Kanda Poha
Poha
Ask any Mumbaite about Kanda Pohe and you will see their eyes light up as this is almost an everyday breakfast affair and one can never tire of this simple humble fare.God knows how or why this dish tastes so good considering the very simple ingredients that go into it.
Simplicity is perhaps the reason for this dish to attain such royal status.You cannot come away from Mum bai without tasting it.Infact most Mumbaikars live on this dish while on their way to work. When they dont get time to sit down and have a breakfast they go out in a hurry to catch various modes of transport commuting to their work.Despite the fast pace they know there are dozens of good street stalls that serve this breakfast item to be packed as a take away and eaten leisurely at their work place with a cup of garam masala chai. Am talking from personal experience!
Ingredients:
2 cups of thick variety of flattened rice (poha).
1 tsp cumin seeds/jeera.
1 tsp mustard seeds.
2 small green chillies de seeded and slit.
1 medium sized potato peeled and cubed into small pieces and cooked lightly.
1 medium onion chopped finely
salt to taste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder.Pinch of asafoetida/hing powder.
coriander leaves chopped fine for garnishing, 2 tbsp of grated coconut for garnishing (optional)
2 tbsp oil
1 tbsp of lemon juice.
Method:
Take the poha,clean it and wash it well in water and keep it soaked with little water till it puffs up. Drain the water and keep aside in a colander.
In a broad pan,put oil and splutter the mustard seeds, cumin seeds,green chillies ,turmeric powder,hing powder and add the chopped onions . Cook them till the onions turn pink and translucent.
Add the previously cubed cooked pieces of potatoes with the onion mixture.Drain the poha well and add it to the onion .potato mixture and stir well.Adjust quantity of salt added.
Garnish with coriander leaves and squeeze lemon juice of around 1 1/2 tbsp after taking off from the gas stove. Add 2 tbsp of grated fresh coconut if you desire.
Street stalls in Mumbai also serve it with a sprinkle of nylon sev.
Serve it with lemon wedges.
Kanda poha
