Bombay Mix

Bombay mix is the name used in the United Kingdom and Ireland for a traditional Indian snack known as chiwda, chevdo, bhuso (if made without potato), chevda (चिवडा) or chivdo (चिवडो) in India, or Chanāchura (Oriya: ଚନାଚୁର) in Orissa and chanachur (চানাচুর) in Bengal. The English name originates from the city of Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay), India. It consists of a variable mixture of spicy dried ingredients, which may include fried lentils, peanuts, chickpea flour noodles, corn, vegetable oil, chickpeas, flaked rice, fried onion and curry leaves. This is all flavoured with salt and a blend of spices that may include coriander and mustard seed. The traditional Indian food can be eaten as part of a meal; as a standalone snack, though, it is usually consumed with the hands. Alternative, regional versions include:

• In the United Kingdom and Ireland, the Bombay mix sold and served in Indian restaurants, take-aways and newsagents often does not contain dried fruit, although authentic recipes from Maharashtra do.
• In Pakistan, it is very popular, prepared throughout the country, usually known as chevda (although chevda also refers to another food stuff) or nimko.
• A different version, called gathia mix, and sometimes "Gujarati mix", is a lot spicier and contains only crunchy mix, peanuts and spices.
• In the USA, it is alternatively and more often referred to as "Punjabi mix" or simply "hot mix".
• In Australia and New Zealand, it can be called bhuja mix, and is often not very spicy.
• In Myanmar, they are known as sarkalay chee, which literally means sparrows' droppings, referring to the lentil strips. They are very popular with both the Burmese and the Burmese Indians.
• In Sri Lanka, it is known just as "mixture", and includes a larger variety of exotic ingredients, such as cassava and fried curry leaves.
• In Singapore, it is known as kacang putih.
• In West Bengal and Bangladesh, it is known as Chanachur, which is very spicy compared to the other versions, and is much more popular amongst the Bengali people.
• In southern states such as Tamil Nadu and Kerala, it is known as just "mixture", and is available in almost all the sweet shops and bakeries. Usually it consists of fried ground nuts (peanuts), thenkuzhal, kara boondhi, roasted chana dal, karasev, murukku broken into small pieces, pakoda and oma podi.
• In Eastern African countries with large populations of families of Indian descent, especially Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, it is known as chevdo or chevra and is often prepared with some sugar sprinkled in.
• A variation of chevdo without root vegetables (where the potato crisps are replaced by matoke (plantain) is defined as Jain chevdo.