As a serial snacker, this writer was chuffed to bits to discover that the late Queen Elizabeth II was territorial about her stash too, especially when it came to chivda. Not scones, but the chatpata flattened rice, sev, nuts, dry fruits, curry leaves, fried lentils and add-as-you-wish mix that you can rarely go wrong with. Can you imagine the monarch sipping on her cup of Earl Grey and munching on the crispy, sweet and spicy snack on the side?

Dubbed Bombay mix in the United Kingdom (UK), chivda, churmura, chanachur or chevda was one of the monarch’s favourite nibbles — a delicious revelation that came in the wake of a phone-hacking scandal in the UK in 2013, reveals journalist and culinary chronicler Vikram Doctor.  “Among all the information that came out was this funny conversation about the Queen and the Bombay mix. In Buckingham Palace, a lot of snacks would be served for her and the others. She was allegedly irritated at the way the staff was dipping into her chivda,” shares Doctor, who discusses the snack on his audio series, The Real Food Podcast.