This poha recipe is a Maharashtrian-style Kanda Poha made with flattened rice, onions, potatoes, peanuts, herbs, and spices. The poha or flattened rice is tempered and cooked until soft and fluffy. Serve warm as a quick and satisfying breakfast.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 10 minutes
  • Cook time: 20 minutes
  • Total time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 3
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Cuisine: Indian, Maharashtrian

Ingredients

  • 1.5 cups poha (- thick variety (flattened rice or parched rice))
  • 1 teaspoon sugar (or as required)
  • salt (as required)
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder ((ground turmeric))
  • 2 tablespoons peanuts
  • 2 to 2.5 tablespoons oil (- peanut, sunflower or any neutral oil)
  • ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 potato (- medium-sized, chopped into small cubes)
  • ⅓ cup onions (- finely chopped or 1 medium-sized)
  • 1 teaspoon green chilies (- finely chopped or 1 to 2 green chillies)
  • 8 to 9 curry leaves ((medium to large sized))
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons coconut (- fresh and grated, optional)
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons coriander leaves (- chopped (cilantro))

Method

Preparation

  1. Pick the poha first of any debris or small stones. Rinse the flattened rice flakes in clean running water in a strainer or colander twice or thrice.
  2. Make sure that you do not rinse the poha flakes too much or else they break and get mushy. While rinsing, the poha flakes absorb enough water and they become soft.
  3. The poha must become soft but remain intact, whole and separate. If they do not become soft, add a splash of water on them in the strainer and mix till they get softened.
  4. After rinsing, the flattened rice flakes should loose their crunchiness and when you break them between your fingers, they should easily get crushed or mashed.
  5. When the poha have softened nicely, sprinkle the turmeric powder, sugar and salt evenly on them. Gently mix with a spoon or with clean fingers.
  6. Roast the peanuts in a small frying pan till they become crunchy with a few blisters on the peanut skins. Set aside.
  7. Also peel the potatoes and chop them into small cubes.

Making kanda poha

  1. In a heavy kadai, heat oil. Sauté the potatoes in medium hot oil till light golden and crisp. Stir them often for even frying.
  2. Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon and set aside.
  3. In the same kadai, there will be some oil left. Add mustard seeds to the hot oil. If there is no oil, then add 1 tablespoon oil and heat it gently and then add the mustard seeds.
  4. When the mustard seeds splutter, add the cumin seeds.
  5. When the cumin seeds crackle, add the onions. Sauté the onions till they become translucent and soften.
  6. Now add the curry leaves, chopped green chillies and roasted peanuts. Sauté for a minute on low heat.
  7. Add the fried potatoes and then the rinsed poha. Mix gently with the rest of the sautéed ingredients.
  8. Cover the pan tightly with a lid for the poha to get steamed for about 2 minutes on low heat.
  9. Remove the lid and check the taste and if required add more salt and sugar.
  10. Turn off the heat and cover the pan tightly with a lid for the poha to get steamed for a few minutes.
  11. Remove the lid and garnish with chopped coriander leaves and grated fresh coconut.
  12. Serve Kanda Poha hot with chopped lemon pieces. The lemon juice has to be squeezed on the poha before eating it.
  13. Alternatively, you could also follow this method. Once the poha is cooked, sprinkle about 1 to 2 teaspoons lemon juice on it.
  14. Mix and then garnish it with coconut and coriander leaves.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.