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    Whisk Affair » Recipes » Meal Type » Breakfast » Poha

    Published: Jul 18, 2020 | Last Updated On: Jul 20, 2020 by Neha Mathur

    Poha

    2128 shares
    Jump to Recipe

    Aloo Poha is a popular breakfast recipe in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra. It is made using beaten rice and is fairly easy to make. Here is how to make it.

    Here are some more North Indian breakfast recipe ideas – Besan Chilla, Moong Dal Chilla, and Sabudana Khichdi. 

    Poha served in a bowl.
    Jump to:
    • About This Recipe
    • Ingredients
    • Step By Step Recipe
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Storage Suggestions
    • Recipe Card

    About This Recipe

    Poha is also called flattened rice or beaten rice. It is a simple and quick breakfast recipe that is made in almost all the North Indian households and it has become quite popular in entire India too.

    Also known as chura, aval, avalakki, or chivda in different parts of India, this gluten-free ingredient is a great dish to serve for breakfast, snack, tea time, or quick dinner.

    It is great to pack for school or work lunch box as well.

    In this recipe, Pohe is soaked and then sautéed with onion, tomatoes, curry leaves, peanuts, green chilies, and everyday spices.

    Here, I have also added fried cubes of potatoes and green peas which gives a bite to this dish and is popularly called Aloo Poha or Batata Poha. 

    To make it healthier, you can skip frying the potatoes and make just Kanda Poha, which is Poha Recipe with onions which is another popular variation in Maharashtra.

    Along with the salt, I also add a little sugar to add a hint of sweetness to it. 

    Also, don’t forget to add lemon juice, it gives it a delicious tangy twist along with all the spices.

    This Recipe Is

    • Easy to make and takes less time in the kitchen.
    • Apt for your weekday meals.
    • Wholesome and filling.
    • It can be packed for your snack box. 
    • You can load it with vegetables for extra nutrition.
    • Naturally gluten-free

    Ingredients

    Poha ingredients

    Along with the main ingredient that is Poha or flattened rice, you will need potatoes, green peas, onions, tomato, peanuts, green chillies, curry leaves, mustard seeds, turmeric powder, salt, lemon juice, and sugar. 

    Poha – This makes the base of the dish. There are many varieties of pohe available in the market. According to the thickness of the flakes, there is thin and thick variety.

    Try to use the thick one to make pohe. 

    There are pohe made from red rice available in the market. You can use them too.

    Onion – Kanda is Onion in Marathi language and Kanda Pohe is this dish made using lots of onion. Onion adds a nice crunch to the dish. 

    Do not chop the onions too finely to add them in pohe. Slightly larger chunks will be great.

    Potato – Potato is called Batata in Marathi. I like to add them in pohe as they make it filling and who doesn’t like potatoes, right?

    You can add raw or boiled potatoes. I like to add fry the raw chopped potatoes in my recipe. I fry them until nicely brown and crispy. 

    If you want to make the healthier, use boiled potatoes instead.

    Peas – You can use frozen or fresh peas in this recipe.

    If using frozen peas, wash them well with water and micro for a minute until they soften. Then add them in the pan.

    If using fresh peas, boil them in water with ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon until they are softened.

    Tomatoes – Adding tomatoes is totally optional. I add them sometimes and skip them as well.

    Veggies – To make pohe healthier you can add other veggies like carrot, capsicum, cauliflower, etc to it as well

    While sugar adds a hint of sweetness to this dish, Lemon Juice gives it a tangy twist.

    You can also avoid adding sugar and add some pomegranate on the top. 

    I like to serve it topped with finely chopped onions, fresh coconut, and fine sev.

    Here, I have added only green peas and potatoes, but you can add more vegetables of your choice to make it.

    Step By Step Recipe

    Wash the poha and soak in enough water till it softens. ( Be careful at this step so that it doesn’t become soggy).

    Poha soaked in water.

    Drain the poha in a colander and let the excess water drain nicely. Keep aside.

    Drained poha.

    Heat oil for frying potatoes in a pan. When the oil is hot, add potatoes and fry on high heat till golden brown and crunchy from outside. Transfer the oil in a container for later use.

    Potato cubes frying in oil.

    Add 2 tablespoon oil in a pan. When the oil is hot, add peanuts and fry till slightly browned. 

    Peanuts frying in oil.

    Add mustard seeds and curry leaves. Let the mustard splatter for a few seconds.

    Mustard seeds and curry leaves added in the pan.

    Now add green chilies and onion and fry for 2-3 minutes.

    Green chillies and onion added in the pan.

    Add tomatoes, green peas and fry for a minute.

    Tomato and peas added in the pan.

    Add salt, turmeric powder, lemon juice, sugar added in the pan.

    Salt, turmeric powder, lemon juice and sugar added in the pan.

    Now add fried Potatoes, Poha and mix well.

    Fried potatoes and soaked pohe added in the pan.

    Cover and cook 2-3 minutes on low heat. Add fresh coriander and mix well. Serve hot.

    Ready aloo poha garnished with fresh coriander.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How is Poha made?

    It is made by parboiling the rice and then flattening it. After the rice is flattened or beaten, it is dried until crisp.

    How to choose the right variety of Poha?

    Make sure to choose a thick to a medium variety of Poha to make this breakfast dish. You can also buy red rice poha.

    How long do you have to soak Poha?

    Poha comes in a variety of thicknesses.

    To make Aloo Poha Recipe, it is preferable to take medium thickness poha. But this thickness will also vary from brand to brand. After soaking it should be fluffy and not mushy or dry.

