CELEBRITY MASTER CHEF DR. KAVIRAJ KHIALANI
What happens when an everyday bowl of poha refuses to remain ordinary? Add a little imagination, a handful of ingredients and a willingness to experiment, and the humble flattened rice can travel from an Indian breakfast table to Italy, Mexico, a sizzling tikki platter and even a luxurious dessert bowl.
Light, adaptable and remarkably easy to cook, poha has long been one of India’s most dependable comfort foods. But beneath its modest appearance lies an ingredient with plenty of culinary possibilities. Celebrity Master Chef Dr. Kaviraj Khialani takes a closer look at this indigenous favourite — and then gives it a delicious makeover.
- From a humble Indian breakfast staple to cheesy Italian, Tex-Mex, spicy tikki and indulgent phirni — poha proves that simplicity can be spectacular
- Celebrity Master Chef Dr. Kaviraj Khialani explores the nutritional trivia of flattened rice and serves up five imaginative ways to reinvent it
- Iron, fibre and carbohydrates make poha a versatile pantry favourite, while peanuts, vegetables, sprouts and other additions can broaden its nutritional profile
- Gluten-free poha effortlessly crosses culinary borders, starring in savoury, fusion, snack and dessert avatars without losing its Indian soul
- So, who said poha has to be just poha? These inventive recipes could make the humble breakfast bowl the most exciting dish on your Sunday table
The little flakes with a big culinary personality
Poha, also known as flattened or beaten rice, is a familiar presence in Indian kitchens and is enjoyed in numerous regional preparations. It is primarily a source of carbohydrates and also provides iron and fibre, while the addition of ingredients such as peanuts, vegetables, sprouts and other accompaniments can make a poha preparation more nutritionally balanced.
Chef Kaviraj points out that poha itself is not a significant source of protein, making ingredients such as peanuts, sprouts, legumes, dairy or other protein-rich additions useful when creating a more balanced meal.
Another reason for its popularity is its versatility. Poha is naturally gluten-free, making it suitable for a wide range of culinary applications. From breakfast and snacks to innovative bakery and dessert preparations, its neutral character allows it to absorb flavours beautifully.
And that is precisely where the fun begins.
Why should poha have all the fun at breakfast?
While poha has traditionally been associated with Indian breakfast menus, Chef Kaviraj believes there is plenty of scope to experiment with it.
Those watching their calorie or carbohydrate intake may need to be mindful of portion sizes and the overall ingredients used. The nutritional profile of the finished dish can change considerably depending on whether poha is combined with vegetables and legumes or transformed into a richer preparation with cheese, cream, sugar or fried components.
The chef also draws attention to the traditional processing of rice used to make poha, which involves parboiling and drying before the grains are flattened.
The result? A pantry staple that is inexpensive, convenient and incredibly willing to play along with almost any flavour profile.
So, instead of asking “What can I make with poha?”, perhaps the more exciting question is:
“What CAN’T I make with poha?”
Here are five deliciously different answers.
CHEESY ITALIAN POHA
When desi comfort food meets Italian indulgence
Imagine soft poha tossed with sautéed garlic, onion, capsicum and mushrooms, perfumed with herbs and chilli flakes, then finished with fresh cream and melting cheese.
Ingredients
- Poha/flattened rice — 1½ cups
- Oil — 1 tsp
- Butter — 1 tsp
- Onion — 1 small, finely chopped
- Green chilli — 1, chopped
- Garlic — 1 tsp, chopped
- Green capsicum — ½, cubed
- Fresh button mushrooms — 4-5, sliced
- Carrot — ½, cubed or grated
- Salt and crushed black pepper — to taste
- Mixed herbs — ½ tsp
- Chilli flakes — ½ tsp
- Fresh cream — 2 tbsp
- Grated cheese — 2 tbsp
- Parsley/coriander — 2 tbsp, chopped
For a non-vegetarian twist, sliced chicken sausages, boiled eggs, chicken salami, bacon or cooked chicken cubes can also be added.
