Poha Recipe | Kanda Poha Recipe

Poha Recipe is a popular breakfast made using flattened rice or poha, onion, spices and herbs. Poha Recipe is a traditional authentic breakfast staple popular in Maharashtra. Poha Recipe takes just few minutes to put together and is perfect for breakfast. Let us get on to learn Poha Recipe with step by step pictures and video.

Poha is a widely popular breakfast throughout India. This is a tasty dish which is wholesome, filling and nutritious too.

About Poha Recipe

Poha Recipe is made using flattened rice flakes, onion, spices and herbs. It is one of the easiest breakfast that even beginners or bachelors can try at home.

This Poha Recipe can be had for breakfast or snack or even for dinner. You can serve it as such or pair it up with any chutney of your choice. You can even garnish with some sev on top while serving, makes it taste so good with a crunch.

There are many ways to make Poha with onion, without onion, with vegetables or just with onion and potato. When I feel there is a time crunch I usually resort to poha recipe and I am glad that my family loves it too.

Poha means flattened rice flakes or also called as beaten rice or parched rice. It is called by different names : aval(tamil), atukulu(telugu), chirea(bengali), pauwa(hindi) etc. Poha is easily digestible and healthy too. Poha is usually crisp, thin or thick when soaked becomes soft and easy to cook.

Flattened rice flakes or beaten rice absorbs water or milk easily so suitable for upma, vada, payasam etc. Many recipes can be made using rice flakes and it can be used to grind idli, dosa and appam batter to give it a spongy texture.

Quick recipes like sweet poha with jaggery or aval urundai can be made for evening snacks. Poha Chivda can also be made by deep frying poha and adding spices and nuts.

This Poha Recipe is highly nutritious yet light on the tummy making it ideal for snack or breakfast too. Roasted peanuts adds a nice flavor and crunch to this dish. You can replace it with cashews too. Poha with a cup of hot filter coffee is all that I want to curl up on a lazy weekend morning.

Video

Poha Recipe – Methods

The difference between Kanda Poha and Kanda Batata Poha is in Kanda Poha it is just onion and poha but in Kanda Batata Poha we use potato along with onion and poha. Here kanda means onion and batata means potato.There are a many such variations like chura matar where we add peas along with poha.

• Kanda Poha – Kanda poha is poha made with poha and onion along with tempering spices and herbs.
• Kanda Batata Poha – Kanda Batata Poha is made with poha, onion and potatoes.

Types of Poha

There are 2 varieties of poha :

• Thick Poha – Thick poha is usually preferred for this poha recipe, upma and such recipes.
• Thin Poha – It is paper thin suitable for sweets like kesari, sweet poha etc.

Apart from this poha is readily available in red rice and brown rice too. I have used thick variety poha for this recipe which I usually prefer.

Poha Recipe Ingredients

• Poha : You can choose either thick poha or thin poha variety as per the availability and preference. Make sure to soak and drain accordingly that is the key for perfect poha recipe.
• Onion : Use finely chopped onion, always cut it fresh and use it.
• Spices : A simple tadka is made using mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves and green chilies. Turmeric powder is also used for flavor and color.
• Peanuts : You can either add peanuts or cashew nuts for the crunch.
• Garnish : Garnish with grated coconut and coriander leaves.

Poha Recipe Step by Step

Preparing Poha

1.Get ready with all your ingredients.

2.Soak 1 cup poha in water for 2-3 mins. I used thick poha (which I had in hand) so I soaked for 3-4 minutes. If its thin poha you can soak it for 2 minutes that is enough else it will become mushy.

3.Drain water rinse it well and set aside.

4.When you press with your fingers it should be soft and not mushy also it should not be stiff. If it is still stiff then soak for 2 more mins. Make sure not to make poha mushy so take care while soaking.

5.Add salt to taste and 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder.

6.Mix it well toss for even mixing. Set aside.

