When it comes to Poha, the dried flattened rice, brings to mind and taste buds a steaming hot plate of Poha mixed with spices, nuts, and green chillies. The Poha prepared in a mix of spices and condiments is a soul-satisfying breakfast dish in Indian households. But there is another variety of snacks that can be made out of Poha, those are delicious crunchy Papads. Yes, heard that right. Apart from its role of serving as a morning or evening snack item, Poha also can be served as papad. Known as Avalakki Happala in Karnataka, they sure are much easier to make compared to the traditional papads made from a variety of pulses.
The first reference to Poha can be found in the mythological epic Mahabharata. It is noted when Sudama offered a handful of these humble grains to his childhood friend Krishna upon meeting. And Krishna is said to have relished the gift from his Sudama.
However, Poha’s recent history of how it became the staple breakfast item is all thanks to the state of Maharastra. The Poha is said to have originated in Maharashtra. Further under the regime of the Holkars and the Scindias, this dish became instantly popular.
The Papad on the other hand derives its name from the Sanskrit word parpaṭa - meaning a flattened disc. But these delights have been a part of culinary history since 500 BC. There are mentions of papad in Buddhist-Jain canonical literature of being made from urad, masoor, and chana dal.
Ingredients:
- 4 cups of Poha
- 2 cups of Water
- 2 Green chillies
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- Salt
- Oil
- A few Curry leaves
- A handful of coriander leaves
Method:
- Add two cups of poha and water to a bowl. Let the poha soak in the water for about one hour.
- Meanwhile, add two cups of dry poha to a grinder and grind into fine powder. Then transfer to a bowl.
- Now, mash the soaked poha into a fine paste. Then transfer it to the dry poha powder bowl.
- On the side grind, green chillies, curry leaves, coriander leaves, and cumin seeds into a paste. Add little water as needed.
- Add this chillie paste to the poha mix and add salt. Give it all a good mix, kneading it into a dough.
- Now, rub some oil on your palms and break equal-sized small balls from the prepared dough. Then either roll them into thin sheets using a rolling pin or use a papad press hand machine.
- Once rolled out, place them on a dry cloth. And let them dry under shade.
- To test, fry the dried papads and serve.
These are definitely not easy to make but sure are the healthiest snack. The best part about making these Poha Papads is that can get children engaged in the preparation. By doing so it makes them feel involved and something that they will enjoy eating later they helped in its making.