BATAKA POHA.. Gujarati Recipe

POHA is a dish that is cooked in every household in India.. in varied ways. Every family has their own version of Poha. The best Poha I've had was in my friend Aanchal's lunchbox by Bharti Khatwani Aunty. I have never tasted better. I do remember asking Khatwani aunty what she did different and she'd tell me that it tastes better because its a 'prasad'.

With the minimum of spices and almost no vegetables, this is simplicity at its best. Its a little sweet, a bit sour and light and soft. The addition of lemon juice in the end gives it a pale yellow color. Its the perfect breakfast or snack for all working women and busy homemakers alike. Ready in 10 minutes, light as well as satisfying. 

Ingredients:

Thick or Medium Flake Poha, 1.5 cups

Onions, 1 medium finely chopped

Potato, 1 medium cubed

Green Chilies, 2 finely chopped

Mustard Seeds, 1 tsp

Cumin Seeds, 1 tsp

Asafoetida, a pinch

Oil, 1 tbsp

Curry Leaves, 1 sprig

Fresh Coriander Leaves, 2 tbsp

Lemon, half

Sugar, 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

Procedure:

1. Take the poha in a bowl and add 3 cups of cold water. Let this soak for about 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, strain and set aside to get rid of the water.

2. Heat a wok. Once hot, add in the oil and let it heat. 

3. Add in the mustard & cumin seeds. Once the mustard seeds splutter add in the green chilies, curry leaves and asafoetida.

4. Next drop in the cubed potatoes. Add in some salt and turmeric powder and mix. Add in 2 tablespoons of water. Mix and cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked. I cut my potatoes into really small cubes for two reasons: One they cook fast and second I don't like them to stand out in my poha. I also cook them until just done while stirring once in between making sure they don't brown. 

5. Once the potatoes are cooked, drop in the onions and stir. We will just cook the onions until translucent. Once the onions turn translucent, lower the heat to simmer. 

6. Now add in the poha and mix lightly. Use a thin spatula and only stir through the outer edges gently so as not to mash up the poha. 

7. At this stage you can sample and adjust the seasoning. Squeeze in the lemon, add the sugar and add the coriander leaves and give it a final mix. Turn off the heat and let it sit in the wok for a couple of minutes before serving or plating. 

Tip: The trick to cooking the perfect Poha lies in ensuring that the beaten rice flakes remain intact when cooking this dish. When washing make sure you don't overdo it or move it too much with your hands as it would break the flakes. Just soak it and drain the water. When sauteing it in the wok try and use narrow spatula and move the poha around from the corners towards the center to mix gently.