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    Whisk Affair » Recipes » Meal Type » Global Breakfast » Indori Poha

    Published: Jun 1, 2021 | Last Updated On: Jun 2, 2021 by Neha Mathur

    Indori Poha

    442 shares
    Jump to Recipe

    Give your usual poha recipe a break and try this Indori Poha which gets its unique taste from jeeravan masala. It is a very popular street food sold on the streets of Indore along with jalebi for breakfast. Try out my authentic recipe to make it.

    Here are some more easy and quick recipes for you, that you can prepare for your weekday meals – Bread Upma, Red Rice Kanda Poha, Dalia Upma, Moong Dal Chilla, Ragi Idli, Ven Pongal, Upma and Semiya Upma.

    Indori poha served in a bowl.
    Jump to:
    • About This Recipe
    • Ingredients
    • How to make Indori Poha?
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Pro Tips By Neha
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Storage Suggestions
    • You might also like
    • Recipe Card

    About This Recipe

    Indori Poha is a popular street food from the city of Indore in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is nothing but your usual poha with a twist of spicy and tangy jeeravan masala. The addition of fennel seeds, pomegranate seeds, and farsaan (crunchy thick sev mixture) gives it a unique taste and adds a nice crunch.

    You can easily get jeeravan masala online or at Indian grocery stores these days, but I prefer to make it at home with 4 simple and basic spice powders – chaat masala, black salt, Kashmiri red chili powder, and roasted cumin powder. This simple masala takes the taste of this poha to another level.

    Indori Poha is traditionally served with hot and crispy jalebi and you must definitely indulge in this combination for a food coma. You can also serve it for your breakfast or enjoy it as a snack with a hot cup of evening tea or coffee.

    This Indori Poha is,

    • Vegan + Gluten-Free
    • Sweet, Spicy and Tangy
    • Easy to make
    • Unique
    • Delicious
    • Perfect for weekday breakfast

    Ingredients

    Indori poha ingredients.

    To make this flavorful poha, you will need a set of basic ingredients. Most of them will already be available in your pantry, if not, you will get them in any Indian grocery store or even online.

    Poha – Get the thick variety of poha for best result.

    Oil – You can use any vegetable oil to make this poha recipe.

    Peanuts – Addition of peanuts adds a nice crunch that complements the soft poha really well.

    Others – You will also require – cumin seeds, mustard seeds, onion, green chili peppers, salt, turmeric powder, sugar, curry leaves, and fennel seeds.

    The quantity of green chili peppers can be adjusted depending upon your taste or you can completely skip it too. The addition of fennel seeds adds a distinct flavor, so do not miss this one.

    A little sugar is also added for a little hint of sweetness that goes really well with the spicy sour taste of the dish.

    Toppings – Finally, finish it off with farsaan, chopped onions and tomatoes, and pomegranate kernels. You can add Indori farsaan (thick sev)and if you can’t find it you can use any thick spicy sev to top your poha.

    Jeeravan masala ingredients.

    Jeeravan Masala – This is the star ingredient that makes all the difference in this recipe. You can use the store-bought jeeravan masala or make one at home.

    You just have to mix 4 simple spice powders – chaat masala, black salt, Kashmiri red chili powder, and roasted cumin powder to make a homemade jeeravan masala.

    How to make Indori Poha?

    Mix together 1 teaspoon chaat masala, ½ teaspoon black salt, ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder, and ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder in a bowl. Jeeravan masala is ready. Set it aside.

    Jeeravan masala ingredients added to a bowl.

    Wash 2 cups of thick poha 1-2 times with water gently. Drain the water completely. Add ¼ cup water to the bowl and keep the poha aside for 10 minutes. It will absorb the water and get softened in this time.

    Poha soaked in water.

    Mix the softened poha with salt to taste, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder and 2 teaspoon granulated sugar.

    Turmeric powder, salt and sugar added to soaked poha.
    Mixed well.

    Heat 2 cups of water in a steamer over high heat.

    Water heating in a steamer.

    Transfer the poha to the plate of the steamer and steam it for 4-5 minutes.

    Steamed poha.

    Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoon vegetable oil in a pan over high heat.

    Oil heating in a pan.

    Once the oil is hot and shiny, add 1 teaspoon mustard seeds and 1 teaspoon cumin seeds to the pan and let them crackle for 3-4 seconds.

    Mustard seeds and cumin seeds added to oil.

    Add ¼ cup peanuts and fry them for 2-3 minutes.

    Peanuts added to the pan.

    Add 1 teaspoon fennel seeds and 10-15 curry leaves and cook for 10 seconds on medium heat.

    Fennel seeds and curry leaves added to the pan.

    Now add ½ cup chopped onions, and 2 green chili peppers (slit into half) and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

    Onion and green chili added to the pan.

    Add the steamed poha to the pan and mix well.

    Steamed poha added to the pan.

    Cover the pan and cook on low heat for 3-4 minutes.

    Pan covered.

    To serve, transfer the poha to the serving plate. Sprinkle jeeravan masala on top. Adjust the quantity according to your taste.

    Poha topped with jeeravan masala.

    Top with chopped onion and tomato.

    Topped with onion and tomato.

    Finally top with pomegranate seeds, cilantro (coriander), farsaan ((crunchy thick sev mixture) and serve immediately.

    Ready Indori poha.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How to soak poha so that it doesn’t becomes mushy?

    Poha comes in a variety of thicknesses. To make Indori poha, it is preferable to take thick poha. But this thickness will also vary from brand to brand.

    So when making the poha for the first time, monitor the amount of water used and the time of soaking. Then moving on, try to buy the same brand, use the same amount of water and time for soaking.

