Aloo Poha

Aloo Poha is a breakfast recipe in Maharashra and a regular breakfast recipe at my place. It is healthy, quick and easy to make.

My mom and brother use to prepare poha always for me whenever we met, and both of them prepare awesome poha. When I tried first time to prepare last month, it became a bit soggy, then they told me how to prepare poha without getting it to turn soggy, this is a successful attempt. I will share this successful recipe with you all. 

There are many variations of poha available on the internet, but  this one is slightly different as instead of adding boiled potatoes, I have sautéed potatoes and peanuts and added them to the poha.

Here is the list of ingredients for preparing Aloo Poha.

INGREDIENTS  :

(1) 200 gms of thick Poha (Pressed rice)

(2) 2 medium sized Potatoes / Aloo (cut into bite sized cubes)

(3) 2 medium sized Onions, finely chopped

(4) 2 tablespoons of roasted Peanuts (Moongphalli)

(5) 2 whole green Chillies, finely chopped

(6) 2 whole red Chillies

(7) 1 sprig Curry leaves (Kadi patta), about 8 to 10 leaves, finely chopped

(8) 1 inch sized Ginger (Adrak), minced.

(9) 1/2 teaspoon of Mustard seeds (Rai)

(10) 1/2 teaspoon of Cumin seeds (Jeera)

(11) 1/2 teaspoon of Split and skinless black gram lentils / Urad dal

(12) 1/2 teaspoon of Turmeric powder or Haldi

(13) 2 tablespoon of chopped Coriander leaves (Cilantro leaves)

(14) 2 teaspoon of Sugar (Optional)

(15) Salt to taste required

(16) 4 tablespoon of cooking oil for making poha

(17) Cooking oil for shallow frying potato cubes and peanuts

Poha (Pressed rice)

A sprig of Curry leaves, Dhania leaves, 1 inch sized Ginger piece, 2 whole green chillies, 2 Onions and 2 Potatoes

Chopped Potatoes, Peanuts, Chopped Onions and minced Ginger

Mustard seeds (Rai), Skinless, black gram lentils (Urad dal),
Cumin seeds (Jeera), Turmeric powder (Haldi)

Minced green chillies, chopped Dhaniya leaves, Chopped Curry leaves and whole red chillies

Salt and Sugar

Gather all ingredients required for the preparation of Aloo Poha

Course : Breakfast

Cuisine : Maharashtrian

Serves : 3

Time required : 30 mins 

METHOD :

(1) Keep the Poha in a strainer and rinse it under running water. 

Do not rinse it too much or for a long time as that will cause the poha to get mushy as while rinsing the poha absorbs enough water and becomes soft.

We want that the poha must become soft but remain intact, whole and separate. So wash in that way for only 10 seconds.

Once washed keep the poha aside in the strainer itself so that it drains the drops of water away.

(2) Heat very little oil in a kadhai / wok and shallow fry the cubes of potatoes in it till they become golden and crispy. Remove them with a slotted spoon and keep aside.

(3) In the remaining oil,  shallow fry peanuts as shown till the peanuts become crunchy. Again remove them with a slotted spoon and keep aside.

(4) In the same kadhai / wok, keep only 4 tablespoon of oil and remove the extra oil that was used for shallow frying potatoes and peanuts. Or else take 4 tablespoons of cooking oil in a separate wok / kadhai. Lower the gas flame.

(5) Then, add half teaspoon of Mustard seeds to this warm oil. Allow them to splutter.

(6) Then, add half teaspoon of Urad dal and wait for 4 seconds.

(7) Add half teaspoon of Cumin seeds / Jeera. Wait till both Urad dal and Jeera change to light brown colour.

(8) Add chopped Curry leaves and mix well. 

(9) Add chopped Onions and mix well.

(10) Add minced green chillies and mix well.

(11) Add two red whole chillies and mix well.

(12) Add minced ginger and mix well. By this time the Onions would have turned golden from pink.

(13) Add Turmeric powder / Haldi and mix well.

(14) Add Salt as per taste required and mix well.

(15) Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of sugar and mix well.

(16) Add the Poha from the strainer earlier kept aside.

(17) Stir very well, yet gently till everything is mixed evenly.

