Indori Poha

Mix all the spices except for dry ginger powder, salt, black salt and amchur powder.
Dry roast these spices together on a pan on low heat for 2 mins. The idea is to remove any moisture from the spices so that they grind properly. Remove the spices to a plate and let it cool down for a minute. Now grind them into a fine powder and remove it to a bowl. To this mixture add salt black salt, ginger powder and amchur powder. Mix them together and place it in an air tight container for future use. For this recipe we will be using about 1tsp of this spice mix or jeeravan masala.

For this recipe we have to use thick (mota) poha. There is a thin variety that comes which is used to make crispy chida namkeen. Thin poha will become clumpy and mashed up in this recipe so pick thick poha only.

Add water to poha and lightly mix it with your hand. Take care to not crush them. The idea is to remove any surface dust and any excess starch from this flattened rice.
This step ensures that poha does not become clumpy on the pan. Strain the poha and discard the water. Sprinkle some turmeric, some salt and sugar. Using a fork lightly fluff up the poha to mix the poha. Keep the poha aside for 5mins

Heat a pan, drizzle oil. Once the oil is hot add peanuts and lightly stir them till they start to change colour. At this stage add heeng, mustard seeds, cumin and saunf. Once they crackle add the curry leaves, green chillies and onions. Cook the onions on high heat for a minute. Sprinkle turmeric and give a quick stir and immediately add ½ cup of water. Bring water to a boil, sprinkle with some salt, sugar and add in the poha. Lower the heat and toss the poha gently. You can do the lift and drop motion using a laddle so that poha does not break. Once mixed, cover and cook the poha for 2 mins. Turn off the heat and let it sit there for another 2 minutes.

Remove the cover, squeeze half a lime and mix it. Poha is ready to serve. Scoop it out and plate it and garnish it with Ratlam sev or any sev or namkeen that you have. Add some pomegranate, roasted peanuts, coriander and serve it with a wedge of lime.

To prepare poha dish use thick poha as it will bi the sticky or get mashy easily. The thin ones are used to make namkeen as they get crisper.

Sometimes the poha is a bit hard when you bite, it happens when you soak or wash poha in insufficient water or for insufficient time.

If you are soaking poha for a recipe then 3-4 mins should be enough.

Par-boiled rice is flattened to make poha, since the rice is precooked, poha takes very less time to cook.
As poha is very soft upon cooking you can add ingredients that will make it crunchy like peanuts or other dried fruits.

Poha is a neutral tasting ingredient and so it takes up whatever taste you add to it.

Whenever you toss poha or mix it do it gently or else is will break.

Always store raw poha in an air tight container.