Poha
Flattened rice steamed with onion, peanuts, and mustard seeds.
Ingredients
- 200 g Flattened rice (poha)
- 1 Yellow onion
- 50 g Peanuts
- 1 tsp Brown mustard seeds
- 2 Green chili
- ½ tsp Ground turmeric
- 2 tbsp Neutral oil
- ½ tsp Salt
- 8 Curry leaves (optional)
- ½ Lemon (optional)
- 2 tbsp Cilantro (optional)
Method
- Rinse the poha in a sieve under cold water until the flakes are just soft, then drain well and set aside to rest.
- Finely chop the onion and slit the green chilies.
- Heat the oil in a wide pan over medium heat and crackle the mustard seeds with the curry leaves until they splutter.
- Add the peanuts and fry until golden, then stir in the onion and chili and cook until the onion turns soft and translucent.
- Stir in the turmeric and let it bloom in the oil for a few seconds.
- Fold through the rinsed poha with the salt and a squeeze of lemon, then warm through gently until heated.
- Scatter cilantro over the top and serve warm.
Tap “Start cooking” for live timers that flag what to get ahead on while something simmers.
About Poha
Poha is a beloved Indian breakfast made from flattened rice, thin pressed flakes that soften almost instantly once rinsed, making this one of the quickest hot breakfasts in the Indian repertoire. Popular across central and western India, it is built on a tempering of mustard seeds and curry leaves crackled in oil, then onion, peanuts, and green chili, with turmeric bloomed in the fat to turn everything a warm gold. The flakes are rinsed just until barely soft and drained well, since the trick to good poha is keeping them fluffy and separate rather than mushy. A squeeze of lemon at the end brightens the whole dish.
It eats soft and fluffy with pops of crunch from the fried peanuts, gently spiced and tangy, savory but never heavy — the kind of thing that fills you up without weighing you down. The turmeric and curry leaves give it a distinctly South Asian aroma, while the lemon and chili keep it lively. Traditionally it is a morning meal, often with tea, but its speed and simplicity make it a good light supper too, and it happens to be entirely vegan. Getting the rinse right so the flakes hydrate without turning to paste is what separates a good poha from a gluey one, and this recipe is careful about that step.
Poha: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Poha?
A serving has about 696 calories — 15.2g protein, 97.9g carbs, 26.4g fat, 5.2g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is Poha gluten-free?
Based on its ingredients, Poha has no gluten-containing components, so it's naturally gluten-free — as always, check that any packaged ingredients you use are certified gluten-free to be safe.
Do I need every ingredient to make Poha?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out curry leaves, lemon, cilantro — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Poha make?
This recipe makes 2 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.