A wonderfully light but filling breakfast or snack that is easy on the tummy and a perennial favourite with my family. "Aloo poha" literally means potato with beaten rice and these are the main ingredients here. This dish originates in Western India, mainly Maharashtra.
Serves 4
Preparation and cooking time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- "Poha" or "chidva" or white beaten rice (thick variety) - 250 gms
- Potatoes diced - 1 cup
- Onions chopped - 3/4 cup
- Green chillies (chopped) to taste
- Salt to taste
- Oil - 3 tblsp
- White sesame seeds or "safed til" - 1 tsp
- Cumin seeds or "jeera" - 1/3 tsp
- Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
- Curry leaves - few
- Lime juice, chopped coriander leaves and a little grated coconut (optional) for garnish
Method
- Heat the oil in a wok with a lid, on medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the sesame seeds and cover. After the sesame seeds splutter, add the cumin and stir.
- Add the onions, potatoes, curry leaves, green chillies, turmeric powder and salt. Stir and cover to cook on medium heat.
- Meanwhile, pick and clean the "poha" and place it in a colander. Wash the "poha" in the colander and make sure all parts of the "poha" are wetted well. It is better to do this step using drinking water. Leave the poha to drain. The poha swells a bit and the different grains show up well.
- When the potatoes and onions are well cooked, added the damp "poha" and stir well. Cover and cook till the "poha" is cooked through and heated well. The "poha" should be yellow like the potatoes and hot to touch. Adjust seasoning.
- Stir in some lime juice, grated coconut and coriander leaves. Cook for a minute and take off heat.
- Serve piping hot.
Tips
Use the thick variety of "poha" as, while washing, the thin variety could become a damp sticky mass, in step 3.Any remaining "poha" may be steamed well, in a colander, to be reheated.
Sauteed peanuts or cooked green peas may also be added along with the poha in step 4.
You may also crackle mustard seeds, if you like in step 1.
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