Kande Pohe (Flattened rice cooked with onions)

Pohe or poha or flattened rice is one of the most famous preparations for breakfast and snack. From North India to south India you can find different preparations of pohe, cooked with onions, potatoes and different types of vegetables, in eastern Maharashtra Pohe is served with hot curry, omelette and tea. I remember I was visiting my aunt and the first time I saw pohe served with hot gravy and I absolutely loved the idea.

At home my mum often made pohe with a lot of onions, peanut and potatoes and served as a breakfast on Sunday morning. I wasn’t a big fan of it unless mum served it mango pickle, sev, fresh coriander and sometimes if we were lucky then fresh coconut 😉 The fresh coriander, sev and the spicy pickle gives pohe that crunch, freshness and a kick! This dish is a very simple, gluten free and can easily be made vegan, the texture of the cooked poha depends on the quality of the rice flakes, if they are too thin then after washing they can become soft and lumpy, hence I always use the thick variety. So do give it try.

Ingredients:

• 2 ½ cups thick pohe
• 2 medium onions medium diced
• 2 potatoes diced
• A few green chillies and curry leaves
• 1 cup cauliflower florets (optional)
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• A pinch of asafoetida
• A pinch of sugar
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp ghee (optional)
• A handful of roasted peanuts

Directions:

If you are using thick poha then wash them under running water for 2-3 times and keep it in the strainer for 5 minutes. If you using thin poha then wash it just before cooking them.

Heat oil add the mustard seeds, let them crackle. Add the asafoetida, onions and curry leaves and sauté for 2-3 minutes till onions are translucent.

Add in the turmeric powder, green chillies, potatoes, cauliflower and peanuts sauté for 5 minutes and cover till the vegetables are almost cooked.

Add the poha, salt, sugar, lemon juice and cover for 3-4 minutes.

Drizzle the ghee, garnish with coriander and serve hot!