Method
- Clean and rinse the poha under running water. Drain well and allow it to rest for 10-12 minutes.
- Heat oil and butter in a pan. Add garlic, chilli and onion and sauté for about a minute.
- Add the vegetables, followed by salt, pepper, mixed herbs and chilli flakes. Add about ¼ cup water to retain moisture.
- Add the drained poha, mix gently, cover and cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Add cream and grated cheese, mix lightly and cook covered for another 4-5 minutes.
- Serve hot, garnished with fresh herbs, olives, cheese and chilli flakes.
The result: poha with a creamy, cheesy, Italian-inspired personality.
TEX-MEX POHE
Nacho flavours without the nachos? Why not!
Give poha a lively Mexican-inspired makeover with rajma, sweet corn, capsicum, chilli, sauces and roasted peanuts. It is colourful, spicy, filling and loaded with contrasting textures.
Ingredients
- Poha/flattened rice — 1½ cups
- Oil — 1 tsp
- Butter — 1 tsp
- Garlic — 1 tsp, chopped
- Onion — 1 small, chopped
- Green chillies — 2 tsp, chopped
- Tomato — 1 medium, chopped
- Boiled rajma — ½ cup
- Boiled sweet corn — ½ cup
- Green capsicum — ½, cubed
- Salt and crushed black pepper — to taste
- Mixed herbs — ½ tsp
- Chilli flakes — ½ tsp
- Mexican spice mix — 1 tsp, optional
- Red chilli sauce — 1 tsp
- Tomato ketchup — 2 tsp
- Coriander — 2 tbsp, chopped
- Roasted crushed peanuts — 2 tbsp
- Lime juice — 2 tsp
For a non-vegetarian version, leftover chicken tikka, seekh kebab, shredded eggs or chicken can be added.
Method
- Rinse, drain and rest the poha for 10-12 minutes.
- Heat oil and butter. Sauté garlic, chillies and onion.
- Add corn, capsicum and rajma along with the seasonings, herbs and chilli flakes. Sauté briefly.
- Add the sauces and about ¼ cup water. Stir in the drained poha and mix well.
- Cover and steam for 4-5 minutes.
- Finish with lime juice and garnish generously with roasted peanuts, coriander, jalapeños and cheese.
One forkful and the breakfast table suddenly feels like a Tex-Mex fiesta.
MAKKAI MASALA POHA
The classic gets a desi, spicy and crunchy upgrade
This is perhaps the most familiar of the fusion creations — but with enough layers of flavour to make ordinary poha feel brand new.
Ingredients
- Poha/flattened rice — 1½ cups
- Oil — 2 tsp
- Curry leaves — 8-10
- Green chillies — 2, chopped
- Cumin seeds — ½ tsp
- Mustard seeds — ½ tsp
- Slit red chillies — 2
- Onion — 1 medium, chopped
- Tomato — 1 medium, chopped
- Ginger — 2 tsp, chopped
- Salt and pepper — to taste
- Turmeric powder — ½ tsp
- Red chilli powder — ½ tsp
- Coriander powder — 1 tsp
- Garam masala — ¼ tsp
- Water — ½ cup
- Boiled sweet corn — 1 cup
- Fresh coconut — ¼ cup, or desiccated coconut — 2 tbsp
- Green capsicum — ½, cubed
- Sprouts — 1 cup
- Coriander leaves — 2 tbsp
- Lime juice — 2 tsp
Method
- Rinse and drain the poha and allow it to rest.
- Heat oil and prepare the tempering with curry leaves, red and green chillies, cumin, mustard and ginger.
- Add onion and cook until lightly pink. Add tomatoes, powdered spices and a little water. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add sweet corn, capsicum, sprouts and coconut. Cover and cook on low heat for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the poha and coriander. Mix gently, cover and simmer for another 4-5 minutes.
- Finish with a generous squeeze of fresh lime juice.
Sweet corn, coconut, sprouts and spice turn this into a colourful bowl of desi goodness.
