Fortified Poha for WBB # 6

Batata Poha is my all time favourite tiffin. Once you get the poha-soaking technique right, the rest of it is very easy. The only problem that batata poha or potatoes with beaten rice is that it is an out and out carbohydrate breakfast.

I prefer to start my day with a good mix of vegetables, proteins and carbs. For this reason, my recipe for fortified poha fits in perfectly as a well- balanced breakfast. The protein bit comes from soya granules. Nutrela is a well-known Soy products brand in India.

I mainly stock the soy nuggets and the soy granules. The nuggets make curries chunkier and protein rich. I have been told by my meat eating friends that cooked soy nuggets almost come close to the chewy texture of meat. The granules are used liberally in my kitchen, whenever I want to up the protein content in any recipe. Be it curries, gravies, anything. They blend in well, adding greatly to the nutrition quotient without making a difference to the original taste of the dish.

------------------------------------------------------

Fortified Poha
Serves 3
Time taken - around 30 minutes including prep time
Category - Breakfast, tiffin, snack, fortified food
-------------------------------------------------------
Ingredients

1 cup heaped poha / beaten rice (thick variety - jada poha)
1/4 cup soy granules
Pinch of turmeric powder
2 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves
1 tsp salt
2 tsp oil
1 tsp - mustard seeds and cumin seeds
2 green chillies
1 sprig curry leaves
1 onion - halved and sliced
1/2 cup diced carrots and frozen peas mixed
1 tomato - deseeded and chopped
1 lemon and 1 tbsp fresh grated coconut for garnish (optional)

Poha-soya softened

Prep work:
Wash the poha and soy granules under running water in a bowl. Drain the water from the bowl completely. Add a pinch of turmeric, salt and chopped coriander to the poha-soya mix. Let this sit in the same bowl for about 10 minutes.

Method:

1.Heat the oil in a wok. Add the cumin-mustard seeds. Once they splutter, add the curry leaves and chopped green chillies. Stir them a bit.

2. Put in the sliced onions and carrots. If using frozen peas add them towards the end. Add a few grains of salt to sweat out and cook the vegetables. This will take 5-7 minutes.

3. Once they are soft, add the peas and tomatoes, stir for 3-4 minutes. Now it is time to add the poha-soya granules mix which should have gotten soft by now. (Each flake of poha will be separate and fluffy if you have drained out the water completely in the prep stage.)
Stir well with a light hand so that the spices, vegetables and the poha come together. Check for salt. Garnish with grated coconut.

4. Serve hot with a wedge of lime and freshly chopped coriander.

This is my entry to WBB-6 - Twist in the plate. Deadline for receiving entries is 31st October. Email your entries at saffrontrail@gmail.com

Tip:

For those of you who don't eat eggs, try making egg curry with soy nuggets. You'll be delighted at the results. The spongy nuggets soak up the flavours and it tastes super!

Tags:
Breakfast, Poha, Beaten rice, fortified recipe, soya granules, WBB