Indian Poha Recipe

Classic Indian Poha Recipe

Poha Recipe

Ingredients:

2 cups thick poha (flattened rice)

1 medium onion, chopped

2-3 green chilies, chopped

1/4 cup peanuts

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

A pinch of asafoetida (hing)

1 sprig curry leaves

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 tablespoon sugar (optional)

Salt to taste

1-2 tablespoons oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Fresh coriander leaves, chopped (for garnish)

Grated coconut (optional, for garnish)

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Poha:

Rinse the poha in water gently and drain. Ensure it’s moist but not soggy. Set aside.

2. Roast Peanuts:

Heat oil in a pan. Add peanuts and roast until golden. Remove and set aside.

3. Tempering:

In the same pan, heat the remaining oil. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter.

Add cumin seeds, asafoetida, and curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds.

4. Cook the Onions:

Add chopped onions and green chilies to the pan and sauté until the onions become soft.

Add turmeric powder and mix well.

5. Mix Poha:

Add the soaked poha to the pan. Stir gently to combine with the onion mixture.

Add salt and sugar. Mix well to evenly coat the poha.

6. Finishing Touches:

Turn off the heat. Add lemon juice and roasted peanuts. Mix gently.

7. Serve:

Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and grated coconut, if desired, and serve hot.

Tips:

For extra flavor, you can add boiled peas or grated carrots.

Adjust spices and sugar according to your taste.

Enjoy your delicious poha.

                                                                          

Method 

Poha, as you know, is widely available and made from rice. Let me show you how it's prepared step by step as I make it. First, you need to soak it. I’ll start by soaking it. Take slightly thicker poha, not the really fine variety. Just like rice comes in thin and thick grains, poha also comes in thin and thick varieties. You can see, I don’t want it to be overly soaked, so you can either soak it in water and strain it, or follow the method I’m using.

The key is to soak it, but not too much water should remain in it. If it becomes too moist, it won't be enjoyable, but it shouldn’t be too dry either. To maintain the right moisture, a few things are essential, like adding lots of onions, which increase the moisture content. I’m using a bit more oil, but that's actually for the peanuts. I need to cook the peanuts in it. So, here are the onions, and this poha is from a place near Mumbai called Roha, close to Alibaug.

Interestingly, poha and Roha rhyme. Don’t chop the onions too finely because the onion’s flavor needs to come through, and if it’s chopped too fine, it won’t have the same effect. Now, we need lots of peanuts—be generous with the peanuts. Let’s cook the peanuts. Meanwhile, I’ll chop some green chilies into small pieces and add them. Sometimes, I use larger chilies so they can be removed easily if someone doesn’t want it too spicy. With smaller chopped chilies, that’s harder to do.

The aroma of roasted peanuts has started to come through now. I’ll take them out at this point. As I mentioned, if you feel the peanuts are slightly undercooked, take them out—they’ll continue cooking slowly. Now, these peanuts will absorb the excess oil on paper, and they’re ready. Let’s move on to the remaining oil.If it’s too spicy for your taste, you can reduce the amount. Add cumin seeds; some people also temper with mustard seeds or a combination of mustard and cumin. I like using both mustard and cumin.

Another optional ingredient is asafoetida. If you like, try adding a pinch of asafoetida. Next, add curry leaves. They’re a must—they enhance the flavor a lot. Add lots of onions and cook them until soft. Don’t overcook. Then, add turmeric. No red chili powder here—only green chilies.If you prefer it spicier, add more green chilies.If you’re really fond of red chili powder, you can add that too.

Now, add the soaked poha. As you can see, there’s no excess water in it. It’s neither too wet nor too dry. Mix it well. Add salt and a little sugar. The sugar adds a nice flavor. Mix everything thoroughly, and it's almost ready. But a crucial ingredient is lemon juice. I’ll add lemon juice now. Here you go—fresh lemon juice. Add the peanuts, mix everything well, and it’s done!

A wonderful, warm breakfast is ready for you. Garnish with some coriander and a little grated coconut. Serve it hot and enjoy!