Red Poha

Bachelor Cooking, Breakfast Recipes, Evening Tiffin, Quick Recipes, Weight loss recipes

Rice flakes is a traditional breakfast cereal consumed in almost every part of India. Earlier my grandmother used to make upma using freshly beaten rice flakes, but we, as children, liked to snack on aval (rice flakes) along with milk & sugar in the same way cornflakes, an American counterpart, is typically devoured. Rice flakes is generally used as the substitute for rice or other grains for making snacks, sweets, desserts, and many other dishes. However I prefer to make delicious red poha often for breakfast as it is a light but a hearty meal, and poha is a popular Maharashtrian dish prepared with plenty of onion (kande pohe), or with boiled potato (batata pohe), or garnished with grated coconut (dadpe pohe).

poha-varieties Red Poha
Poha varieties

Lately red rice flakes and various millet flakes that are good sources of micronutrients also available in the market, so we can prepare nutritious poha using them. Normally we soak thick rice flakes for few minutes, but it is required to rinse & steam the harder red rice flakes, or simply rinse & strain the thinner millet flakes before making poha.

red-poha Red Poha
Mildly-spiced poha with delicious textures

Red Poha Recipe

Now I have prepared delicious & nutritious Maharashtrian potato poha using red rice flakes and garnished with south Indian mixture (crunchy snacks) and the recipe for potato poha (aloo poha) is as below:

batata-pohe Red Poha
Potato poha using red rice flakes

Ingredients:

Red rice flakes2 cups
Coconut oil2 tbsp
Mustard seeds1 tsp
Cumin seeds1 tsp
Green chillies (slitted lengthwise & halved)4
Curry leaves2 sprigs
Turmeric powder1 tsp
Onion3 (medium)
Boiled potato2
Boiled peas1/2 cup
Crushed peanuts1/4 cup
Chopped coriander leavesas desired
A squeeze of lemon juice 
Salt1 and 1/2 tsp
Mixture/ sev/ kara boondhias needed
poha-ingredients Red Poha
Ingredients for making potato poha

Cooking Procedure:

  • Rinse & steam red rice flakes for 5 minutes and keep it covered.
  • Meanwhile heat a cooking pan with oil in medium flame.
  • Add mustard seeds into hot oil.
  • When they begin to crackle, add cumin seeds, green chillies, curry leaves, turmeric powder & saute for few seconds.
  • Then add finely chopped onion and saute until translucent.
  • Now add cubed potatoes & steamed rice flakes followed by salt and stir well.
  • Add boiled peas, crushed peanuts & chopped coriander leaves into poha.
  • Stir until they all mixed evenly and remove from heat.
  • Stir in a squeeze of lemon juice & garnish with mixture or sev just before serving.
poha-recipe Red Poha
Red Poha recipe

Tips & Tweaks:

  • The most important factor for making perfect poha is to keep the rice flakes soft & moist, but it should never turn soggy nor dry. So I steamed thick harder red rice flakes to make them soft, but if you are using thin rice flakes, you need to be careful with the soaking time (it usually takes not more than 5 minutes).
  • You may garnish poha with crunchy vegetables like chopped cucumber or shredded carrot instead of mixture/sev/boondhi.
  • We can also prepare the sweet version of poha using jaggery syrup, coconut gratings, ghee-roasted cashew nuts & cardamom powder.
  • You may check out the recipe for sweet aval puttu using red rice poha as well.
jaggery-poha-scaled Red Poha
Sweet Red Poha

102 comments on “Red Poha”Add yours →

Comments are closed. You can not add new comments.

  11. I tried to make this dish! The best is the hint of lemon juice before serving. What a genius idea! Then, I added a little lemon juice in any dishes… ^^

    1. Henceforth I would be posting recipes regularly, and I did miss you all in these months. 🙂 Thanks for your constant support.

