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Indian · Gujarati

Kanda poha

Vegetarian

कांदा पोहे · kanda pohe

Softened flattened rice tossed with onions, mustard seeds, curry leaves, peanuts and turmeric, finished with lemon and coriander. A light, fast western Indian breakfast.

Kanda poha is an Indian main course, ready in about 22 minutes and made with flattened rice (poha) and onion. It serves 3 and is rated easy to cook.

Start cooking
A vibrant serving of Indian poha accompanied by fresh sides, perfect for breakfast.
Photo: Jack Baghel / Pexels · Pexels License
Prep
10 min
Cook
12 min
Total
22 min
Serves
3
Level
Easy
Calories
411

Ingredients

3 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Put the poha (opens in a new tab) in a sieve and rinse under running water for about 20 seconds, tossing, until just softened. Leave to drain for 5 minutes, then fluff with your fingers.

    Don't soak it — it turns to mush.

    Liquid being strained through a sieve
    How it looks · Photo: Katerina Holmes on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Heat the oil in a wide pan over medium heat and fry the peanuts (opens in a new tab) until golden; lift out. Add the mustard seeds (opens in a new tab) and cumin (opens in a new tab) and let them crackle, then the curry leaves (opens in a new tab).

  3. Step 3

    Add the onion (opens in a new tab) and green chilli (opens in a new tab) and cook until soft and translucent. Stir in the turmeric (opens in a new tab).

    • 4 min
    • medium heat
    Onions frying golden in a pan
    How it looks · Photo: Magda Ehlers on Pexels

  4. Step 4

    Add the poha (opens in a new tab), salt and sugar (opens in a new tab) and toss gently to colour evenly. Cover and steam on low heat for 2 minutes.

    • 3 min
    • low heat

  5. Step 5

    Return the peanuts (opens in a new tab), add the lemon juice (opens in a new tab) and coriander, toss and serve topped with coconut.

    • 1 min

About this dish

Origin
Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, India · Commonly attributedMore food from India
Dish
Breakfast · Snack · Main courses · Street food
Cooking method
Sautéed, Steamed
Taste
savoury, tangy, mild, nutty
Diet
Vegan · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free
All labelsVegan · Plant-based · Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Ovo-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · DASH-style
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Everyday · Budget-friendly · One-pan · Street food
Cook more with
Onion · Peanuts · Mustard seeds · Cumin · Curry leaves · Green chilli
Techniques
Sautéing · Steaming

Allergens

  • Contains: Peanutsfrom peanuts
  • Contains: Mustardfrom mustard seeds

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

411 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 137 g · recipe makes 3

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 8%
  • Carbohydrate 60%
  • Fat 33%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy411 kcal300 kcal
Protein8.2 g6 g
Carbohydrate61.3 g44.7 g
Net carbohydrate58.6 g42.8 g
Sugars3.9 g2.9 g
Added sugars1.4 g1 g
Fibre2.7 g2 g
Fat14.9 g10.9 g
Saturated fat1.5 g1.1 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol0 mg0 mg
Sodium591 mg431 mg
Salt equivalent1.5 g1.1 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
248 mg
Calcium
45 mg
Iron
1.8 mg
Magnesium
45 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
5 µg
Vitamin C
15 mg
Vitamin D
0 µg
Vitamin B12
0 µg
Folate (DFE)
40 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: desiccated coconut.
  • Not counted (tiny amounts or “to taste”): curry leaves.
  • Flattened rice (poha): Raw long-grain white rice (FDC 169756) used as a stand-in: poha is parboiled rice pressed flat and dried, with a very similar macronutrient profile.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Use thick poha; thin poha dissolves when rinsed.

Common mistakes

  • Over-wetting the poha, which makes it clump; it should be soft but separate.

Serve with

  • Serve with masala chai, topped with crunchy sev if you have it.

Storage

  • Best eaten fresh.

Variations

  • Batata poha (India): Add small cubes of potato, fried until tender, with the onion.
  • Indori poha (India): Steamed rather than sautéed and topped with sev, fennel seeds and jeeravan spice mix.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Sauces, chutneys & dips for this dish

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 2, 3, 5

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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