipe used seeds such as fennel seeds, cumin seeds, and mustard seeds in the tempering.

For seasoning, I have used powdered salt, sugar, and powdered spices such as red chili powder, chaat masala powder, turmeric powder, and gluten-free asafoetida (hing).

Green chilies and curry leave: I have used fresh green chilies in the tempering, you can also use dried red chilies. I added dried curry leaves in murmura namkeen, however, fresh curry leaves can also be used.

How to make Murmura Chivda

Making murmura chivda is very simple. To make it, you only need to temper it and toss it with the other ingredients. This is how murmura chivda (spicy puffed rice) can be made in 5 simple steps:

Step 1: Make tempering by sautéeing cumin seeds, mustard seeds, fennel seeds, lentils in oil.

Step 2: Sauté chili and curry leaves in oil until they are crisp.

Step 3: Add peanuts to the tempering and roast until they become crunchy.

Step 4: Add turmeric, asafoetida, and murmura to the tempering and toss well till they are coated.

Step 5: Add spices and toss! Done.

For a fully step-by-step picture and detailed video recipe, follow the instructions and video recipe shared in the recipe box on this page.

Storage

To store, let the chivda (Spicy Puffed Rice Mixture) cool completely at room temperature. Then store it in an air-tight jar/container. It stays fresh and crisp at room temperature for up to 1-2 months. 

a female holding murmura chivda | spicy puffed rice | murmura namkeen jar in hands

Serving Suggestions

This chivda tastes great on its own or when it is accompanied by hot rose masala chai or coffee.

This spicy puffed rice mixture is also suitable for traveling and road trips or picnics.

They also make a wonderful after-school or after-work snack.

Murmura Chivda Bhel

You can also make bhel using this murmura chivda. To make bhel, top this chivda with some chopped onions, chopped tomatoes, chopped potato, chopped cucumber, chopped green chilies, chopped cilantro, a squeeze of lemon juice, and toss.

Top with sev and pomegranate pearls, murmura chivda bhel is ready. Enjoy it immediately before it turns soggy.

Murmura Chivda Chaat

You can easily transform this namkeen into a chaat by tossing it with chopped onions, tomatoes, green chilies, cilantro, mint coriander chutney, sweet and spicy tamarind (imli) chutney, chaat masala powder, red chili powder, black salt, mint powder, a drizzle of lemon juice and sev or bhujia.

Variations

I have only added peanuts to this murmura chivda or spicy puffed rice recipe. To get more textures and flavors you can add any or a couple of the ingredients below:

Boondi (fried gram flour puffs): The crunchiness of boondi tastes really good in this crispy murmura chivda.

Roasted gram: Roasted gram adds a lovely nutty flavor and texture.

Nuts & dried fruits: I have only added peanuts here, but like any other chivda you can add your favorite nuts such as cashews, almonds, and raisins.

Seeds: Lotus seeds, melon seeds, and poppy seeds can also be added for richness.

Bhujia or Namkeen: You can also add some crispy sev or bhujia such as aloo bhujia, tomato bhujia, chana dal namkeen, moong dal namkeen, crispy fried chana masala, or lehsuni sev.

Coconut: Fried coconut slices or chunks also taste good in chivda recipes, so you can also add them along with peanuts.

Tips & tricks to make the best tasting murmura chivda

  1. Salt: This recipe has black salt, so when you are adding regular salt make sure that you add only a little salt first and then add more if needed.

  2. Sugar: I have added 1 teaspoon of powdered sugar to this recipe. Little bit of sugar balanced the tangy and hot flavors of this chivda without making it sweet. However, adding sugar is completely optional in this recipe.

  3. Seasoning: I have kept the flavor profile simple by only adding salt, red chili powder, chaat masala powder, and sugar. Other spices that also taste good in this murmura chivda are mint powder, roasted cumin powder, and black pepper powder.

  4. Flavors: Some freshly sliced garlic or garlic powder can also be added for a nice aromatic flavor.

  5. Herbs: For an added herby punch, you can also add fresh cilantro and mint leaves to the tempering.

  6. After adding spices, toss well for a minute, and then switch off the flame so that the spices don’t burn.

  7. Do not use a soft or stale murmura for this spicy puffed rice recipe. Make sure to use good quality, fresh and crispy puffed rice for this recipe.

  8. If for some reason your murmura is not crispy, then dry roast it in a pan before adding to the tempering.

  9. Saute curry leaves and green chilies until nice and crisp. This step would ensure a longer shelf life of this murmura chivda.

  10. You can easily double or halve this recipe.

  11. Spices can be adjusted according to the spice tolerance of your taste buds.

  12. I have used fresh green chilies in this recipe, but you can also swap them with dried red chilies.

a female holding a spoon over an antique brass pot filled with murmura chivda | spicy puffed rice | murmura namkeen

FAQs

Is Murmura Chivda (spicy puffed rice) gluten-free?

Yes, this murmura chivda is entirely gluten-free. I have added a pinch of gluten-free asafoetida in this recipe. So to make it gluten-free either use gluten-free asafoetida or skip adding hing (asafoetida).

Is Murmura Chivda vegan?

