Kanda Poha


For many Puneites or Maharashtrians, a Poha Program is a running joke and for some a pretty hair- raising experience. For the non-Maharashtrians, a poha program is when a boy of marriageable age goes to a girl's house for the purpose of an arranged marriage with the decision makers of his family. Decision maker in this case may or may not include the two parties actually getting hitched. The meeting usually takes place in the evening hours. Somewhere around tea time, but much before dinner time. The most popular dish that is served at this time is Kanda Pohe. Very quick and easy to make, and really hard to screw up. And no matter who makes the Poha, it is always passed off as a shining example of the bride-to-be's many special talents. As for those of you guys who fell in love without first testing the poha-power of your bride to be, you can still fix a decent plate for yourselves. Here's how:

Ingredients:
3 cups Thick Poha
1 large White Onion finely chopped
1 Potato cut into small pieces
3-4 Chillis each cut into 3-4 pieces
6-7 Curry Leaves (Kaddipatta)
1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
3/4 tsp Sugar
3/4 tsp Turmeric
1/2 cup Cilantro chopped (Coriander)
1/2 cup oil
Salt to taste
1/2 cup Fresh Coconut shredded
1 Lemon cut into quarters


Method
Soak Poha in a sieve and drench completely
Place it aside
Place oil in a deep pot on medium heat.
Add mustard seeds and curry leaves.
Once mustard seeds splatter add chili, onion and potato in that order
Cover with a lid stirring occasionally
When potatoes are cooked
Add Poha, turmeric, sugar, salt and coriander
Mix well, close lid
Cook for 4-5 min on medium heat stirring occasionally
Serve hot in a flat quarter plate with a slice of Lemon
Garnish with Coconut and Cilantro

Comments

Sagari said…
nice poha recipe
Deepa Kuber said…
i love this dish.. i too make it but in a diffrent way. ur dish looks delicious.
Trupti said…
we all love this dish. For my son I also use green peas, carrots in this poha
ms said…
Bataka poha, a without the marriage pressure part! A favorite breakfast from college. Thanks for the chai pe bulaya hai intro :)
Anonymous said…
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Unknown said…
Nice recipe..nice to hear the story too
Padmaja said…
I usually make this as our brunch and just love it for its simplicity. Sometime i jazz up with potatoes n peas!!!
Your dish looks so delicious!!
Anonymous said…
I always enjoy your blog posts - it brings back "authentic" pune memories, whether it was about Jakkal-Sutar or the Irani bakery.

Poha is ridden with arranged marriage symbology, and when an unwitting groom-to-be is unaware of it, the results can be quite hilarious!

My funny Poha story is one I heard from a Maharashtrian co-worker. As a ever-hungry-for-home-cooked-food bachelor from the US, he avidly ate up all the poha served up to him at a typical poha program (mulga checking out the mulgi). Apparently the dislike was mutual but our bachelor did full justice to the poha much to his Mom's discomfiture :-)
Jayashree Anil said…
Hi there,
I really enjoy reading your blog. I am a kannadiga brought up in Maharashtra. I spent four years (12th std - TYBSc) in Pune, and know the places you write about. My parents are now settled in Bibwewadi, Pune.So, I really enjoy reading about all the typical Maharashtrian dishes and special to Pune dishes.
I have Learned to cook the typical karnataka dishes only after getting married and coming to US, since we have so many southIndians here.
Keep writing !

Regards,
Jayashree
K
Vani said…
I thought your name was Adhi Potoba until now! Just read your "about me" part and realized what that means :) I think that's really cute! Poha looks yum btw
Anonymous said…
one of my Fav poha:)

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