Punjabi Poha (flattened rice snack)

Hello Readers!

Welcome to easy cooking blog no. 6

I hope you all are keeping well and safe.

Introduction 

The recipe I have chosen for you today is originally a western Indian dish. However, it is equally well-liked in other parts of India and many countries around the world. This recipe is popularly known as “Poha”. For those who are unfamiliar with this term, let me first draw a brief background for them.

Poha is parboiled and flattened rice, also known as beaten rice. It is very nutritious, wholesome, rich in fibre and energy. Flattened rice is widely used across India to make a variety of dishes such as poha cutlet, chivda, upma, etc. Even in South Africa, it is a primary ingredient used for making chivda and chura (a kind of savoury snacks). This is how flattened rice looks like.

                                                       

This recipe is very healthy; we get energy from the flattened rice, proteins from the peanuts, fibre and micronutrients from the vegetables and antioxidants from the spices and herbs. So, it is a perfectly balanced meal.

                                                       

Particularly, in Punjab, where I originally come from, we use flattened rice during one of our famous festivals known as “Lohri”. This festival is celebrated in the month of January (winter festival) to welcome the arrival of longer days after winters. We first use the flattened rice to perform our prayer rituals and then eat it in its raw form without any seasoning.

While I was growing up, my mother would dry roast the flattened rice in a pan with some salt and serve it with tea—what a healthy snacking we had in those times.

Since this recipe is famous across India, there are different ways of making it with different ingredients. You can choose your way of making it. It is totally up to you what you want to add or what you want to omit after seeing this recipe.

 I am sharing the following versions that I prefer to use for making it:

 

1. With potatoes (boiled, fried or just finely chopped uncooked) including onions and tomatoes and the rest of the herbs and spices.
2. Without potatoes: this one is ideal for those who watch their carbohydrate intake, can skip potatoes and rest everything will be the same.

 The ingredients we need to make Poha are as follows:

                                  

Ingredients                                                                        Qty

Flattened rice (sold as “Poha”)                        1 Cup (size shown in the pic below)

Red Onion (roughly chopped)                         2 medium sized                                                                    

Tomato (roughly chopped)                                1 medium sized

Potato (finely chopped)                                     1 large

Green Chillies                                                  as per taste

Curry Leaves                                                     6-7

Mustard Seeds                                                   1tsp

Cumin Seeds                                                     1tsp

Coriander Seeds                                                1tsp

Turmeric                                                           1/2 tsp

Red Chilli Flakes                                          as per taste

Salt                                                                as per taste

Sugar                                                                1/2 tsp

Garam Masala (Optional)                                 1/2 tsp

Oil                                                                     2 tbsp

 

Preparation time: 15 to 20 minutes. 

Step-by-step procedure

Rinse the flattened rice couple of times under running water to avoid any gritty particles present in it. Always use a strainer or colander to wash the rice gently using your fingers, after rinsing transfer the rice in a bowl, and sprinkle with water few times to make them soft and puffed.

                         

Once it gets softened and breaks easily, check it by pressing it between your fingers. Do not over-wash and soak it in water, as rice may absorb moisture and become mushy.

Flattened rice should be soft after washing, but its shape and texture should be intact.

Making

Take oil in a pan, heat it on a medium flame; First, add mustard seeds carefully in the pan from a distance, let them pop, then add cumin and coriander seeds and let them sputter.

                   

Add onions and curry leaves and cook them until onions become translucent (do not overcook the onions).

Add finely chopped potatoes and cook them nicely until soft.

          

                        

Add all the dry spices and herbs ( leave out the sugar at this step) and cook everything for about 5 minutes by covering it with a lid.

Add finely chopped tomato and sugar, sauté them for few minutes until tomatoes are soft. 

            

                           

Add washed flattened rice and toss it nicely together with everything. Cook it well for another 5 to 10 minutes.

                            

While making poha, if you find your flattened rice is too dry, sprinkle some water and let it cook nicely by placing a lid.

For garnishing use store bought peanuts, otherwise dry roast some raw peanuts before making the poha.

Serving suggestion

Poha is a complete meal itself, and it does not need anything to pair it up. However, I like to have it with a cup of masala tea. It is entirely your choice.

Garnish it with roasted peanuts, raisins (optional), lemon juice, fresh coriander leaves, sev, chopped red onions and in case you want to spice it up a bit, use a fresh green chilli.

 

Tips and tricks

You can use any oil of your choice. I make it in mustard oil, as it gives delightful flavour and colour to the recipe.

Avoid using olive oil. It has a low smoke point, not ideal for cooking.

You can dry roast peanuts at home or use store-bought.

For best results, use fresh curry leaves.

Wash poha until it becomes a little fluffy and the crunchiness of poha go away; you can check by pressing the poha flake with fingers. If it is to break it, poha is ready for the next step.

You can add fresh green peas, carrots and any vegetable of your choice to make it more nutritious and tastier.

Poha is just perfect for breakfast, lunch, outings and as a party snack, as it keeps you fuller for long period of time. Kids who peck at vegetables will gobble this down without any tantrums. This delectable recipe does not need any accompaniments. Though I sometimes enjoy it with my masala tea. 

I had never eaten this vegetable poha until I flew to South Africa. One of my friends offered me this, and instantly I become the biggest fan of this colourful and delicious dish. When I first started making it by myself, it never came out nice. It would turn mushy or too dry to eat. But there is a saying practice makes a man perfect. Despite a few failures, I kept trying it, and eventually, I managed to make perfect fluffy poha. So, the motive behind telling this story was that you may not make the best poha in the first attempt, so do not get demotivated. It’s an art, and this takes few experiments till you master this. Good luck!

I hope you like this delicious recipe or meal rather.

Please do share your thoughts with me in the comment box below.

Stay healthy and safe.

Thank you!

Neha