Indori Poha

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.

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

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 – 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.

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

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.

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