Yes, this Murmura Chivda is a vegan recipe.

Can I make it without oil?

You can make it without oil. We have used little oil in this recipe because oil helps in coating spices with puffed rice. You can make it entirely oil-free, but the spices won’t stick that well to the murmuras.

However, instead of 4 tablespoons of oil, you can make it with 2 tablespoons of oil.


Murmura Chivda Recipe (Spicy Puffed Rice) (Step-by-step photo instructions)

Making Murmura Chivda:

  1. Heat 4 tablespoons oil in a pan over low heat. Once oil is slightly hot, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds and mix well and saute for a few seconds or till seeds become aromatic.
  2. Image of the recipe cooking step-1-1 for Murmura Chivda Recipe (Spicy Puffed Rice)
  3. When the seeds start to crackle, add chana dal, and urad dal, and saute until dals are crisp and fragrant.
  4. Image of the recipe cooking step-1-2 for Murmura Chivda Recipe (Spicy Puffed Rice)
  5. After that, add chopped green chilies, curry leaves, and sauté until chilies turn crisp.
  6. Image of the recipe cooking step-1-3 for Murmura Chivda Recipe (Spicy Puffed Rice)
  7. Once the tempering is ready, add peanuts and stir everything well. Sauté till peanuts become golden and crunchy.
  8. Image of the recipe cooking step-1-4 for Murmura Chivda Recipe (Spicy Puffed Rice)
  9. Once the peanuts turn aromatic, add hing, turmeric powder mix well to combine.
  10. Image of the recipe cooking step-1-5 for Murmura Chivda Recipe (Spicy Puffed Rice)
  11. Now add murmura and toss until everything is well combined.
  12. Image of the recipe cooking step-1-6 for Murmura Chivda Recipe (Spicy Puffed Rice)
  13. Add regular salt, black salt, chaat masala powder, red chili powder, powdered sugar, and mix well until murmura is well coated in spices.
  14. Image of the recipe cooking step-1-7 for Murmura Chivda Recipe (Spicy Puffed Rice)
  15. Crispy, crunchy, and spicy murmura chivda is ready. Let it cool before storing it in an air-tight container. Stays fresh for up to 1-2 months when kept in a room temperature.
  16. Image of the recipe cooking step-1-8 for Murmura Chivda Recipe (Spicy Puffed Rice)

Recipe Card


Murmura Chivda Recipe (Spicy Puffed Rice) [Recipe]

Recipe Image
Murmura Chivda or Murmura Namkeen is a crunchy, crispy, spicy, and easy Indian tea-time snack made with puffed rice, peanuts, and spices.
★★★★★
(Rating: 5 from 3 reviews)

Prep time 🕐 Cook time 🕐 Total time 🕐
15 mins
Category ☶ Cuisine ♨ Serves ☺
Snacks Indian 7 cups
Nutrition Info ⊛ Serving size ⊚
224 calories 1

INGREDIENTS

For Murmura Chivda
  • 4 tablespoons oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds (rai)
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
  • 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds (saunf)
  • 1 tablespoon split bengal gram (chana dal)
  • 1 tablespoon skinned and split black gram (urad dal)
  • 2-3 green chilies, chopped
  • 1-2 tablespoon curry leaves, fresh or dried
  • 1 cup peanuts
  • Pinch of asafoetida (hing)
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi powder)
  • 6 cups murmura (puffed rice)
  • 1 teaspoon red chilli powder (lal mirch powder)
  • 1 teaspoon amchur powder
  • 1 teaspoon chaat masala powder
  • 1 teaspoon roasted cumin powder (jeera powder)
  • 1 teaspoon powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon black salt
  • Salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

Making Murmura Chivda:
  1. Heat 4 tablespoons oil in a pan over low heat. Once oil is slightly hot, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds and mix well and saute for a few seconds or till seeds become aromatic.
  2. When the seeds start to crackle, add chana dal, and urad dal, and saute until dals are crisp and fragrant.
  3. After that, add chopped green chilies, curry leaves, and sauté until chilies turn crisp.
  4. Once the tempering is ready, add peanuts and stir everything well. Sauté till peanuts become golden and crunchy.
  5. Once the peanuts turn aromatic, add hing, turmeric powder mix well to combine.
  6. Now add murmura and toss until everything is well combined.
  7. Add regular salt, black salt, chaat masala powder, red chili powder, powdered sugar, and mix well until murmura is well coated in spices.
  8. Crispy, crunchy, and spicy murmura chivda is ready. Let it cool before storing it in an air-tight container. Stays fresh for up to 1-2 months when kept in a room temperature.

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NOTES:

  1. This recipe has black salt, so when you are adding regular salt make sure that you add only a little salt first and then add more if needed.
  2. I have added 1 teaspoon of powdered sugar to this recipe. The tinge of sugar balanced the tangy and hot flavors of this chivda without making it sweet. However, adding sugar is completely optional in this recipe.
  3. I have kept the flavor profile simple by only adding salt, red chili powder, chaat masala powder, and sugar. Other spices that also taste good in this murmura chivda are mint powder, roasted cumin powder, and black pepper powder.


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