Kanda Poha

Name: Kanda Poha
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 22 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian, Maharashtra
Ingredients: 200 g Thick poha (flattened rice); ½ tsp Turmeric; 1 tsp Sugar; 1 tsp Salt; 2 tbsp Oil; 3 tbsp Peanuts; 1 tsp Mustard seeds; ½ tsp Cumin seeds; 2 sprigs Curry leaves; 3 Green chillies, slit; 1 pinch Asafoetida; 2 Medium onions, finely chopped; 1 Lemon, juiced; 3 tbsp Coriander leaves, chopped; 2 tbsp Fresh coconut, grated

Maharashtra's weekday breakfast: thick flattened rice tossed with onions, peanuts, mustard seeds and curry leaves, finished with lemon and fresh coconut.

Prep 10 min · Cook 12 min · Total 22 min · Serves 4

Ingredients

Poha

200 g Thick poha (flattened rice)
½ tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Sugar
1 tsp Salt

Tempering

2 tbsp Oil
3 tbsp Peanuts
1 tsp Mustard seeds
½ tsp Cumin seeds
2 sprigs Curry leaves
3 Green chillies, slit
1 pinch Asafoetida
2 Medium onions, finely chopped

To finish

1 Lemon, juiced
3 tbsp Coriander leaves, chopped
2 tbsp Fresh coconut, grated

Method

Rinse the poha. Put the poha in a sieve and rinse under running water for 15 to 20 seconds, tossing, until just soft. Drain well, then mix in the turmeric, sugar and salt with your fingers and leave 5 minutes.
Fry the peanuts. Heat the oil in a kadai and fry the peanuts until they crackle and darken. Lift them out.
Temper. In the same oil, crackle the mustard and cumin seeds, then add the curry leaves, chillies and asafoetida.
Cook the onions. Add the onions and cook until soft and translucent but not browned.
Toss and steam. Fluff the poha with a fork and add it with the peanuts. Toss gently over low heat, cover and steam 2 minutes.
Serve. Squeeze over the lemon, toss, and serve hot topped with coriander and coconut.

Tips

Use thick (jada) poha. Thin poha turns to paste when rinsed; if the poha feels dry after resting, sprinkle over a spoon of water rather than rinsing again.