Aloo Poha

Aloo Poha or Potato Poha is a popular breakfast recipe in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. It is made using beaten rice or poha and is fairly easy to make. Here is how to make Aloo Poha Recipe (Step by Step).

There are so many breakfast recipes across Indian cuisines that you can make for your weekday breakfast. From Cheela, Poha, Stuffed Paratha in North India to Dosa, Idli, Upma in South India, there are literally so many options that you can choose from.

But there is one recipe that I find very easy to make and is also made often at my home for breakfast, it is POHA.

A popular snack which originated from Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, has now become famous across India.

Being a North Indian, I was introduced to a variety of Poha recipes since my childhood. I remember my mother used to make different versions of Poha for weekday breakfasts, so that we don’t get bored with the same recipe.

But my search for perfect Poha ended with my sister’s version of it. It is this easy and tasty Aloo Poha. Poha with small chunks of fried potatoes sautéed along with everyday spices, this dish gets ready in under 20 minutes.

Sometimes, when I am alone and need a quick fix meal, this Aloo Poha is also made for lunch or dinner.

I even love Indori Poha, which has a twist of Jeeravan Masala, that changes the taste of this simple dish entirely.

So, if you are looking for a weekday breakfast recipe, do give this Aloo Poha a try. Learn how to make Aloo Poha recipe, that can also be served as a snack with your evening tea. Here is the recipe of Aloo Poha.

What is Poha?

Poha which is also called as flattened rice or beaten rice 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.

In this recipe, Poha is soaked and then sauteed with onion, tomatoes, curry leaves, peanuts, green chillies and everyday spices.

Here, I have also added fried cubes of potatoes and green peas which gives a bite to this soft Poha. Along with the salt, I also add a little sugar to add a hint of sweetness to it. You can avoid adding sugar completely too.

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

What to serve with Poha?

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

Often people even add grated coconut, pomegranate seeds and various types of Sev as a garnishing on this Poha. You can even add finely chopped onions, to serve it just like the road side stalls serve it in the wee hours of morning in some North Indian cities. 

You could also customize it the way you want. As I had already added sugar in my version of Aloo Poha, I refrained from using pomegranate seeds.

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.

Which variety of Poha is best?

Make sure to choose thick to medium variety of Poha to make this breakfast dish.

How long do you have to soak Poha?

Poha comes in variety of thickness. To make Aloo Poha, it is preferable to take medium thickness poha. But this thickness will also vary from brand to brand.

So when making the poha 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 the soak the poha 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, rdain it in a colander and it still keeps getting softer from the remaining water.

Tips to make best Aloo Poha Recipe

Be very careful about the soaking time of the poha.

Use a lot of curry leaves for a nice flavour.

If you have leftover poha, you can make Aloo Poha Cutlets too. Just add some boiled mashed potatoes to the poha, shape the mixture like cutlets and shallow fry until browned. You can also shallow fry it and make Aloo Poha Tikki.

If you want to make the poha healthier, avoid deep frying the potatoes. You can use boiled potatoes instead. Just saute them in little oil until browned.

You can garnish the poha with grated coconut too. That’s how they do it in Maharashtra.

Is Poha healthy?

Poha is recommend 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.

How to make Aloo Poha Step by Step

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 tbsp oil in a pan. When the oil is hot, add peanuts and fry till slightly browned. Remove the peanuts in a plate.

In the remaining oil, add mustard seeds and curry leaves. Let the mustard splatter for a few seconds.

Add green chilies and onion and fry for 2-3 minutes.

Add tomatoes and fry for a minute.

Now add fried potatoes, peanuts and green peas in the pan. This time I added fried potatoes along with peanuts and peas But I prefer adding them at the end so that they remain crunchy.

Add salt, turmeric powder, lemon juice, sugar and poha and mix well.

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

Aloo Poha Recipe

4.41 from 5 votes

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Aloo Poha Recipe

Aloo Poha or Potato Poha is a popular breakfast recipe in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. Here is a tried and tested recipe to make Aloo Poha.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 4 people

Calories 159 kcal

Author Neha Mathur

Ingredients

• 1 and 1/2 cup Poha
• 1/2 cup Potato Peeled and cut into small pieces
• 1/4 cup Peanuts
• 1/4 cup Peas Boiled
• 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil Plus for frying
• 1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
• 10-12 Curry Leaves
• 2 Green Chilli Slit into half
• 1/2 cup Onion Chopped
• 1/4 cup Tomato Chopped
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 2 tbsp Coriander Chopped

Instructions

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

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

3. Keep aside.

4. Heat oil for frying potatoes in a pan.

5. 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.

6. Add 2 tbsp oil in a pan.

7. When the oil is hot, add peanuts and fry till slightly browned.

8. Remove the peanuts in a plate.

9. In the remaining oil, add mustard seeds and curry leaves.

10. Let the mustard splatter for a few seconds.

11. Add green chilies and onion and fry for 2-3 minutes.

12. Add tomatoes and fry for a minute.

13. Now add salt, turmeric powder, lemon juice, sugar and poha and mix well.

14. Add peanuts and peas and mix well.

15. Cover and cook 2-3 minutes on low heat.

16. Add fried potatoes and fresh coriander and mix well.

17. Serve hot.

Recipe Notes

Be very careful about the soaking time of the poha.

Use a lot of curry leaves for a nice flavour.

If you have leftover poha, you can make Aloo Poha Cutlets too. Just add some boiled mashed potatoes to the poha, shape the mixture like cutlets and shallow fry until browned. You can also shallow fry it and make Aloo Poha Tikki.

If you want to make the poha healthier, avoid deep frying the potatoes. You can use boiled potatoes instead. Just saute them in little oil until browned.

You can garnish the poha with grated coconut too. That's how they do it in Maharashtra.

Nutrition Facts

Aloo Poha Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 159 Calories from Fat 99

% Daily Value*

Fat 11g17%

Saturated Fat 6g38%

Sodium 83mg4%

Potassium 289mg8%

Carbohydrates 12g4%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 4g8%

Vitamin A 295IU6%

Vitamin C 68.6mg83%

Calcium 44mg4%

Iron 1.8mg10%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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