This Indian Rice Dish Is Excellent for Oatmeal Lovers

In my Indian house state of Maharashtra, a favourite conventional savory breakfast is pohé: parched, flattened rice (which can also be referred to as pohé or poha) paired with onions, a medley of spices, and greens resembling potatoes, inexperienced peas, cauliflower, or tomatoes. Whereas a breakfast mainstay, pohé can also be typically served at teatime, loved with a scorching cup of chaha (chai). It was my most popular Sunday breakfast as a toddler and now as an grownup, a straightforward and satisfying meal I routinely cook dinner at house on busy weekday mornings, and even for a easy gentle dinner.

I first discovered the best way to cook dinner pohé from my mother. Her model was vibrant yellow from a beneficiant quantity of turmeric and closely spiced with cumin and mustard seeds,a mixture of spices she utilized in most of the savory Indian dishes she made. However actually, her model was by no means my favourite. The model I like greatest I discovered from my father’s household, who come from the town of Pune.

It wasn’t till I used to be dwelling in California that I discovered the best way to cook dinner their model throughout a go to from my father’s cousin Shirish Marathe and his spouse Sushama Kaku; my recipe under relies on theirs. It’s faint yellow from a reserved quantity of turmeric (lower than my mother’s), with a refined sweet-and-savory kick. For my part, it’s the very best method to put together pohé.

Easy methods to Make Pohé

Pohé (the ingredient) is de-husked rice that’s been soaked in scorching water, dried, after which pounded into flat flakes; at this level they’re a preserved meals with a protracted shelf life. Because it’s principally rice that’s been par-cooked and handled, it cooks a lot sooner than uncooked rice does; it actually solely must be briefly rehydrated and heated by means of earlier than consuming.

The easiest way to do that is by soaking the grains in a small quantity of chilly water for simply quarter-hour. Chilly water works greatest, as soaking it in scorching water runs the chance of overcooking the par-cooked grains. It’s additionally vital to stir sometimes throughout this time to make sure the grains hydrate evenly.

To construct the seasoning-base for this recipe, I take advantage of the identical mustard seed, turmeric, and asafetida seasoning that my cousin’s spouse Sushama utilized in her model. Within the Indian state of Maharashtra, the place my household is from, asafoetida-mustard-turmeric is usually thought of the “holy trinity” of seasonings.

Asafoetida is a gum resin that drips off the roots of an herb referred to as ferula asafoetida, a Central Asian plant within the celery household. It’s gathered after which floor right into a powder. Nuggets of it was left in sacks of grain as a result of bugs stayed away from its sturdy aroma. Cooks in India discovered that its sulfurous, onion-garlic odor and taste was a welcome addition in lots of dishes. My father did not like asafoetida’s pungent aroma, so my mom by no means cooked with it after I was rising up. However as an grownup I’ve grown to like its taste and all the time use it after I make a mustard-seed seasoning, like I do right here on this pohé recipe.

The spices are bloomed in scorching oil—and I imply ripping scorching, these mustard seeds ought to pop like popcorn on contact with the pan—earlier than contemporary inexperienced chiles, curry leaves, and onions are added. It’s vital that the onions are cooked solely briefly so that they nonetheless retain a little bit of their crunch, which creates a pleasant distinction to the tender rice within the dish. At this level, the greens—your alternative of potatoes, inexperienced peas, cauliflower, or tomatoes—are added and steamed within the lined pot till simply tender.

The soaked rice is then stirred in and the whole lot is briefly cooked till simply warmed by means of. For the reason that rice is already softened from soaking, you’re actually simply warming it by means of and coating it evenly within the spice combination. Simply earlier than serving, I like so as to add a small quantity of sugar and lime juice to steadiness the pungent and savory spice mix.The ultimate dish ought to be salty, tart, faintly candy, and pungent , and also you would possibly want to regulate with extra salt, lime juice, or sugar to seek out the correct steadiness.

Past my listed serving ideas of a sprinkle of cilantro, grated coconut, and a aspect of plain yogurt, I additionally advocate serving pohé with quite a lot of condiments resembling cilantro chutney, tomato–curry leaf chutney, or fast mango pickle.

Each time I put together pohé this manner, I really feel deeply related to my aunt and my household, and am grateful to them for studying the best way to put together this extremely flavorful dish.

Cook dinner Mode
(Maintain display screen awake)