Poha Recipe: A Breakfast Dish You'll Never Get Tired Of

This is a quick, easy and healthy breakfast/brunch on a weekend or can be a lunch box option too. I have used peas, potatoes and seasonal vegetables with poha. Peanuts are optional. You can switch up the ingredients below as per your tastes and convenience; it'll still be delicious, light on the stomach and easy to prepare.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

1 Cup = 250 ml cup

Ingredients

• 3 Cups - Poha/Beaten Rice/ Aval (I have used a thick variety here)
• 1 medium-sized onion, chopped fine
• 1/2 cup peas
• 1/2 capsicum (green bell pepper) chopped fine (optional)
• 1 medium-sized carrot, peeled and grated
• 50 gm of baby spinach leaves
• 1 small-medium zucchini, grated
• 1/2 cup broccoli, chopped into thin slices
• 4 green chillies
• 1 string of curry leaves
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• Salt to taste

For tempering:

• 1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp split chana dal or chickpea without the skin
• 1/2 tsp split black urad dal
• 1-2 dried red chillies
• A pinch of asafoetida
• 3 tsp oil of your choice- I use olive oil or rice bran oil

For garnish:

• Cilantro/coriander leaves, finely chopped
• 3 tsp grand fresh coconut (optional)
• 4-5 tsp roasted peanuts with skin (optional)
• 2 tsp nylon sev (optional, a crunchy fried noodle available in Indian grocery shops)
• 1/2 lemon juice squeezed and used in the end

Preparation

1. Wash Poha 2-3 times well in water, drain the water. Then sprinkle about 1/2 cup of water generously on the drained poha, mix and cover it with a lid and leave it aside for 10 minutes. If you use thin poha there is no need to sprinkle water.
2. Heat a wok or a deep pan, add oil and all the tempering ingredients one by one until the mustard seeds splutter and the dal turns golden brown.
3. Add chopped onions, green chillies, turmeric powder, curry leaves, fry until the onion turns transparent.
4. Add the chopped vegetables one by one, stir them well until they blend well with the onions and cook until the vegetables are soft.
5. Add the soaked poha, salt and mix well until poha blends well with the vegetables
6. Cover with a lid and allow it to cook on a medium to low flame for about 5 minutes until poha is soft and cooked. If required, you can sprinkle a little extra water when using thick poha. Cover to cook.
7. Garnish with chopped cilantro, peanuts, fresh coconut gratings, sev and add lemon juice in the end.
8. Enjoy this prebiotic poha with your Malgudi Days coffee.