The sweet and spicy chivda has travelled across the world, and was also a favourite of late Queen Elizabeth II. While a food chronicler retraces this fascinating link, we have curated a list of shops for you to refill your stock
Late Queen Elizabeth II at a tea party in Glasgow. Pic courtesy/Getty Images
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.
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But how did the chivda, which shows up in some or the other variation across different Indian states, travel to Buckingham Palace? Kiranas, reveals Doctor. “In the 1970s, Indians who were settled for decades in East African countries like Uganda were expelled or encouraged to leave due to resentment from native African communities,” recalls Doctor. While some of them returned to India, others headed to the UK, he adds.
The latter took on all kinds of jobs, including opening corner shops or kiranas. TV presenter Babita Sharma’s book, The Corner Shop: Shopkeepers, the Sharmas and the making of modern Britain, delves into how her parents were among the Indian immigrants from East Africa who started running corner shops in the UK. Working tirelessly in the face of threats and racism, these Indians stocked all kinds of things that the British wanted. “One of the ways that the racism would come out was the British would accuse the corner shops of smelling like curry. So, they could not stock hot Indian food or snacks,” elaborates Doctor.
The three-decade-old Mahalaxmi Chivda and Sweet in Chivda Gully, Lalbaug, stocks more than 10 to 12 varieties of the snack. Pics/Ashish Raje
But chivda, fried and cooled, could easily be packaged, and drew in other Asian customers, too. “It was safe, and didn’t have a strong odour. I suspect that after a point, other British customers started tasting it and liking it because chivda is sweet, salty, crunchy and is a great accompaniment with drinks. My theory is that these corner shops popularised chivda, and at some point, it must have reached the Queen,” he summarises.
On the Chivda trail
. For over 35 years now, Mahalaxmi Chivda And Sweet in Lalbaug’s bustling Chivda Gully has been standing strong. Owner Shivaji Wadkar recalls that the snack heaven dedicated to chivda once boasted of just the lone Kadam Tasty Chivda. “Today, there are 13 shops,” he shares, adding that the shop offers more than 10 varieties.
AT Shop no. 2, Industrial Estate, Dinshaw Petit Road, Lalbaug.
. Trupti Farsan and Sweets offers makai chivda, Mahalaxmi chivda, and more.
AT 2, Krishna Kunj Building, Andheri West.
. Don’t miss a plate of dadpe pohe (right) at Soam or drop by their store for healthy variants like nachni flax chivda, and bajra flax chivda.
AT Soam, Babulnath Road.
. Pick up panchratna chivda, Jain chivda, papdi chivda and more at Ladu Samrat in Parel.
AT 1 & 2, Habib Terrace, Parel.
. Our in-house health nut recommends the binge-worthy baked chivda at Deepak Sweet Farsan and Dry Fruit in Borivali.
AT Shop no. 1, Ganesh Nivas, Chinchpada, Borivali East.
. Spice up your regular chivda with peri peri corn chivda or chatpata kairi mixture from The Bombay Sweet Shop.
AT JAK Compound, Byculla East.
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