Poha is a popular Indian breakfast or snack recipe made with flattened rice (poha), onions, roasted peanuts, and a few spices. Kanda Poha is easy to make and so delicious!
If there is one breakfast that everyone enjoys, it has to be Poha. This classic Indian breakfast dish is light, filling, tasty, and guaranteed to liven up your boring daily routine. When you don't feel like cooking, this dish, made with onions, potatoes, lemon juice, and curry leaves, is a great choice.
Two of my other favorite breakfasts I often make are vermicelli upma, and besan chilla.
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What is Poha?
The word "Poha" (plural pohe) refers to two distinct things: the ingredient, which is flattened rice, and the dish made from this ingredient.
Poha are flattened rice flakes, also known as beaten rice. It is made by de-husking rice grains and parboiling them. They are then dried, roasted, and flattened with iron rollers.
People use flattened rice extensively in preparing popular dishes like poha, chivda, kheer, and laddoo.
It is also known as avalakki (kannada), aval (tamil), atukulu (telugu), chirer (bengali), etc., in different parts of India.
Types of Poha
There are two varieties of white poha:
- Medium or Thick: Medium or Thick poha is preferred for this recipe.
- Thin Poha: It is paper thin and suitable for making chivda, sweet poha, etc.
These days, healthier versions of red rice and brown rice poha are readily available in Indian grocery stores.
Poha Recipe
Poha is a staple Indian dish made from flattened rice and is commonly enjoyed as a breakfast or snack. It is extremely popular all over India and easy to make.
Poha is made by sautéing finely chopped onions with spices like mustard seeds, green chilies, and curry leaves, and then tossing it with softened flattened rice and other ingredients, like roasted peanuts. Then, it is typically seasoned with lemon juice and garnished with fresh coriander leaves and fresh coconut.
There are several variations of poha, such as kanda poha, batata poha, vegetable poha, hariyali poha, masala poha, or cauliflower rice poha, each possessing its signature ingredients and taste.
Today, I am sharing the Kanda Batata Poha recipe. The word "Kanda" means "Onions", "Batata" means "Potatoes" and "Poha" means "Flattened Rice" in the Marathi language, where poha is made with onions and potatoes as the main ingredients. Hence the name Kanda Batata Poha, or Kanda Batata Pohe.
You can make this dish with either onions or potatoes or both onions and potatoes.
Ingredients
- Poha: I prefer Medium or Thick poha to make this recipe. When rinsed, it gets fluffy and absorbent. It is easily available in Indian grocery stores. The thin poha doesn't work for this recipe, as it turns mushy when rinsed. You may also use red or brown rice poha.
- Onion: I used finely chopped red onion. You can also use yellow or white onions.
- Potatoes: I used one medium Yukon gold potato. However, you can make this poha without potatoes as well.
- Spices: a tempering (tadka) made using mustard seeds, cumin seeds (jeera), curry leaves, and green chilies. I use turmeric powder for color and flavor.
- Peanuts: You can add peanuts or cashews for the crunch.
- Garnish: garnish with coriander leaves and freshly grated coconut (optional).
How to Make Kanda Poha
Gently rinse 1.5 cups of poha (medium flakes variety) in a colander under running water 2-3 times until they soften, and then drain out all the water. When you press with your fingers, it should break easily. Keep it aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a Kadai. Add 2-3 tablespoons of raw peanuts (groundnuts) and fry until they turn golden brown. Remove the peanuts to a plate and set them aside.
You can also roast the peanuts in the air fryer and add them to your poha at the end.
In the same kadai, add ½ teaspoon mustard and ½ teaspoon cumin seeds and let them splutter.
Then, add 2-3 green chilies (finely chopped), 1 stalk curry leaves, and 1 medium onion (finely chopped). Saute until onions turn soft and translucent.
Next, add 1 medium potato, cubed into ½-inch pieces (or mixed vegetables of your choice), and cook for 2-3 minutes. If you prefer making simple plain pohe, you can skip adding potatoes or any vegetables.
Cover and cook on medium-low heat till the potatoes are soft and perfectly cooked. Sprinkle some water if required. (You can also use pre-boiled cubed potatoes and saute for 2 minutes). Here is the recipe to boil potatoes in an instant pot.
Add rinsed and drained poha, ½ teaspoon turmeric, salt, and ½ teaspoon sugar (optional). Mix everything well.
If you feel the pohe is too dry, sprinkle some water. Cover it with a lid and cook for 2 minutes on low heat.
Turn off the heat. Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice and roasted peanuts, and give a quick mix. Lastly, garnish with 2 tablespoons coriander leaves.
Serve hot with masala chai or coffee.
How to Serve Kanda Poha?
Serve Kanda poha hot with a sprinkle of sev or bhujiya and coriander leaves, along with masala chai or filter coffee.
You may also sprinkle some freshly grated coconut, and enjoy with coconut chutney.
Tips to make the Best Poha Recipe
- Type of poha: Make sure to use the medium or thick flakes variety of poha to make this recipe. Thin poha doesn't work for this recipe. When you rinse the thin pohe, it gets mushy. You can use white or red poha to make this kanda poha.
