Poha Indian Snack Recipe
Available at Indian markets, poha is a flaked rice that cooks in an instant. Fried up with spiced potatoes and finished with a spritz of lime, it’s an easy— and utterly irresistible—snack.
Serves 4
Ingredients
| 1/4 | teaspoon | salt |
| 1 | cup | poha |
| 3 | tablespoons | ghee or vegetable oil |
| 1/8 | teaspoon | asafetida, optional* |
| 1 1/2 | tablespoons | black mustard seeds |
| 1/2 | teaspoon | ground turmeric |
| 1 | potato, cooked and cubed | |
| 1/4 | teaspoon | chili powder |
| 1/2 | large red onion, chopped | |
| 1 | green chile, chopped (seeds removed) | |
| 15 | fresh | fresh curry leaves** |
| 2–4 | ||
| 1–2 | tablespoons | water |
| 6–8 | sprigs | cilantro leaves, chopped |
| 2 | limes, cut in wedges, as accompaniment |
| * Asafetida is a pungent spice powder available online or at your local Indian market and online. It has a remarkably unpleasant smell when raw, but provides a rich, savory flavor to finished dishes.**Fresh curry leaves are available at Indian grocery stores. |
Directions
- Rinse the poha in a strainer and squeeze out the excess water. Set aside.
- Heat the ghee in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat.
- Add the mustard seeds and cook until they begin to pop. Adjust the heat as needed to prevent burning.
- Add the asafetida, if desired.
- Sprinkle in the turmeric and stir.
- Add the potatoes and stir to coat with the spices.
- Add the chili powder.
- Stir in the onions, poha and salt and cook for two minutes.
- Add the green chili and curry leaves.
- Stir in a tablespoon of water to moisten the pan and adjust the heat to prevent burning.
- Cover with a lid and cook for several minutes. The mixture should be fairly dry—not moist or mushy.
- Adjust the salt to your taste.
- Stir in half of the chopped cilantro.
- Plate the poha and decorate with chopped cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.
Preparation Time:
15 minutes
