Indori poha
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Steamed flattened rice with onion, fennel and a tangy spice mix called jeeravan, topped with sev. Indore’s everyday breakfast, often eaten with hot jalebi.
Region: Madhya Pradesh (Indore and Malwa)Occasion: BreakfastTime: 25 minServes: 4Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 2 cups thick poha (flattened rice)
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 green chillies, chopped
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp fennel (saunf) seeds
- A pinch of hing
- 10 curry leaves
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp sugar
- Salt to taste
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp jeeravan masala (or chaat masala)
- Juice of ½ lemon
- To top: ½ cup Ratlami or plain sev, chopped coriander, chopped onion, pomegranate seeds
Method
- Rinse the poha in a sieve under running water for a few seconds and let it drain for 10 minutes so it softens but does not turn mushy.
- Sprinkle turmeric, sugar and salt over the poha and mix gently with your fingers.
- Heat oil in a kadhai. Add mustard and fennel seeds, then hing, curry leaves and green chillies.
- Add the onion and fry until soft and translucent.
- Add the poha and mix gently. Cover and cook on low heat for 3–4 minutes, or steam it in a covered vessel over boiling water as Indore’s street stalls do.
- Squeeze over the lemon and serve with a generous topping of jeeravan, sev, onion, coriander and pomegranate.
History
Poha is eaten across western and central India. In Indore it took on its own character with fennel, steaming and the city’s jeeravan masala, and street stalls sell it from early morning.
Significance
Poha with jalebi is the signature breakfast of Indore, eaten standing at street corners by students, workers and families alike.