Chanachur

Bengali savoury mix

The crunchy chaos in a fistful of jhalmuri.

What it is

Chanachur is the Bengali savoury snack mix — a crunchy tangle of fried gram-flour noodles, split lentils, nuts and spice, salty and moreish. It is eaten by the handful with tea, and tossed through puffed rice to build jhalmuri. The eastern cousin of the wider namkeen and Bombay mix.

Where it comes from

It belongs to the everyday snack culture of Bengal and the east, sold loose and in packets, from the corner shop and the street cart. In the River Delta it is the crunchy element that turns plain puffed rice into a snack.

What it's called

Chanachur · the Bengali/eastern namkeen. Elsewhere, broadly, Bombay mix.

In the kitchen

Eaten straight by the handful, and — its defining local use — tossed with puffed rice, onion, chilli and mustard oil into jhalmuri, the great Bengali street snack. Added for salt and crunch; it goes soft if it sits, so it meets the muri at the last moment.

What we know about the claims

A fried, salty snack — enjoy as the treat it is. No caution beyond that.

Choosing and buying

Sold in packets in every South Asian grocer (UK and US); many regional styles and heat levels. Keep sealed so it stays crisp.