Kanda poha is the everyday breakfast of Maharashtra and the dish served to guests in the traditional bride-viewing visit, so much so that the visit itself is jokingly called kanda-pohe. It takes fifteen minutes, uses pantry staples and appears on breakfast plates from Nagpur to Kolhapur. In Vidarbha it is also eaten as an evening snack from roadside stalls.
The flattened rice is rinsed, not soaked, so it softens while keeping a light, fluffy bite. Onions are cooked only until translucent so they keep a little sweetness and crunch, and turmeric gives the familiar yellow colour. Peanuts add crunch, while lemon, sugar and fresh coconut balance the dish. Each grain stays separate and soft.
Poha is eaten hot, topped with sev, chopped coriander and a lemon wedge, with a cup of tea. Some families add potato cubes, called batata poha, or green peas in winter. In Indore, a neighbouring city across the border, poha is steamed and topped with jeeravan masala and sev, and in Nagpur it comes with spicy tarri.
At a glance
| Region | Maharashtra |
|---|---|
| Cuisine | Maharashtrian |
| Diet | Vegan |
| Course | Breakfast |
| Prep time | 10 minutes |
| Cook time | 10 minutes |
| Total time | 20 minutes |
| Serves | 3 |
| Spice level | Mild |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Gluten-free | Yes |
| Key ingredients | thick poha / onion / peanuts / curry leaves |
Ingredients
- 2 cups (150 g) thick poha
- 2 tbsp oil
- 2 tbsp raw peanuts
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- A pinch of asafoetida
- 10 curry leaves
- 2 green chillies, chopped
- 2 medium onions, chopped
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp sugar
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp chopped coriander
- 2 tbsp grated fresh coconut
- Nylon sev to garnish (optional)
Method
- Put the poha in a colander and rinse under running water for 15-20 seconds, tossing with your fingers, until just softened. Drain well and leave for 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle sugar and salt over the damp poha and toss gently with your fingers to loosen any clumps.
- Heat oil in a kadhai on medium. Fry the peanuts for 2 minutes until golden and remove them.
- In the same oil, crackle mustard seeds, then add cumin, asafoetida, curry leaves and green chillies for 20 seconds.
- Add onions and cook for 3-4 minutes on medium until soft and translucent but not brown. Stir in turmeric.
- Add the poha and fried peanuts and toss gently until evenly yellow. Cover and cook on low for 2 minutes so it steams.
- Turn off the heat, add lemon juice and coriander and toss. Serve topped with coconut and sev.
Tips
- Do not soak poha in a bowl of water; rinsing is enough. Soaked poha turns mushy.
- Use thick (jada) poha; thin poha is meant for chivda.
- Add turmeric after the onions soften, not with the hot oil, so it does not burn.
Serve with
Hot tea, with sev and a lemon wedge on top.