Poha - Indian snack made with flattened rice and aromatics

This recipe brings back childhood memories. My mom would make Poha for me as an after school snack and it was one of my favorite things to eat. Poha is basically rice that has been parboiled, flattened and dried. Poha swells when added to water and gains a light and fluffy texture. When cooked with aromatics and mild spices, it makes a great snack. Add your favorite nuts and dried fruits to add different textures and flavors to this dish. The Poha itself is seasoned with salt, lime juice and a pinch of sugar. All the flavors come together beautifully to make a very satisfying dish.

NOTE: The flattened rice, which is an ingredient of this recipe is called Poha, and the final dish is also called Poha, which can be a bit confusing. Throughout the recipe, when I use the word "Poha," I mean the ingredient.

Serves: 2, Prep. time: 10 minutes, Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. canola oil

• 1/4 tsp mustard seeds

• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds

• 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

• 1/4 cup finely chopped potatoes

• 1 tsp finely chopped Serrano pepper (use less if you don't want too much spice)

• 2 tbsp fresh or frozen peas

• 1/4 tsp ginger paste

• 1.5 cups Poha (Flattened parboiled rice)

• Salt

• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder

• 1/4 tsp sugar

• 1 tbsp lime juice

• 1 tbsp finely chopped cilantro

• Nuts of your choice (I used peanuts and cashews)

• Raisins or any other dried fruits

Directions:

1. In a wide pan, heat 1 tbsp canola oil. Once oil is warm, add mustard seeds and when they splutter, add cumin seeds.

2. Add the onions and stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes, till the onions turn translucent.

3. Add the finely chopped potatoes and stir. Add 1 tsp salt at this time so the potatoes absorb some of the salt as they cook. Also add the peas to the pan.

4. Add a splash of water if needed and cover the pan to let the potatoes cook. The finer the potatoes are chopped, the faster they will cook.

5. While potatoes cook, place the poha in a colander with small holes or a sieve. Splash with water until all the poha are wet. We want the poha to come in contact with the liquid and absorb some of it but we do not want them to be soaking wet. The sieve or colander will help with drainage of any excess water. To the wet poha, add 1/2 tsp salt and turmeric powder and toss to mix evenly. Let the wet poha rest in the colander until the potatoes cook.

6. Once potatoes are cooked, add the finely chopped Serrano peppers and ginger paste to the pan and stir for a minute.

7. Now, add the moist poha to the pan and gently stir everything through. The moist poha will be quite soft and delicate so make sure to be gentle while mixing. Otherwise, the poha will start breaking and the final dish will be a bit mushy.

8. If the poha seems to be dry, add a few splashes of water to the pan and stir. The poha will absorb the liquid and become moist and fluffy.

9. Turn the heat off after the poha has plumped up and everything is evenly moist but not soggy. Add the sugar, lime juice (I use 1 tbsp because I like my poha to be a bit sour. Use less if you are not a fan of sour foods) and cilantro leaves and stir.

10. Put the lid on the pan and let it rest for a few minutes.

11. In the meanwhile, in a small pan, add some peanuts and cashews and dry roast for 3-4 minutes until they become slightly crisp. Add the roasted nuts and dried fruits to the cooked poha in the pan and serve hot.