CHANA CHUR
TRADITIONAL FOOD PRODUCTS OF BANGLADESH
Chana chur is essentially a mixture of
two or more components. The most
common components are fried noodles
made from pulse flour (bason); flour
chips of different sizes and shapes; fried
and puffed dhals: cereals and peanuts.
Spices and condiments are used as to
flavour the mixture. It is a similar
product to "Bombay Mix".
The combination of ingredients varies
considerably depending on the price and
the market. In the rural areas, small
producers produce a low cost Chana
chur using only two or three
components. Some large scale producers
produce a Chana chur which may
contain more than 10 components. This
is mainly consumed by the cities.
The Importance of Chana Chur
Chana chur is a popular snack food in
Bangladesh and India. It is available in
almost all grocer's shops, e\'en in the
most remote villages of Bangladesh.
Vendors often are found selling "Chana
chur" in public places like stations, bus
terminals or in front of schools.
Figure 1: A small "Dokan" (kiosk) selling a wide range
of snack foods.
Chana chur consumption is increasing in rural areas. Producers are coming up with more and
more new ideas on Chana chur: from new packaging to new varieties. Entrepreneurs are taking
interest. In nearly every town in Bangladesh, there will be several family engaged making Chana
chur, as can be seen from the case studies below. This product is becoming one of the important
food processing businesses in Bangladesh.
Not only is it economically important but it is providing a means of income generation for
disadvantaged groups in Bangladesh as can be seen in the case studies below.
Nutritional aspects of chana chur
"Chana chur" is rich in protein and calories. Its exact nutritional quality depends on the
combination of different ingredients. Sometimes it is consumed with puffed rice (muri) and with
other snack foods by children and working people. This increases its nutritional value, as
consumption of cereals and legumes complement each others in respect to amino acids. It also
has a high calorie le\·el. since all of the ingredients are fried in oil.
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