- Rinsing: I prefer to rinse 2-3 times under cold water and drain the water completely. Do not rinse the poha for long, as they will turn mushy. Cover and keep it aside until you are ready to use it.
- Is your Poha Dry: If you feel the pohe is too dry while cooking, sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons of water and cook covered for 2 minutes.
- Dice the potatoes small: Dice them into small cubes, as it helps to cook faster.
- Sugar: Adding a little sugar (or jaggery) balances the flavors well, so do not skip adding it. It’s optional, though.
Variations
- Add Veggies: You can add vegetables of your choice, like carrots, green beans, bell pepper, and green peas, to this poha recipe to make it nutritious and healthy.
- No Onion: You can substitute onion with cabbage or skip it for a no-onion poha recipe. For Jain Poha, skip onions and potatoes to make poha.
- Coconut: For a South Indian touch, garnish with freshly grated coconut, or skip it if you prefer.
Storage Instructions
- Refrigerator: Poha is best enjoyed immediately. Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
- Freezer: I do not recommend freezing it.
- Reheat: Poha gets dry as it cools down. So sprinkle some water when reheating it in the microwave or in a pan on the stovetop to get moist and soft poha.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you rinse or soak poha for more time, it turns mushy. Just rinse it 2-3 times under running water until it softens, and drain the excess liquid. Also, make sure to use a thick poha variety.
Just rinse it for 30 seconds to 1 minute under running water until it softens. Poha is ready when you can gently mash it between your fingers. Drain out the excess liquid.
Poha is rich in carbohydrates and fiber. It helps you stay satiated for a longer time period. Hence, it's good. To add extra nutrition, add some veggies of your choice.
In addition to potatoes, you can add carrots, green peas, green beans, corn, bell pepper, and cabbage to this recipe.
In English, Poha is referred to as "flattened rice". It is also known as beaten rice.
Poha Recipe | Kanda Poha
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1.5 cups poha (flattened rice) thick to medium flakes
- 2-3 tablespoons peanuts
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2-3 green chilies finely chopped
- 1 stalk curry leaves
- 1 medium onion (about ¾ cup), finely chopped
- 1 medium potato cut int ½ inch pieces, (or ½ cup mixed veggies)
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon sugar optional
- salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon coriander leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Gently rinse poha in a colander under running water 2-3 times until they soften and then drain out all the water. When you press with your fingers, it should break easily. Keep it aside.
- Heat oil in a Kadai. Add raw peanuts and fry until they turn golden brown. Remove the peanuts to a plate and set them aside.
- In the same kadai, add mustard and cumin seeds and let them splutter.
- Then add green chilies, curry leaves, and chopped onion. Saute until onions turn soft and translucent.
- Next, add cubed potatoes (or mixed vegetables) and cook for 2-3 minutes.Cover and cook on medium-low heat till the potatoes are soft and perfectly cooked. Sprinkle some water if required. (You can also use pre-boiled cubed potatoes to it and saute for 2 minutes).
- Add rinsed and drained poha, turmeric, salt, and sugar. Mix everything well.
- If you feel the poha is too dry, sprinkle some water all over. Cover it with a lid and cook for 2 minutes on low heat.
- Turn off the heat. Add the lemon juice and roasted peanuts, and give a quick mix. Garnish with coriander leaves.
- Serve hot with Masala chai or Coffee.
Notes
Tips to make the Best Poha Recipe
- Type of poha: Make sure to use the medium or thick flakes variety of poha to make this recipe. Thin poha doesn't work for this recipe. When you rinse the thin pohe it gets mushy. You can use white or res poha to make this kanda poha.
- Rinsing: I prefer to rinse 2-3 times under running cold water and drain the water completely. Do not rinse the poha for a long time, as they will turn mushy. Cover and keep it aside until you are ready to use it.
- Is your Poha Dry: If you feel the poha is too dry while cooking, sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons of water and cook covered for 2 minutes.
- Dice the potatoes small: Ensure to dice the potatoes into small cubes, as it helps to cook faster.
- Sugar: Adding a little sugar (or jaggery) balances the flavors well, so do not skip adding it. It’s optional though.
Variations
- Add Veggies: You can add vegetables of your choice, like carrots, green beans, bell pepper, and green peas, to this poha recipe to make it nutritious and healthy.
- No Onion: You can also substitute onion with cabbage or skip it for a no-onion poha recipe. For Jain Poha, skip onions and potatoes to make poha.
- Coconut: You can garnish with freshly grated coconut for a South Indian touch. You can skip it if you don't prefer.
Nutrition
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Parvaah
Really great recipe, Thanks for sharing!
Bhavana Patil
You are welcome Parvaah
Chef Orlando
Just reading through the ingredients and having an understanding of flavor profile of the spices I'm just wondering if this would work as a side dish to fish because of the citrus going to have to try and not tell my guests it's a breakfast food
Bhavana Patil
Yes you can make it.. I would recommend making lemon rice if you are looking for citrusy flavor. Here is the recipe https://www.indianveggiedelight.com/instant-pot-lemon-rice-pressure-cooker-recipe/