(18) Add the fried peanuts and mix well.

(19) Add the fried potatoes and mix well. While mixing do it gently so that the poha doesn’t break.

(20) Add chopped Coriander leaves and mix well.

(21) The Aloo Poha is ready. Serve it in a  serving bowl.

(22) Garnish with Curry leaves, Coriander leaves and Onion rings as shown.

My personal review is that it tastes awesome with bites of Onions and hot cup of tea along. So relish the dish!!!

Mushroom Butter Masala (Dry)

Mushroom dishes are my favourite. I made this easy and quick dish in my own way few days back and served with chapatis. My personal liking is that I eat it with chapatis / phulkas and it tastes awesome.

INGREDIENTS :

(1) 12 pieces of button mushrooms, coarsely chopped

(2) 5 small Tomatoes, finely chopped

(3) 7 small spring Onions ( I used 7 spring onions, only the bulb part, not the greens … as this was the Onion I had. You can use regular Onions), finely chopped

(4) Half teaspoon of Black Mustard seeds / Rai

(5) 3/4 teaspoon of Cumin seeds / Jeera

(6) Half teaspoon of Turmeric powder / Haldi

(7) 3/4 teaspoon of  Red chilli powder / Kashmiri lal mirch powder 

(8) 3/4 teaspoon of Garam Masala powder

(9) 1 teaspoon of  Fenugreek leaves / Kasuri methi leaves (crushed) 

(10) Half teaspoon of Ginger Garlic paste

(11) 3 whole green chillies, minced

(12) 100 gms of butter

(13) Cooking oil / Vegetable oil

(14) Salt as per taste required

Cuisine : Indian

Serves : 2 persons

Time required : 5 -10 minutes for preparation and 30 minutes for cooking = 35 -40 minutes.

PREPARATION :

(1) Wash the mushrooms, onions, tomatoes and chillies thoroughly and then chop them as shown in the image.

(2) Gather all the ingredients for the preparation of Mushroom Butter Masala (Dry).

METHOD :

(1) Place a Kadhai / Wok on the gas stove and put 4 tablespoon of cooking oil in it to heat.

Heat cooking / vegetable oil in a wok / kadhai

(2) Add half teaspoon of black Mustard seeds / Rai to the warm oil and after 3-5 seconds, add 3/4 teaspoon of Cumin seeds / Jeera to it. When the Mustard seeds finish spluttering along with the Cumin seeds having changed its colour, add minced green chillies.

Add Mustard seeds / Rai

Add Cumin seeds / Jeera

Add chopped green chillies

(3) Add chopped Onions and sauté till they turn golden in colour.

Add chopped onions

After mixing well.....

(4) Add half teaspoon of Ginger Garlic paste and mix well. Saute the mixture till the raw smell of the paste goes away.

Add ginger garlic paste

After mixing well...

(5) Once this is achieved, add chopped Tomatoes and mix well. Saute till the Tomatoes are mushy and cooked.

Add chopped Tomatoes

(6) Add the basic Indian dry spice powders now like Turmeric powder, Red Chilli powder and Garam Masala powder in measures given in the ingredients list. Mix well and sauté well for 2-3 minutes till the spices release their aroma and blend with the Onion Tomato mixture.

Add basic dry Indian spice powders

(7) Add salt to taste. Mix well.

(8) Add chopped Mushrooms and mix well.

Add chopped Mushrooms

After mixing well.....

(9) After 2 minutes of mixing, add the 100 gms of Butter piece as shown in the image. Due to heat the butter will melt and then mix it well with the vegetables.

Add butter

(10) Saute till the Mushrooms are cooked. It would take about 10 minutes on a low flame. Mushrooms release water while cooking, so no need to add additional water. We can cook in the water released itself.

(11) By the end of 10 minutes, add crushed Kasuri Methi leaves and mix well. Cook for another 3-5 minutes on a low flame.

(Sorry I don't have the picture for this step).

(12) Once the Mushrooms are cooked, turn off the gas flame.

The Mushroom Butter Masala (Dry) is ready.

(13) Serve the Mushroom Butter Masala Dry in a serving bowl.

(14) This vegetable dish goes well with Roti / Chapatis / Phulkas and as a side dish with Dal Rice combo.