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Plate of Poha garnished with cilantro, coconut and sev witth chai on side

Poha Recipe

Shweta Arora
Poha (Pohe) is a traditional Indian Breakfast made with flattened rice, onions, peanuts and flavored with basic spices and herbs. It's vegan, gluten-free, nutritious, and absolutely delicious! Sharing how to make kanda pohe and kanda batata poha.
5 from 3 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Breakfast, Snacks
Cuisine Indian
Servings 4
Calories 215 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups thick poha flattened rice
  • 2-3 tablespoon oil using canola oil
  • 2 tablespoon peanuts optional, can use raw or roasted
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds rai
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds zeera
  • pinch asafoetida hing
  • 10-15 curry leaves
  • 2-3 green chilies slit vertically
  • ¼ cup Cilantro stems finely chopped, optional
  • 1 large yellow onion finely chopped
  • 1 small potato peeled and cut into small cubes
  • ½ cup green peas frozen or fresh
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric haldi
  • 1 teaspoon salt divided, adjust to taste
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 -2 tablespoon lemon juice or to taste
  • ¼ cup Cilantro finely chopped, for garnishing

For serving

  • ¼ cup Cilantro finely chopped
  • ¼ cup grated fresh coconut frozen works well optional
  • ¼ cup sev or bhujia optional

Instructions
 

Prep work

  • Add flattened rice (poha) to a bowl, add 3-4 cups of water to it. Give it a quick stir and soak poha not more than 30 seconds. Drain the water out using a strainer.
  • Let the poha rest for 5 mins to drain any excess water and then mix it gently. Poha should be nice and fluffy at this point. It should also break easily when pressed between your thumb and index finger.
  • Sprinkle ½ teaspoon salt, sugar and mix gently. Cover and keep aside.

To make kanda batata poha

  • In a pan heat oil, and add 1 tablespoon oil and peanuts to it. Roast on medium heat until they are crunchy. Remove them into another bowl to maintain their crunch. Keep aside. You can skip the roasting step if you are using roasted peanuts.
  • In the same pan, add the remaining oil. Once hot add the mustard seeds to it.
  • Once the mustard seeds splutter (pop), add the cumin seeds, hing, and curry leaves. Give it a quick stir.
  • Stir in the green chilies and chopped cilantro stems (optional but recommend since they add a nice flavor) followed by the onions. Mix well and saute for 1 min.
  • Next, add the potatoes, green peas, salt, and turmeric. Mix until all is well combined.
  • Cover and cook on medium-low heat until the potatoes are cooked (approximately 5 mins). Stir intermittently.Test by checking if the potato breaks easily with your spatula which means it's ready.
  • Give the masala a quick mix and add in the softened poha and roasted peanuts. Mix gently until everything is well combined.
  • Cover and steam for 3-5 mins or until the poha is heated through. Stir in between to prevent burning.
  • Open the lid, add cilantro, lemon juice, and mix well. Give it a quick taste and adjust salt if needed.
  • Easy, delicious, and nutritious Kanda Batata Poha is ready!! Served warm garnished with sev, grated coconut more cilantro, and a lemon wedge on the side. Enjoy with chai (tea) or coffee.

Notes

Poha variety - use thick (recommended) or dadpe poha for this recipe. I don't recommend thin variety as they turn mushy very easily.
Soaking Poha - This is a crucial step that can make or break the recipe. Soak the poha just for 30 seconds to drain and drain well to get that nice fluffy grain. Alternately rinse it directly in a strainer too.
More oil - With poha, more oil works best as it prevents them from getting dry.
To fix dry poha  - Check After adding poha and mixing everything if you feel the poha is looking or tasting dry, drizzle a teaspoon of oil or sprinkle some water. Do not overdo these as they may result in greasy or mushy poha.
To fasten the cooking process - use boiled potatoes, green peas, and roasted peanuts.
Cilantro (coriander) stems - add them to the tempering to elevate the flavor.
Add salt to both, poha and veggies, which ensures it distributes evenly.
Perfect taste - Poha should always be the right balance of salt, tang, and sweet so don't skip the sugar and lemon juice!!
To make kanda pohe - skip the potatoes and green peas. The rest of the recipe remains the same. 

Nutrition

Calories: 215kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 665mg | Potassium: 364mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 376IU | Vitamin C: 72mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 2mg
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