Homemade Cornflakes Mixture

There are some snacks we grow up buying in packets, never realizing just how easy, clean and delicious they are to make at home. This homemade cornflakes mixture is one of them!

Crispy cornflakes, puffed rice, peanuts, roasted gram, cashews and a few simple fried ingredients come together with curry leaves and a gentle blend of spices to make the perfect South Indian-style mixture. Everything is fried separately until perfectly crisp, mixed together, seasoned and stored.

It is simple, crunchy, fresh and incredibly satisfying — perfect with a cup of hot tea, as an evening snack, or even as a crunchy side dish with lunch.

Ingredients

• Cornflakes
• Puffed rice
• Peanuts
• Roasted gram (pottukadalai)
• Cashews
• Curry leaves
• Thin fried boondi or any other crunchy namkeen, optional
• Red chilli powder
• Turmeric powder
• Salt
• A pinch of asafoetida
• Oil, for frying

Method

1. Fry the cornflakes in hot oil in batches until crisp and golden. Drain well.
2. Fry the puffed rice, peanuts, roasted gram and cashews separately, as each ingredient needs a slightly different frying time.
3. Finally, fry the fresh curry leaves until crisp. Drain everything well.
4. Add all the fried ingredients to a large bowl while still warm.
5. Sprinkle with salt, red chilli powder, turmeric and a pinch of asafoetida. Toss gently until everything is evenly coated.
6. Let the mixture cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container.

My little tip

The secret to a really good homemade mixture is to fry every ingredient separately and drain it well. It keeps each component crisp instead of oily or soggy. And don’t overdo the spices — the simple combination of chilli, salt and turmeric lets all that beautiful crunch shine.

Homemade really does make a difference here. Once you make this, you’ll wonder why you ever bought it in a packet!

Perfect with: hot tea or coffee, evening snacking, lunchbox sides, or as a crunchy accompaniment to a simple South Indian lunch.