Navratan Mixture is a festive Indian snack made with a medley of nine flavorful ingredients—each adding its own unique taste and texture. A blend of crunchy poha, puffed rice, nuts, namkeens, and aromatic spices, it offers the perfect balance of sweet, salty, tangy, and spicy. Often prepared during Diwali or Navratri, this homemade mixture is both nostalgic and irresistibly munch-worthy.
Sweets are lovely, but Diwali needs something savoury to balance all that sugar.
This homemade Namkeen Mixture is a crunchy, spicy, addictive snack made with poha, puffed rice, dry fruits, and store-bought potato straws + chips. Perfect with evening chai, or to pack in your festive gift hampers!
🌟 Why It’s Called Navratan Mixture
This flavorful snack mix is lovingly named Navratan Mixture — “Navratan” meaning “nine gems” in Hindi. Traditionally, Navratna is a term used in Indian culture to signify a collection of nine valuable or distinguished elements, whether in jewelry, mythology, or even royal courts.
In this recipe, the nine “gems” are the delicious, crunchy ingredients that come together to create a perfectly balanced chivda:
- Poha (flattened rice) – Light and airy, the base of the mixture
- Puffed rice (murmura) – Adds volume and subtle crunch
- Peanuts – Nutty and earthy
- Cashew nuts – Buttery richness
- Raisins – Sweet bursts to balance the spice
- Potato chips or banana chips – Salty, crispy indulgence
- Potato straws (aloo lachha) – Thin and crunchy, great texture contrast
- Moong dal namkeen – Tiny, crispy lentils for that extra crunch
- Boondi – Soft, spiced pearls that soak up the masala beautifully
Each component brings its own texture, flavor, and personality to the mix — sweet, salty, spicy, tangy, and crunchy — just like the nine jewels of a treasure chest.
Whether you’re preparing it for Diwali, Navratri, or simply to stock up on a wholesome, homemade snack, this Navratan Mixture is festive, flavorful, and full of nostalgia.
🔥 Step 1: Deep Fry the Crunchy Elements
Start by heating a generous amount of oil in a deep, heavy-bottom pan over medium heat. You’ll be frying each ingredient separately to ensure perfect texture and color.
- Poha (flattened rice): Drop a small handful at a time into the hot oil. They should immediately puff up and turn light, airy, and crisp. Be careful not to let them brown, or they’ll turn bitter. Once puffed, quickly remove with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel to drain excess oil.
- Peanuts: Fry until they turn golden brown and smell nutty. This usually takes just a couple of minutes. Stir continuously for even cooking.
- Cashew nuts: Fry until they’re a light golden color—don’t overdo it, or they’ll lose their natural sweetness.
- Raisins (optional): Add them last, and fry just until they puff up. This gives them a lovely chewy texture with a slight crunch on the outside.
👉 Pro Tip: Always fry in small batches to maintain the oil temperature and get an even, crisp texture.
🌶️ Step 2: Prepare the Masala Tempering
In a large, heavy-bottomed kadhai or wok, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat.
- Add fennel seeds, dry red chillies, and a handful of fresh curry leaves. Let them sizzle and release their aroma—this is the flavor foundation of your chivda!
- Lower the heat and stir in your powdered spices: turmeric, red chilli powder, salt, and a touch of sugar. Sauté briefly—just a few seconds. Be quick here, as powdered spices can burn fast and turn bitter.
👉 Flavor Note: The combination of fennel, chilli, and curry leaves adds warmth and complexity, while sugar balances out the heat beautifully.
🥣 Step 3: Bring It All Together
Once the tempering is fragrant, immediately add puffed rice (murmura) to the kadhai. Toss and roast on low heat for 2–3 minutes, until the murmura is lightly toasted and absorbs the masala flavors. They should feel crisp to the touch and have a faint golden hue.
Now, turn off the heat and gently fold in all your fried goodies:
- Poha
- Peanuts
- Cashews
- Raisins (if using)
- Potato chips or banana chips
- Potato straws (optional, but adds a lovely crunch!)
Finally, sprinkle amchoor powder (dry mango powder) for a tangy kick, and toss everything gently until every bit is well coated in the masala.
👉 Texture Tip: Use a wide spatula or clean hands to mix, being careful not to crush the poha or murmura.
🫙 Storage Instructions
Allow the chivda to cool completely before storing—any residual heat can cause it to turn soggy in storage.
Transfer to a clean, dry airtight container. Stored in a cool, dry place, it stays fresh and crunchy for up to 2–3 weeks.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Carry it as a light, mess-free travel snack—perfect for road trips or train journeys!
Enjoy a handful as a tea-time snack with a steaming cup of masala chai.
Pack it in small jars or festive pouches to include in your Diwali gift hampers.
Looking for more such yummy recipes to get some ideas for your snacking? Do not miss my Urad Dal Khichdi and Ram Khichdi and the best ones’ Chinese Rice Porridge.
*If you ever try this recipe don’t forget to share your photos with me on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter or tag me on Instagram @cookingwithsapana using the hashtag #cookingwithsapana and stay connected* I would love to see your creations from my space!!
Diwali Special Navratan Mixture
Equipment
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 2 cups thin poha flattened rice
- 1 ½ cups murmura puffed rice
- ½ cup raw peanuts
- ¼ cup cashew nuts
- 2 tbsp raisins
- ½ cup potato chips plain salted, crushed lightly
- ½ cup store-bought potato straws Aloo Lachha/Namkeen
- Curry leaves – 2 sprigs
- 2-3 dried red chillies
- 1 tsp fennel seeds saunf
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 tsp amchoor powder dry mango powder
- 1 tsp sugar
- Salt to taste
- Oil for deep frying + 1 tbsp for tempering
Instructions
- Heat oil in a deep pan.
- Fry poha in batches until they puff up and turn crisp (do not brown). Drain on paper towel.
- Fry peanuts until golden and crisp.
- Fry cashew nuts till light golden.
- Optionally, lightly fry raisins until they puff up. Set aside.
- In a wide, heavy-bottom kadhai, heat 1 tbsp oil.
- Add fennel seeds, curry leaves, and dry red chillies – let them crackle.
- Lower heat, add turmeric, red chilli powder, salt, and sugar. Sauté quickly (don’t burn the spices).
- Add puffed rice (murmura) to the tempering and roast for 2–3 mins on low heat until they turn crisp.
- Turn off heat and add all the fried ingredients: poha, peanuts, cashews, raisins, chips, and potato straws.
- Sprinkle amchoor powder and gently toss everything until well combined.
- Let the mixture cool completely, then store in an airtight container. Stays fresh for 2–3 weeks.
- Serve with hot masala chai, or pack into jars as part of your Diwali snack hampers!
Notes
Always let me know how this recipe turned out in the comments below. I will be so excited to hear how you served your Broken Wheat Dalia and please do share your tips and tricks with me.
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Best Regards,
Sapana Behl