For breakfast, you need ingredients that are delicious, nutritious and do not make you sleepy. Poha (flattened rice) is one such ingredient in your kitchen that you can use to make many other things than just kanda or a variety of savoury poha. It is rich in carbohydrates while low in calories, so it provides your body with much-needed energy to kickstart your mornings.
Video Credit: Kajal's Kitchen
Since many people are now trying to avert gluten, poha is among the best options for them to begin their day along with loading their bodies with high fibre content, which is considered good for the digestive system. Flattened rice is also a versatile ingredient because it can be paired with peanuts, vegetables, sugar, and spices to cook a wide range of recipes. Here are a few dishes you must try out with soaked poha.
Poha Cutlet
Soaked poha can act as a binding agent, therefore, it is perfect for making crispy cutlets in the morning. Make a spicy mixture of potato, carrot, capsicum, onion, and peas. Add salt to taste and spices like coriander powder, red chilli powder, pepper powder, and a pinch of garam masala to add a burst of flavour to every bite. Take the mixture and cover it with soaked poha, keep it aside for a while, and deep fry in oil.
Poha Idli
To make masala idli, poha is an excellent ingredient to add a bit of crunch and grainy texture to the dish. To the idli batter, add soaked poha, roasted chana dal, vegetables like grated carrot, cabbage, and capsicum, and tempering of red chillies, curry leaves, and mustard seeds. Pour the batter into moulds and steam idli. You can also fry the idli for breakfast.
Poha Upma
If you run out of semolina at home, you don’t have to fret until you have poha in the kitchen. Soak poha, and slice onions and tomatoes. In a hot kadhai, add a spoonful of oil, mustard seeds, slit green chillies, chana dal, urad dal, and curry leaves. Saute onion and tomatoes and fold in soaked poha. Mix the ingredients, and you will have poha upma ready in just a few minutes.
Poha Pancakes
Have you tried savoury pancakes? These appear similar to uttapam and taste equally delicious. Take soaked poha in a bowl and mix it with gram flour. Add water to the combination to adjust its consistency. Pour in your favourite vegetables to the mix, like grated carrots, cabbage, onions, tomatoes, and capsicums along with a few spices like red chilli powder and pepper. Cook the pancakes on both sides until they are crispy and enjoy with chutney.
Poha Paratha
If you are craving crispy paratha in the morning, add a crunch and texture to the dough with speak poha. Add chopped green chillies, carom seeds, chopped coriander leaves, and red chilli powder to the flour as well. Once kneaded into dough, keep it aside for 10 minutes, and make thin, crispy, and flavourful paratha in the morning. It pairs well with curd and green chutney.
Poha Dhokla
Instead of just gram flour, adding soaked poha to the batter of dhokla can improve its nutritional quotient. Take a large bowl and mix soaked poha, gram flour, salt to taste, ginger, yoghurt, and red chilli powder. Soaked poha mixes easily with these ingredients, and you can also adjust the consistency of the batter by adding more water to it. Steam the batter until it sets, and temper dhoklas with mustard seeds, slit green chillies, and curry leaves.