  13. I don’t know how I missed this post because I love seeing your recipes. I love just plain seeing your name come up in the reader. I know it has been a while and the last time we spoke you were taking some time. I pray you are good, and that you and everyone are safe 🙂 Big hugs my friend. I miss seeing you 🙂

    1. Yes. I do miss you all, and I’m so happy to see your comment in here, very sorry for the late reply.
      We are all doing very well by God’s grace. I’m sure He has been showering his love & blessings on you, your sister & mother as well. 🙂 Thanks so much for taking your time to read this post.

  15. Wonderful post Megala!! Sooo sorry to have missed so many. Will definitely try to catch up…I hope all is well with you and your family…Sophie

    1. Thanks, Meenal! I just took a break for 6 months, I will continue to blog again soon and am looking forward to read your recipes as well. 🙂

  17. Megala ma’am, I really like the way u elucidate the food recipes. Poha is one of favourite food. Thanks for sharing this recipe. Ma’am pls check out my new blog!!!

  19. I really like the reason behind your blog. Family and what they teach us speaks to my heart. And your recipes looks delicious, thank you for sharing 😊

  20. Hello dear Megala can’t see you in this place for long time. Is there any problem with your blog or I don’t know whether I am not getting your posts. Hope you are doing good. Rupali also asked to me about you in my post comment

    1. Thanks Subbashini!
      I am fine, and I switched to self-hosted site, so I have been working on my site for a new look with new features. 🙂 Hope you will like it
      I am sure you are enjoying these days with your princesses. I will soon check into you blog.

  21. I love to eat Mahrashtrian food and poha is always on the top of the list of mine.. That’s amazing💕😍.. I will try this one too.

  25. I usually soak the red poha for an hour or so before cooking. But steaming it looks like a quicker method. I will surely try this method.
    Besides, poha seems so versatile in that it can be adapted in so many ways. Thank you for a great breakfast/ evening tiffin recipe. I loved the addition of veggies and mixture.
    What is your favourite chutney, side- dish for cooked poha?

    1. Yes, steaming helps to get the right texture with no big fuss.
      Actually I don’t like to take poha along with chutney, and it tastes good even without any such accompaniment. I feel those crunchy mixture & soft potato add a delicious texture in here. 🙂
      Thanks Sheela! Have a wonderful weekend! 🙂

  26. I love Poha and these are lovely recipes – light and healthy for a breakfast. I recall once I made a Poha recipe which is same as “Elumichai sadam” – lemon rice (?). I used poha instead of rice. I will post it when I do next time.

    1. It is a simple but hearty breakfast dish, and it takes just 15-20 minutes.
      I’m glad you liked it, thanks much.

  29. Dear Megala, I made dinner today … but unfortunately not your most lovely and very delicious-looking recipe! Just something simple and fast… and now I am sitting here and really, really wishing I had looked your blog first! 😉
    Ah well… next time 😉 🙂 🙂
    Warm greetings, dear friend, and my best wishes for a delightful week to come! 🙂 🙂

    1. Ahh! That’s a lovely comment. 🙂 🙂 Thank you so much.
      Wish you a wonderful week ahead. 🙂

  37. (EN) Such variety of dishes, Megala! Love your journey through indian states?
    (IT) Quanta varietà di piatti Megala! Adoro il tuo viaggio tra gli stati indiani ?

    1. Yes, I’ve been using red poha alone for quite some time, and this is one of my favorite breakfasts too.
      Thanks, Swati, for reading my posts & commenting.

    1. Oh! Do try this recipe, it is truly a fulfilling breakfast meal in under 10 minutes.
      You are most welcome.

  45. Superb Pohey! We call it Kaandey (onion) Pohey… My favourite. Though I don’t steam the rice flakes … Just rinse and drain… And I add potatoes first to the oil after the tempering and cook slightly before adding onions and peas! Your idea too is great!

  46. Poha is an unassuming bet versatile food stuff! Poha dishes can serve as snacks or even breakfast items! Well presented, Megala!

    1. Red poha is a lot easier to handle than thin poha, and I hope you will like it. 🙂
      Thank you.

error: Content is protected !!