    I wash my poha 1-2 times to remove the impurities and then add just ¼ cup of water to it. It becomes perfectly soft but not mushy in 10 minutes. If your poha is still not soft, add a few tablespoon of water at a time and let it soak it for 4-5 minutes until it softens up.

    Pro Tips By Neha

    Do not over soak the poha, otherwise it will become mushy and sticky.

    For the best taste, I will suggest you make jeeravan masala at home. The homemade version is free of any artificial colors and preservatives too.

    Top Indori poha with a thick Indori sev. If you can’t find it, you can just top it with any thick spicy sev. Even bikaneri bhujia is a great option to top your poha.

    Steaming the poha makes it soft, but you can skip that step and add the soaked poha directly to the pan. Though, for the best taste and texture, I will recommend steaming it first.

    Serving Suggestions

    Indori poha is generally served with jalebi and Poha Jalebi is a very popular combination in Madhya Pradesh. It is also topped with sev (farsaan), chopped onions, and pomegranate kernels.

    You can serve it on its own (without jalebi) too with a hot cup of masala chai or filter coffee on the side.

    Storage Suggestions

    Indori Poha tastes the best when served right out of the pan. If stored, it tends to become a little dry but will last in the fridge for 2-3 days in an air-tight container. Reheat it in microwave or pan and serve again. If you feel it has become a little dry, sprinkle a little water while reheating.

    You might also like

    • Aloo Paratha
    • Bread Upma (Bread Poha)
    • Strawberry Lassi
    • Ragi Idli

    Recipe Card

    Loved this recipe?Click here to leave a review and give us a five star rating ★★★★★
    Give your usual poha recipe a break and try this Indori Poha which gets its unique taste from jeeravan masala. It is a very popular street food sold on the streets of Indore along with jalebi for breakfast. Try out my authentic recipe to make it.

    Indori Poha Recipe

    Give your usual poha recipe a break and try this Indori Poha which gets its unique taste from jeeravan masala. It is a very popular street food sold on the streets of Indore along with jalebi for breakfast. Try out my authentic recipe to make it.
    3.84 from 6 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Breakfast, Snack
    Cuisine: Indian
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 483kcal
    Author: Neha Mathur

    Ingredients 

    For Jeeravan Masala:

    • 1 teaspoon chaat masala
    • ½ teaspoon black salt
    • ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
    • ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder

    For the poha

    • 2 cups thick poha
    • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
    • salt (to taste)
    • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
    • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
    • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
    • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
    • ¼ cup peanuts
    • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
    • 10-15 curry leaves
    • ½ cup chopped onion
    • 2 green chili peppers (slit into half)
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Mix together 1 teaspoon chaat masala, ½ teaspoon black salt, ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder, and ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder in a bowl. Jeeravan masala is ready. Set it aside.
    • Wash 2 cups of thick poha 1-2 times with water gently. Drain the water completely. Add ¼ cup water to the bowl and keep the poha aside for 10 minutes. It will absorb the water and get softened in this time.
    • Mix the softened poha with salt to taste, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder and 2 teaspoon granulated sugar.
    • Heat 2 cups of water in a steamer over high heat.
    • Transfer the poha to the plate of the steamer and steam it for 4-5 minutes.
    • Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoon vegetable oil in a pan over high heat.
    • Once the oil is hot and shiny, add 1 teaspoon mustard seeds and 1 teaspoon cumin seeds to the pan and let them crackle for 3-4 seconds.
    • Add ¼ cup peanuts and fry them for 2-3 minutes.
    • Add 1 teaspoon fennel seeds and 10-15 curry leaves and cook for 10 seconds on medium heat.
    • Now add ½ cup chopped onions, and 2 green chili peppers (slit into half) and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
    • Add the steamed poha to the pan and mix well.
    • Cover the pan and cook on low heat for 3-4 minutes.
    • To serve, transfer the poha to the serving plate. Sprinkle jeeravan masala on top. Adjust the quantity according to your taste.
    • Top with chopped onion and tomato.
    • Finally top with pomegranate seeds, cilantro (coriander), farsaan ((crunchy thick sev mixture) and serve immediately.

    Video

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeTK-9wrHEA

    Notes

    Do not over soak the poha, otherwise, it will become mushy and sticky.
    For the best taste, I will suggest you make jeeravan masala at home. The homemade version is free of any artificial colors and preservatives too.
    Top it with a thick Indori sev. If you can’t find it, you can just top it with any thick spicy sev. Even bikaneri bhujia is a great option to top your poha.
    Steaming the poha makes it soft, but you can skip that step and add the soaked poha directly to the pan. Though, for the best taste and texture, I will recommend steaming it first.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 483kcal | Carbohydrates: 82g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 27mg | Potassium: 300mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 110IU | Vitamin C: 56.2mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 2.1mg
    Pin this recipe for later use!I LOVE to see your creations so pin and mention @WhiskAffair!
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      Recipe Rating




    1. Donna

      July 03, 2019 at 5:11 am

      Hey Neha I’m definitely trying this recipe soon. We all love poha. Neha quick question, any recommended/ tried and tested jeeravan masala brands?

      Reply
      • Neha Mathur

        July 05, 2019 at 5:22 pm

        Hi Donna, Do try this one. You can replace the Jeeravan Masala with ground cumin and coriander or else look out for any one that’s available where you live. I used a local brand available in India.

        Reply
    2. Nidhi Gupta

      June 30, 2020 at 1:48 pm

      I tried this receipe…. N every body loves it….. thanks for sharing your receipe

      Reply
      • Neha Mathur

        July 01, 2020 at 3:38 am

        Good to know 🙂

        Reply

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