Dahi Poha Recipe (Curd Poha)
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Dahi poha is flattened rice mixed with creamy yogurt and a quick tempering. Make it in under 15 minutes using my easy recipe.
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On hot summer mornings, my husband has one request: something cold, something quick. Dahi poha is my go-to answer. It takes fifteen minutes, needs almost no cooking, and cools you down from the very first bite.
If you’ve never had poha soaked in yogurt instead of stir-fried in a pan, you’re in for a treat. It’s soft, tangy, a little sweet, and finished with a crackling tempering of mustard seeds and curry leaves. Just soak, mix, temper, and eat.
What Is Dahi Poha?
Dahi poha, also called curd poha or dahi pohe, is flattened rice (poha) soaked until soft and mixed with whisked yogurt (dahi), then topped with a quick tempering of mustard seeds, curry leaves, and green chilies. The poha itself needs no stovetop cooking; only the tempering is heated for less than a minute.
The dish goes by different names across India: Mosaru Avalakki in Kannada, Thayir Aval in Tamil, and Atukula Perugu in Telugu. In Maharashtra, a version made with pomegranate and cucumber is called gopalkala, and it’s traditionally offered as prasad on Janmashtami, the festival marking Lord Krishna’s birth.
Think of it as a cousin of curd rice, but lighter and quicker. Poha softens in minutes, while rice needs to be cooked and cooled first.
Ingredients
- Poha (flattened rice): Use the thick variety for this recipe. Thin poha turns mushy and almost dissolves into the yogurt, so it won’t hold its texture.
- Yogurt (dahi, curd): Fresh, thick, and not too sour works best. Whisk it smooth before adding the poha so there are no lumps.
- Milk: A splash loosens the yogurt to the right consistency. Skip it if your yogurt is already fairly thin.
- Tempering (tadka): Oil, black mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, and green chilies. This is what gives the dish its flavor, since the poha and yogurt are quite mild on their own.
- Roasted peanuts: Added to the tempering for crunch. You can swap in cashews if you like.
- Pomegranate seeds: They add color, a juicy bite, and a natural sweetness.
- Sugar and salt: Balance the yogurt’s tang. Adjust both to taste.
- Cilantro (fresh coriander leaves): Stirred in or used as a garnish for freshness.
- Ginger and hing (asafoetida): Optional, but they round out the flavor of the tempering.
How To Make Dahi Poha
Rinse the poha. Place 1 cup of thick poha in a large sieve and rinse briefly under running water. Let it sit for 8-10 minutes so it softens on its own. Don’t soak it in a bowl of water, or it will turn pasty.
Whisk the yogurt. In a large bowl, whisk 1 cup of plain yogurt until smooth. Add milk a tablespoon at a time if it feels too thick. You want a pourable, creamy consistency. Add ½ teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon sugar and mix until combined.
Combine. Add the softened poha to the whisked yogurt. Mix gently so the grains stay intact instead of turning into a paste.
Make the tempering. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a small pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add ½ teaspoon black mustard seeds and let them sputter. Then add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds, 8-10 curry leaves, 1 teaspoon chopped green chilies, and ¼ teaspoon hing. Sauté for a few seconds until fragrant. Add 2 tablespoons of roasted peanuts and stir for another few seconds.
Mustard seeds and curry leaves need only seconds in hot oil; burnt spices will make the whole dish bitter.
Finish the dish. Pour the hot tempering over the curd poha and mix well. Fold in most of the 3 tablespoons of pomegranate seeds and 2 tablespoons of cilantro, saving a little for garnish.
Chill and serve. Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes if you have time; it tastes better cold. Garnish with the remaining pomegranate and cilantro just before serving. Serve chilled.
Pro Tips By Neha
Add the poha to the yogurt just before serving. Poha keeps absorbing moisture, and the mixture thickens fast. If you’re prepping ahead, keep the poha and yogurt mixture separate and combine them right before you eat.
Taste your yogurt first. If it’s very sour, add a touch more sugar or a spoonful of milk to mellow it out.
Serving Suggestions
Dahi poha is filling enough to eat on its own, with just a cup of masala chai on the side.
It also pairs nicely with crisp papad or namkeen for a bit of crunch alongside the soft poha.
Storage Suggestions
Dahi poha is best eaten fresh, within an hour of mixing, since the poha continues to absorb moisture from the yogurt and becomes soft and dense over time.
If you must store it, keep the poha and yogurt mixture in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to a day, and combine them only when you’re ready to eat. Once mixed, it doesn’t reheat or freeze well; the texture won’t recover.
Other Poha Recipes We Recommend
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Dahi Poha Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup thick poha (flattened rice)
- 1 cup plain yogurt (dahi, curd)
- milk (as needed)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ½ teaspoon black mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 8-10 curry leaves
- 1 teaspoon chopped green chilies
- ¼ teaspoon hing (asafetida)
- 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts
- 3 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (fresh coriander)
Instructions
- Rinse the poha. Place the poha in a large sieve and rinse briefly under running water. Let it sit for 8-10 minutes so it softens on its own. Don't soak it in a bowl of water, or it will turn pasty.
- Whisk the yogurt. In a large bowl, whisk yogurt until smooth. Add milk a tablespoon at a time if it feels too thick. You want a pourable, creamy consistency. Add salt and sugar and mix until combined.
- Combine. Add the softened poha to the whisked yogurt. Mix gently so the grains stay intact instead of turning into a paste.
- Make the tempering. Heat oil in a small pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds and let them sputter. Then add cumin seeds, curry leaves, green chilies, and hing. Sauté for a few seconds until fragrant. Add roasted peanuts and stir for another few seconds.
- Finish the dish. Pour the hot tempering over the curd poha and mix well. Fold in most of the pomegranate seeds and cilantro, saving a little for garnish.
- Chill and serve. Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes if you have time; it tastes better cold. Garnish with the remaining pomegranate and cilantro just before serving. Serve chilled.