    So when making it for the first time, monitor the time of soaking and then moving on, try to buy the same brand and stick with it. My Poha usually takes 30-40 seconds of soaking.

    You should soak it only until it is just about softened. Then immediately drain it. It will still keep absorbing the extra water and soften more.

    Do not soak for extra time, as it can become mushy and will not taste good. 

    Lastly, drain it in a colander and it still keeps getting softer from the remaining water.

    Why is my Poha dry?

    If the moisture in Pohe is less, it becomes dry. It is very important to soak it in the right amount of water and for the right amount of time.

    How to Salvage the dry Pohe?

    If after cooking, Pohe looks day, just sprinkle some water over them. Cover the pan and cook on low heat for 5-6 minutes. they will become fluffy again.

    Can I eat it at night?

    It is much lighter and healthier as compared to rice and eating it at night is perfectly fine.

    Is it healthy?

    It is recommended for breakfast, as it is high on carbs.

    It has 76.9 percent of carbohydrates and about 23 percent of fats.

    And therefore, it’s a great breakfast dish as it provides energy to the body to carry out its daily functions.

    This North Indian breakfast dish is light on the stomach and also digests easily.

    Serving Suggestions

    Serve this easy peasy Breakfast recipe along with a hot cup of Adrak Wali Chai or Coffee. 

    Often people even add grated fresh coconut, pomegranate seeds, and various types of Sev as garnishing on it.

    You can even add finely chopped onions, to serve it just like the roadside stalls serve it in the wee hours of the morning in some North Indian cities. 

    You could also customize it the way you want.

    But I like a generous sprinkling of Bhujia Sev on my Poha. You should try it too.

    You can try my homemade Aloo Bhujia recipe, if you are a fan of good homemade snacks.

    Storage Suggestions

    If you have leftovers, you can store it in the fridge for about 2 days in an airtight container, but the texture will not remain the same as the freshly made Poha.

    As if kept for long, they tend to become hard.

    While heating, you can sprinkle a little water and heat, it helps to make the Poha soft.

    You can use the leftover Poha and makes other recipes too such as Cutlets, Paratha, or even Pakoras. 

    You might also like

    • Batata Vada
    • Aloo Pakora (Potato Bajji)
    • Bread Upma
    • Upma (Rava Upma)

    Recipe Card

    Loved this recipe?Click here to leave a review and give us a five star rating ★★★★★
    Aloo Poha is a popular breakfast recipe in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra. It is made using beaten rice and is fairly easy to make. Here is how to make it.

    Poha Recipe

    Poha is a popular breakfast recipe in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. It is made using beaten rice and is fairly easy to make. Here is how to make it.
    4.5 from 8 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Breakfast
    Cuisine: Indian
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 398kcal
    Author: Neha Mathur

    Ingredients 

    • 1 and ½ cup Poha
    • ½ cup Potato (Peeled and cut into small pieces)
    • ¼ cup Peanuts
    • ¼ cup Peas (Boiled)
    • 2 tablespoon Vegetable Oil (Plus for frying)
    • ½ teaspoon Mustard Seeds
    • 10-12 Curry Leaves
    • 2 Green Chilli (Slit into half)
    • ½ cup Onion (Chopped)
    • ¼ cup Tomato (Chopped)
    • Salt to taste
    • ½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
    • 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
    • 1 teaspoon Sugar
    • 2 tablespoon Coriander (Chopped)
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    Instructions

    • Wash the poha and soak in enough water till it softens. ( Be careful at this step so that Poha doesn’t become soggy )
    • Drain the poha in a colander and let the excess water drain nicely.
    • Keep aside.
    • Heat oil for frying potatoes in a pan.
    • When the oil is hot, add potatoes and fry on high heat till golden brown and crunchy from outside. Transfer the oil in a container for later use.
    • Add 2 tablespoon oil in a pan.
    • When the oil is hot, add peanuts and fry till slightly browned.
    • Add mustard seeds and curry leaves and let them crackle or a few seconds.
    • Add green chilies and onion and fry for 2-3 minutes.
    • Now add tomatoes and peas and fry for a minute.
    • Now add salt, turmeric powder, lemon juice, sugar, fried potatoes and poha and mix well.
    • Cook for 2-3 minutes on low heat.
    • Garnish with fresh coriander and serve hot.

    Notes

    Be very careful about the soaking time of the poha. Don’t soak it for too long, otherwise, it will become mushy. You just have to rinse it till it becomes soft. 
    Use a lot of curry leaves for a nice flavor.
    Add in lots of peanuts, it adds a nice crunch to the soft textured Poha. 
    If you have leftover, you can make cutlets using it too. Just add some boiled mashed potatoes to the Pohe, shape the mixture like cutlets and shallow fry until browned.
    You can also shallow fry it and make Aloo Tikki.
    If you want to make it healthier, avoid deep frying the potatoes. You can use boiled potatoes instead. Just saute them in little oil until browned.
    You can garnish it with grated coconut too. That’s how they do it in Maharashtra.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 398kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 84mg | Potassium: 261mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 294IU | Vitamin C: 66mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 2mg
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. swati Bassi

      April 11, 2015 at 5:31 pm

      Hi

      I Love to eat poha. Its my all time favorite.
      Thanks for sharing such yummy pics of poha.

      Reply
      • msnehamathur

        May 18, 2015 at 9:35 am

        Thnx for liking Swati

        Reply
    2. Sarah

      March 31, 2017 at 3:41 pm

      4 stars
      Delicious and easy to prepare! Would be curious to see more recipes that use poha.

      Reply
      • msnehamathur

        March 31, 2017 at 4:04 pm

        There are a few more on the blog. Just type Poha in the search bar.

        Reply

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