Instructions: All indians are fond of snacks which are served at teatime or with drinks. One of the most popular snacks is chiwda or a mixture of cereals nuts and spices somewhat like a savoury muesli. Perhaps the best known outside India is Bombay mix. All these chiwdas are a mixture of tastes hot sweet salty and tangy. Being dry preparations the sourness needs to come from an ingredient that will provide taste without moisture. That ingredient is citric acid. It is used in different chiwdas made of potatoes chickpea flour flaked or puffed rice and sago.

manufacture
Citric add is an organic acid found in many fruits like lemons oranges raspberries gooseberries etc. For use in the kitchen it is extracted from lemon juice or it is prepared commercially by fermenting glucose.

appearance and taste
Citric add is available in the form of a fine white shiny powder or as large fragile crystals that break easily. It has no aroma and a pleasant sour addic taste.

buying and storing
It keeps well when dry. If it gets wet it is liable to go mouldy.

culinary uses
The grains of citric add are sprinkled into chiwdas or snacks. When made into a solution they can be added to rice lentils or vegetables. Citric add is a good substitute for lemon juice and gives a tang to homemade lemonade.

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