Grains, rice & flours · Rice
Flattened rice (poha)
Parboiled rice pressed into dry flakes that soften in minutes with a rinse; the base of poha.
Also called: poha, beaten rice, aval, chira, chuda, rice flakes
Around the world: poha, पोहा (hi) · chira (bn) · aval (ta)
Photo: Sanjay Acharya, aka Sanjay ach at en.wikipedia, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-3.0)
What it is
Flattened or beaten rice is rice that is soaked or parboiled, roasted and pressed flat into light, papery flakes. Thick poha holds its shape when rinsed and stir-fried; thin poha softens almost instantly and is used in raw snacks and chivda. It needs no boiling, which makes it a quick breakfast grain.
How it’s used
- Kanda poha with onion, mustard seeds and turmeric
- Chivda, a fried savoury snack mix
- Mixed with yogurt or milk and jaggery
- Added to dosa or idli batter for softness
Characteristics
- Texture
- Light and soft when rinsed; crisp when fried.
- When cooked
- Rinse thick poha briefly in a sieve and let it stand; soaking too long turns it mushy.
- Sold as
- flakes
- Cooking uses
- Commonly cooked, Suitable for frying, Used for tempering (tadka)
- Common in
- Indian, Gujarati, Bengali, South Indian, Nepalese, Bangladeshi
Storage
Pantry-stable. Airtight in a cool, dry place away from moisture and pests.
Diet, allergens and safety
No major allergens in typical versions.
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Dairy-free
- Egg-free
- Gluten-free
- Nut-free
- Soy-free
- Caffeine-free
Nutrition per 100 g
- Energy
- 365 kcal
- Protein
- 7.13 g
- Carbohydrate
- 79.95 g
- Fat
- 0.66 g
- Fibre
- 1.3 g
- Sugars
- 0.12 g
USDA FoodData Central: Rice, white, long-grain, regular, raw, unenriched (a close stand-in).
Related ingredients
Recipes with flattened rice (poha)
Kanda poha
Indian · 22 min · 411 kcal · Vegan
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