Poha Recipe | Kanda Poha
Poha is a most popular breakfast or snack recipe made with flattened rice (poha), onions, roasted peanuts, and a few spices.
Servings 2
Calories 353kcal
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
Calories: 353kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 162mg | Potassium: 652mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 75IU | Vitamin C: 54mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 5mg