Poha (Indian Spiced Flattened Rice Breakfast with Peanuts)

Quick answer

Total time: 22 min
Level: Easy
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 8

About this dish

Poha uses flattened rice that is softened briefly, then warmed with mustard seeds, onion, green chili, and turmeric before roasted peanuts and lemon juice are added.

Two hundred grams of flattened rice is placed in a sieve and rinsed under cold water for only about 10 seconds. It then rests, drained, for 5 minutes until pliable when pressed. A longer soak would make the thin grains mushy before they reach the pan. One onion is sliced thinly and one green chili is chopped. After 1 tablespoon cooking oil warms for 30 seconds over medium heat, 0.5 teaspoon mustard seeds is added. The seeds need only about 20 seconds to begin popping; the onion and chili go in immediately so the mustard does not burn. The onion cooks for roughly 3 minutes, until translucent, before 0.5 teaspoon turmeric is stirred through for an even yellow color. The softened poha is added and the burner is lowered. Gentle folding for 2 minutes heats the rice without crushing or clumping it. Forty grams roasted peanuts is mixed in for a firm contrast, then the heat is turned off before 1 tablespoon lemon juice is added. Keeping the rinse short and adding the citrus away from the heat preserves both the separate rice flakes and the fresh lemon aroma.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

flattened rice (poha)200 gg

onion1 eaea

green chili1 eaea

turmeric powder½ tsptsp

mustard seeds½ tsptsp

roasted peanuts40 gg

lemon juice1 tbsptbsp

cooking oil1 tbsptbsp

Shop All Ingredients

As an Amazon Associate, we may earn from qualifying purchases.

Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Step

Place 200 g flattened rice in a sieve and rinse under cold water for about 10 seconds.

Drain well, then rest for 5 minutes until the grains feel soft when gently pressed.
2

Control

Thinly slice 1 onion and finely chop 1 green chili.

Add 1 tablespoon cooking oil to a pan and warm it over medium heat for about 30 seconds before adding spices.
3

Step

Add 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds and let them crackle for about 20 seconds.

Add the onion and chili right away before the seeds darken or burn in the hot oil.
4

Heat

Keep the heat at medium and cook for about 3 minutes, until the onion turns translucent.

Add 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder and stir until the onion is evenly stained yellow.
5

Step

Add the softened flattened rice and lower the heat to low.

Fold gently with a spatula for only about 2 minutes, warming it through without pressing so the grains do not clump.
6

Finish

Mix in 40 g roasted peanuts, then turn off the heat.

Drizzle over 1 tablespoon lemon juice, fold once more, and serve while warm so the peanuts stay crisp.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Poha is an Indian breakfast of flattened rice tempered with mustard seeds, turmeric, and peanuts.
Finish cue: Keep the heat at medium and cook for about 3 minutes, until the onion turns translucent.
Avoid this: Do not soak poha too long or it becomes mushy.