Savory Poha/flattened rice and tea

When you want to start the day on a healthy yet delicious note, Poha or flattened rice is my favorite savory breakfast which is light and keeps me full for a long time. Occasionally I make poha as a snack with tea; the recipe remains more or less the same. Here I am sharing the whole package – poha and tea.

Instead of just mustard seeds in most recipes, I use a mix of ingredients frequently used in Indian cooking. It is called “panch phoron’ and has mustard, cumin, fennel, fenugreek, and black sesame seeds in equal proportions. It leaves a beautiful aroma. I feel curry leaves are mandatory when it comes to cooking poha. I love biting into those crispy leaves.

Fried peanuts look like jewels and add to the texture and taste. I hope you do try this with some hot chai on a busy morning or lazy afternoon.

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15-20 minutes
Serves: 1-2

Ingredients

• Poha 100 gms
• Onion 1 (diced)
• Potato 1 (chopped)
• Curry leaves a handful
• Panch phoron ½ tsp
• Chilies 1-2
• Peanuts (lightly fried) 2 tbsp
• Turmeric powder ½ tsp
• Salt
• Sugar ¼ tsp

Tea

• Milk 1 cup
• Water ½ cup
• Tea 2 tbsp
• Cardamom 2 pods crushed
• Sugar 3 tsp

Method

Poha

1. Wash the poha in a strainer till it becomes moist.
2. Let all the moisture drain through and gently break the clusters.
3. Next, heat some oil in a pan and add the panch phoron. When the mustard seeds start to crackle, add the curry leaves followed by onion.
4. Once the onion is translucent, add the potato, chili, and ginger.
5. Add turmeric, poha, fried peanuts, salt, and sugar when the potato pieces become soft. Mix until well combined.

For tea

1. Heat milk and water in a saucepan. Add sugar, cardamom, and tea. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce the heat. Repeat it a few times till your tea gets the desired shade of brown. 
2. Strain and serve hot with poha.