7.Heat oil in a pan – add 2 tablespoon peanuts, roast until crisp. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Tempering for Poha

8.In the same pan add 1 teaspoon mustard seeds let it splutter then add 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds let it crackle then add few curry leaves and 1 green chilli, give a quick saute.

9.Now add 1 medium onion chopped.

10.Saute until it turns transparent.

Adding Poha

11.Add soaked and drained poha.

12.Give a quick mix.

Cooking Poha

13.Cook covered for 2 mins. If you feel its too dry you can sprinkle little water then cook covered.

14.Now open give a quick mix. Adjust salt at this stage.

Garnishing

15.Add roasted peanuts, 1 tablespoon coconut,1 teaspoon lemon juice and 1 tablespoon coriander leaves.

16.Give a quick mix and switch off.

Enjoy poha hot!

Expert Tips

• Choose the right variety of poha. Soaking and preparing poha is the key for perfect poha recipe.
• Remove speck if it is present. Rinse well before using but make sure not to make it mushy.
• You can use carrot, peas and potato for a more filling and colorful poha recipe.
• I usually soak the poha while starting to temper so by the time the tempering items are done poha becomes soft.Take care not to make the poha mushy so be careful in adding water.You can use thick or thin poha but accordingly soaking time will vary.
• I pressure cook the potatoes before hand and then added. You can even add raw potatoes and cook it along with onions saute and cook it.
• Sugar gives a nice twist so add a pinch if you like.
• You can replace peanuts with cashews.
• Add more coconut if you like the flavor.
• You can add tomatoes for making a masala version of poha.

Serving & Storage

Serve it hot with a lavish sprinkle of sev and coriander leaves.

Poha can be stored for a day in room temperature not exactly a day may be for 10-12 hours depends on your climatic conditions too. After that refrigerate it, and while you serve you can reheat and serve it hot.

FAQS

1.What is poha recipe?

Poha recipe is prepared by first soaking and draining poha then cooking along with tempering spices and onion. Finally garnished with coconut and coriander leaves.

2.What to serve poha with?

Poha can be served along with chutney or garnished with sev and coconut.

3.Why does my poha turn mushy?

If poha is soaked for more time it turns mushy so take care while soaking and draining. Soak poha for 2-3 mins according to the variety you use.

4.Why is my poha hard and chewy?

Poha which is not usually soaked, cooked properly tastes chewy and hard. So make sure to soak poha for the desired amount of time.

Kanda Poha | Kanda Batata Poha

Kanda Batata Poha is a savory snack or breakfast dish made by cooking poha with potato, onion and tempered spices. Kanda Batata Poha could be made in no time and can be made for breakfast as well. Kanda means onion and Batata means potato.

Batata Poha is one of the Maharashtrian recipes made with poha and potato combination. Kanda Batata Poha is nothing but Onion Potato Poha, just few small changes to our usual aval upma here you get a new recipe with a twist and I loved it as its quick to make and tasty too. You can try this for breakfast / serve it as a snack too perfect for kids.

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups poha / aval (I used thick poha)
• 1 boiled potato medium sized chopped (comes to 1/3 cup)
• 1 big onion medium sized chopped finely
• 2 tablespoon peanuts
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• salt to taste

To temper:

• 2 teaspoon oil
• 3/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• a small sprig curry leaves
• 1 green chilli finely chopped

How to make Kanda Batata Poha

1. Rinse poha well and Soak poha in water(just till immersing level) for 3-5mins.Meanwhile heat a pan with oil – add the items listed under ‘to temper’ let it splutter then add peanuts and roast till crispy.Pin
2. Then add onion and fry till slightly browned then add boiled chopped potatoes along with turmeric powder.Mix well, then add sugar and give a quick stir.
3. By now poha must have absorbed the water, add the poha and give a quick stir until well blended. Garnish with coriander leaves and switch off. Add lemon juice.

Serve hot with lemon wedges.

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