Pohe ( Poha ) Recipe - Indian Savory Vegan Breakfast (2024)

Pohe is popular Indian breakfast recipe made with flattened rice seasoned with sultry seasoning. You can serve it for hearty morning breakfast as well as for the evening snack or even in between. Best of all, this wholesome and filling meal is Gluten free, vegan, dairy free and soy free.

Poha also called as Pohe is made from flattened rice, is an easy-to-cook, very low in fat , high in fiber and nutritious meal. This traditional Indian Breakfast Recipe is made of iron-rich poha. I prefer to use red poha whenever I can find it in grocery store.

What makes poha such a popular item is the multitude of flavors. It’s spicy, tangy, sweet and crunchy all at once. Fresh herbs like curry leaves and cilantro add extra savory taste to it.

Growing up in India, my mom used to make excellent pohe every so often. Some great memories are associated with conversations over a dish of pohe and masala chai. “Chaha-Pohe “ as its popularly referred to, is very unassuming yet superbly tasty combination.

Popularly called Kande Pohe , Batata Pohe or Masala Pohe. To kickstart your day strong, poha is probably going to be the first option to make. The wholesome dish is very popular across India. Every household has its own way of preparing it.

Some use onions and tomatoes, some peas and peanuts and others use a whole bunch of vegetables along with a mix of spices and fresh herbs. You can choose it one or all. Be sure to tantalize your cravings with this easy yet strikingly yummy dish.

PRO TIPS TO MAKE BEST POHA

• Use thick variety of poha . In Indian grocery stores, they sell thin and thick variety of poha ( flattened rice). For this recipe, you should only choose thick variety. It is available in white or red color. Either one works.
• Sometimes you get Dagdi poha which is tad bit thicker than regular. Dagdi type variety needs more cooking time.
• Rinse and drain the poha well in cold water . Make sure to drain them in colander so excess water drains off.
• If your poha feels too dry after cooking, add ¼ cup water, cover with lid and re-heat again.
• Asafoetida and curry leaves add distinct flavors to this traditional Indian recipe. If you don’t have these items easily available, you can skip using them.
• You can add chopped cabbage, carrots, peas and cubed eggplants in addition to the veggies suggested in the recipe.

HOW TO MAKE POHE IN INSTANT POT

Instructions on how to make Pohe in electric pressure cooker like Instant Pot are added to the bottom of this post. Traditionally, this dish used to be made on stovetop. Now that Instant Pot makes most everything easier , we tried making the Pohe in Instant Pot.

The cooking time stays about the same but somehow I like the way pohe are cooked better in Instant Pot. They remain bit soft but not mushy. Also, cleaning the stovetop with oil splutters and poha particles is bit more tedious compare to one pot of Instant Pot. Give it a try I think you will get hooked too.

Needless to say, it has become our go to method to make Pohe. No baby sitting and stirring is required while making this dish in Instant Pot. Check out the details below.

MAKING MASALA TEA USING POT IN POT METHOD

Another great advantage of making pohe in InstantPot is the use of PIP pot in pot . I often make Indian Masala Chai ( spiced Indian Tea) using the trivet. The pohe and tea simultaneously cook in 4 minutes pressure without you watching it . Pohe with Masala tea is a quintessential pairing and with Instant Pot you have it done in a jiffy!

INGREDIETS :

2 cups poha – Flattened rice
2 tablespoon Oil
½ teaspoon each mustard and cummin seeds
½ teaspoon red chilli powder
Pinch of Asafoetida
2 Green chillies, slit lengthwise
10-12 Curry leaves
1 Onion finely chopped
1 medium Potato, peeled, and cut into cubes
¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder
Salt to taste
Sugar a pinch
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Chopped cilantro, shredded coconut and lemon wedges for garnish.

STOVE TOP METHOD:

Put dry pohe ( flattened rice) in colander and wash in cold running water. Let excess water drain. Allow to stand for ten to fifteen minutes.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and allow them to splutter, add cumin seeds, asafoetida, green chillies, curry leaves, onion and saute till the onion is golden brown. Add cubed potatoes . Sprinkle little water, cover and let potatoes cook til they are tender.

Add rinsed pohe, turmeric powder, chili powder, peanuts, salt and sugar and toss well. Cover and cook for another five to seven minutes stirring it couple times so they don’t burn at the bottom.

Add lemon juice. Toss well. Serve hot . Garnish with lemon wedges and cut cilantro and shredded coconut on top.

INSTANT POT POHA :

Put dry pohe ( flattened rice) in colander and wash in cold running water. Let excess water drain. Allow to stand for about 10 minutes.

Heat IP in Sauté mode and add oil. Once Oil is hot, add mustard seeds , cumin seeds, asafetida, green chilies, curry leaves and onion. Sauté till the onion is golden brown. Add cubed potatoes Sprinkle little water. Put a cover on the main pot. Let it cook for about 4-5 min until potatoes are tender.

This step is important since potatoes won’t cook much further and will remain tough if you don’t sauté/cook well now.

Remove lid, add washed Poha, roasted peanuts, turmeric powder, chili powder, salt and sugar. Add ¾ cup water . Stir well everything. Cancel Sauté. Press manual 4 minutes. Vent sealed.

Release the pressure manually (QPR) 5 mins after the beep and IP changes to warm. Open the lid. Add lemon juice and mix well. Serve hot garnished with chopped cilantro, shredded coconut and lemon wedges.

Serve it with spiced Indian tea and savor the best moments of life!

HERE ARE SOME OF OUR POPULAR BREAKFAST RECIPES. DO TRY THEM ALL FOR GREAT KICKSTART TO YOUR MORNINGS.

• BREAD UPMA
• SAVORY SWEET POTATO HASH
• GRANDMA’S TANDALACHI UKAD
• MASALA TOAST SANDWICH
• INSTANT POT PAV BHAJI
• MULTI GRAIN DOSA WAFFLES
• MATAR CHAT
• APPLE PIE OATMEAL
• SAVORY CHIA OATS BOWL
• MISAL PAV
• COCONUT CHIA PUDDING

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This recipe was originally published in July 2018 . It has been updated with Instant Pot instructions and photos in Oct. 2020