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Do’s And Don’ts To Make Poha For A Work Lunch

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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.

prep time 00 Hour 10 Mins
cook time 00 Hour 10 Mins
chef Team Kitchen Diaries

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 til

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Tips and Tricks

  1. Use a thick-bottomed kadai to prevent sticking and uneven cooking. It helps sauté onions and spices evenly without burning, keeping the poha light and fluffy.
  2. Poha absorbs oil quickly, so a nonstick pan surface helps keep it soft without adding more fat.
  3. Chop the onions and chillies evenly and finely. Uniform slices enable even cooking and a balanced taste in each bite.
  4. Avoid cooking poha in a pressure cooker. Instead, use the cooker without the cover as a deep pan for tempering and combining.
  5. A wide frying pan is great for even spreading and quick tossing. Cook on medium flame and stir gently; this keeps the poha from clumping. 
Step 1

In a pan, add oil. The quantity should be a little more, as poha absorbs oil. So it tends to dry the dish.

Step 2

If you use a little more than the poha remains soft  Add mustard seeds, asafoetida, onions and saute till onions turn translucent. 

Step 3

Add green chillies and stir fry for 3-5 seconds. Add salt, turmeric and sugar and mix well.

Step 4

Add the soaked poha and stir fry for a few minutes. If you like roasted peanuts, then you could put them in at this stage.

Step 5

Peanuts lend a crunchy texture to the dish. Add fresh chopped coriander leaves and garnish with grated coconut. 

Step 6

Mix well. Once done, turn off the heat. Serve warm poha or pack it for your work lunch.

Step 7

One serving of poha contains about 70 per cent of complex carbs and 30 per cent of fat, which makes it healthier than normal rice.

Frequently Asked Questions

To achieve the greatest results, use medium or thick poha. Thin poha becomes mushy quickly, whereas bigger flakes maintain their structure. 

After rinsing, squeeze a flake between your fingers; if it breaks readily without becoming pasty, it is fully softened and ready to cook.

Poha should be rinsed, not soaked. Soaking adds too much moisture, which can make it mushy and sticky.

No, always quickly rinse poha before cooking. This softens the flakes and eliminates extra starch or dust.

Yes, poha can be lightly dry roasted in a frying pan for a few minutes. This keeps the flakes apart and provides a small crunch.