Kanda poha is the breakfast that greets you in half the homes in Maharashtra: soft flattened rice, sweet golden onions, crunchy peanuts and a squeeze of lemon. It takes about 20 minutes, and the secret is in how you rinse the poha.
Ingredients
- 2 cups thick poha (flattened rice)
- 2 tbsp oil
- 3 tbsp raw peanuts
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 8 to 10 curry leaves
- 2 green chillies, chopped
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp sugar
- Salt to taste
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp chopped coriander, plus fresh grated coconut and sev to serve (optional)
Instructions
- Rinse the poha. Put the poha in a strainer and rinse under running water for 10 to 15 seconds, just until it’s wet. Drain well, then mix in the salt, sugar and turmeric and leave it to soften for 5 minutes.
- Roast the peanuts. Heat the oil in a kadai and fry the peanuts on medium flame until crunchy. Lift them out.
- Temper. In the same oil, add mustard seeds and let them splutter, then cumin, curry leaves and green chillies.
- Cook the onions. Add the onion and cook on medium flame until soft and translucent, without browning.
- Add the poha. Fluff the poha with your fingers, add it to the kadai and toss gently. Cover and steam on low flame for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Finish. Switch off the flame, add the peanuts, lemon juice and coriander, and toss. Serve hot with coconut and sev.
Siddhi’s Tips
- Use thick poha. Thin poha turns mushy when rinsed.
- Don’t soak the poha in a bowl of water. A quick rinse is enough; it keeps softening as it rests.
- Add lemon juice only after switching off the flame, or it can turn bitter.
Serve it with a cup of adrak masala chai. For more morning ideas, see the recipe index.
Prep time: 10 minutes · Cook time: 10 minutes · Serves: 3