CHATPATA POHA TIKKIS
From breakfast bowl to sizzling snack plate
Who needs another potato tikki when poha can be transformed into crisp, golden, spicy little discs?
Ingredients
- Poha/flattened rice — 1 cup
- Boiled and grated sweet potato — 1 cup
- Oil — 2 tsp, plus extra for frying
- Cumin seeds — 1 tsp
- Ginger-garlic-green chilli paste — 1 tbsp
- Onion — 1 small, chopped
- Salt and pepper — to taste
- Red chilli powder — ½ tsp
- Coriander powder — 1 tsp
- Chaat masala — ½ tsp
- Roasted crushed peanuts — 2 tbsp
- Coriander leaves — 2 tbsp
- Breadcrumbs/maida — as required for binding/coating
Method
- Rinse, drain and rest the poha.
- Heat oil and sauté cumin, ginger-garlic-chilli paste and onion.
- Add sweet potato, poha and the powdered spices. Mix well, cover and cook on low heat for 4-5 minutes.
- Switch off the flame. Add roasted crushed peanuts and coriander. Add breadcrumbs if required for binding.
- Cool the mixture slightly, divide into 8-10 portions and shape into flat tikkis.
- Coat lightly with breadcrumbs or maida and shallow-fry or deep-fry until golden.
- Serve piping hot with green chutney or tomato ketchup.
Crunchy outside, soft inside and unmistakably chatpata — this poha has officially left the breakfast bowl.
BADAMI POHA PHIRNI
Yes, poha can also be dessert!
And now for the plot twist.
The same humble flattened rice that began the journey as breakfast becomes a creamy, nutty and chilled phirni, enriched with almonds, milk, dates and cardamom.
Ingredients
- Poha/flattened rice — ½ cup
- Almonds — 2 tbsp
- Ghee — 2 tsp
- Green cardamom — 2-3
- Brown sugar/grain sugar/organic coconut sugar — to taste
- Soy milk or regular milk — 2½ cups
- Mava — 2 tbsp, grated, optional
- Dates — 2-3, finely chopped
Method
- Powder the poha and almonds together and keep aside.
- Heat milk in a thick-bottomed pan. Add cardamom, ghee and sugar of choice.
- Add the poha-almond powder and stir continuously. Cook on low heat for 10-12 minutes.
- Add chopped dates and simmer for another 6-8 minutes until the mixture coats the back of a spoon.
- Allow it to cool slightly and transfer to dessert bowls.
- Chill for a couple of hours and garnish with sliced nuts.
For an even more indulgent presentation, Chef Kaviraj suggests layering the phirni with mango, kiwi, berries or even custard-apple pulp.
And suddenly, poha has gone from humble breakfast staple to dinner-party dessert.
THE POHA TAKEAWAY
Perhaps the greatest strength of poha is not merely its simplicity but its ability to become whatever the cook wants it to be.
Give it vegetables and sprouts and it becomes a wholesome savoury meal. Add cheese and herbs and it crosses culinary borders. Mix it with rajma and corn and it turns into a Tex-Mex creation. Shape it into tikkis and it becomes a crunchy snack. Add almonds, dates and milk and it transforms into dessert.
That is the real poha trivia: the flattest rice in the pantry may have one of the biggest imaginations in the kitchen.
Celebrity Master Chef Dr Kaviraj Khialani is a Mumbai-based hotel-restaurant and food consultant. He is specialised in over 33 international cuisines and has quality experience with hotels and airlines as a part of his long journey of over two decades in his chosen field. Chef Kaviraj is a renowned author, academician, food designer, writer and has also been awarded several national awards and global recognitions for his talent & outstanding achievements. Besides having been featured on several food shows on ColorsTV and Star Plus he is a mentor, coach and guide to aspiring to be future chefs and hoteliers of tomorrow.
He can be contacted at twitter: @kaviraj_chef, Mobile: 91 9820939336. Mail: chefkaviraj249@gmail.com
