Poha
Poha is flattened rice dish made with green chilies, onions, potatoes and a staple breakfast dish from India. It’s quick and easy to make in 20 minutes, can be enjoyed as breakfast or light lunch or dinner.
What is Poha?
Poha is a staple dish in many Indian homes. It’s basically flattened dried rice. It comes in two different varieties thin and thick. It’s quite similar to breakfast cereal or cornflakes. Poha as hot savory breakfast dish is quite popular in western and central parts of India.
For poha recipe we use thick flattened rice. The dried flattened poha is washed with water in a strainer for few minutes until the grains are separate and become fluffy. Thinner variety of poha is used to make dry snack called chivra or chevro.
Poha can be one of the simplest recipes you can prepare on whim or short time. Lot of times, when we had unannounced guests coming over last minute to visit (quite common in India) then my mom would often make some poha or pauva to serve them.
Poha is prepared same way in most of the household, however the addition of some vegetables or toppings can vary. Some people add sweet peas, diced carrots, corn etc.
For toppings some places or people add sev, pomegranate arils or freshly grated coconut. I love all these toppings but when you don’t have access to them, Poha itself is an overall delicious dish. I made some poha on our vacation as well. I never cook on vacations, but this time I decided to pack some poha even though my husband was making fun of me.
Guess what happens, one of the evenings we decided to stay home on our vacation and enjoy the views etc, poha made it to the dinner table. I might have made the best poha that night. Even though, its light dinner they were sufficient.
When talking about Poha people often call it Batata Poha or Kanda Poha.
The only difference is addition of potatoes in one (Batata) along with onions and the other one only has onions (Kanda).
How is it prepared?
The poha is washed with water in s strainer for few minutes until the grains are soft and fluffy looking, then water is removed. The soaking of dried flattened rice makes it soft, fluffy and separate grains.
This is mixed in a tempered (oil, mustard seeds, onions, green chili, peanuts, curry leaves, potatoes, turmeric powder, salt and sometimes sugar mix).
Finally, the dish is garnished with lots of cilantro and a dash of lemon juice.
One of my favorite smells is when onions and curry leaves hit the oil along with mustard seeds, I know its Poha time.
Tips for perfect Poha experience
Rinsing the poha is an important step. I always rinse them in a colander with small holes or strainer works best. We are only rinsing the grains until they look fluffy and soft. If you leave too much water, it will become mushy. You should be able to press poha between your fingers to test it, if it easily breaks it perfectly rinsed.
The idea is to rehydrate the dry grains. After rinsing, we leave it out for few minutes until you prepare other things.
Once the overall dish is prepared and the poha looks or taste dry, sprinkle few drops of water directly on it. Sometimes, that happens due to the difference in quality of grains. Cover the pan for few seconds also helps bring some moisture to the other wise dish.
For the toppings and garnish- I would highly recommend cilantro and squeeze of lemon. But, if you like pomegranate and freshly grated coconut then go for it. You will love these toppings.
If you are adding potatoes, if you want them cook faster then I take shortcuts, either I will add boiled potato if I know I am going to make poha and I am steaming something else. Or cook that potato in the microwave. Makes so much easier.
Poha
Ingredients
- 2 cups Poha
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1/4 tsp mustard seeds
- 3-4 curry leaves
- 1-2 green chili cut into slits
- 1 inch grated ginger optional
- 3/4 cup onion finely chopped
- 1 medium potato chopped
- 3 tbsp raw peanuts
- 1/4 tsp sesame seeds totally optional
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- Cilantro to garnish
- 1 lemon or lime to squeeze on top
- Toppings – Pomegranate arils, Sev and freshly grated coconut
Instructions
- Add dry thick variety of flattened rice/poha in a strainer. Rinse it under running water until the grains turn soft and fluffy. All the grains should soft and not dry. (Read tip). Leave it in the strainer to drain the excess water.
- Pre heat a pan on medium heat. Once the pan is hot enough, add oil, followed by mustard seeds. As soon as mustard seeds sizzle and pop add the raw peanuts. Let the peanuts get some color. Stir in chopped potatoes, onions, curry leaves, green chili.
- Cook it until potatoes are soft and onions are translucent. Keep stirring and you can lower the heat and cover the pan too if you like. If you are adding other vegetables, then they should also go in at this time.
- Once the vegetables are cooked, add rinsed poha and turmeric powder, salt and stir to combine. Add sugar too if you are using it. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes until it looks yellow and turmeric and other salt are mixed in and remove it.
- Squeeze in some fresh lemon juice on top of poha. Garnish it with chopped cilantro. I leave the other toppings on the side for people to add whatever they like.