Poha’s Humble Origins: The Maharashtrian Staple With Ancient Roots

Popular in Maharashtra, poha is a simple, delectable, and healthful snack. Poha is a delectable and convenient one-pot dish that can be made using onions, potatoes, and seasonings like chillies, crushed peanuts, lemon, and curry leaves, which is great when you don't feel like cooking and have a hectic schedule.

Poha, in the Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh, which is located in and around Ujjain and Indore, is a lightly fried variant is a staple morning food. Depending on the amount of water added, it can be reconstituted with hot water to create a paste or porridge. Flattened rice is also consumed raw in villages, particularly in Chhattisgarh. It is mixed with jaggery. The country’s most well-known Indori poha is served with a crunchy snack called sev. Well, poha is a versatile dish. You can make it in several ways to suit your flavours.

Raw poha is prepared after flattening rice, and the dish, called poha again, is prepared differently in different regions of the country. Flattened rice is a breakfast staple across South Asia, also and is known by various names such as pauwa, avalakki, chivda or aval. Irrespective of the region, it is the ease and convenience that make poha popular all over the country.

The trick to preparing soft poha is rinsing the poha in a strainer and leaving it till it is put into the non-stick pan. You will know if the raw poha is ready for the pan when you take a flake and press it between your forefinger and thumb, and it breaks easily. Poha adapts to the culinary needs of the people and manages to fit into their lives, no matter where they live. And whatever flavour it may have, one thing is for sure; poha is yummy in every form. So if you, too, are a poha fan and looking to experiment a little, we’ve got a stellar variety to try. Here are 5 poha recipes you must look out for:  

Indori Poha

If you are as big on street food as us, you would be bowled over by the sheer variety of options available here for every kind of glutton. Dahi Bade, Garadu, Bhutte Ki Khees, and Khopra Patties are only a few legendary examples. Poha-Jalebi is another stellar food combination you would dig here. Poha, as we all know, is a quick snack made with rice flakes, which is tossed with mustard seeds, salt, pepper, peanuts and occasionally onions. Now Maharashtra’s Kanda Poha is renowned for its savouriness; in Indore, this poha gets a tinge of sweetness. The understated tangy tones are also unmissable in this preparation.   

Bread Poha

This easily digestible form of raw rice is very popular across many Indian states such as Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, etc. There are numerous ways of preparing poha but what makes it all the more interesting is that it can be prepared instantly whenever you’re short on time and you can use a frying pan to make bread poha in many ways. Bread poha is an effortless Indian breakfast that is made using leftover bread slices. It is a much-loved snack that tastes best when served with hot tea or coffee.  

Tarri Poha

Hailing from Nagpur, Tarri poha is your Kanda Poha with a hot gravy called ‘tarri’. The deep-red gravy has a thin, watery consistency. It is made by boiling black chickpeas in a pressure cooker that are cooked with ginger, garlic, bay leaf, curry leaves, chillies, pepper, chopped onions and tomatoes. The gravy is cooked on a medium-hot flame until all the ingredients are well combined. It is supposed to be served hot with hot kanda poha, so it is better that you get your poha together while the tarri is still in the making. The gravy is not very rich, but it is very flavourful. It is not just spicy; it is also sharp and flavourful. And since most of the flavours are courtesy of the spices used, make sure you pick the good quality ones.   

Dadpe Poha

Dadpe Poha is a popular Maharashtrian snack that is made with raw poha. To make this dish, you need to rinse the poha in water and drain it. Then, add grated coconut, chopped coriander leaves, chopped green chillies, salt, and lemon juice to the poha and mix well. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes to allow the flavours to blend.  

Tamarind Poha

Karnataka stands out as a treasure trove of culinary delights. This southern state boasts a rich heritage of flavours, textures, and aromas that are sheer joy for food enthusiasts. And when it comes to breakfast, Karnataka offers a plethora of delectable options to kickstart your day with gusto. Among these, one dish that truly embodies the essence of Karnataka’s morning culinary traditions is the delightful Gojjavalakki breakfast poha. The word “Gojjavalakki” itself is a testament to the dish’s distinct identity. “Gojju” refers to a tangy and spicy sauce made from tamarind, jaggery, and a blend of roasted spices, which can be made in a mixer grinder. This gojju is skillfully combined with the poha, resulting in a harmonious symphony of flavours that awakens the senses. The beauty of Gojjavalakki poha lies not only in its irresistible taste but also in its versatility. It can be enjoyed as a standalone breakfast dish or paired with a piping hot cup of filter coffee, which is an integral part of Karnataka’s morning ritual. The combination of the poha’s spicy tang and the coffee’s robust flavour creates a perfect harmony that lingers on the palate long after the meal is over.