Flattened rice

Uncooked Flattened rice flakes

Flattened rice (also called beaten rice) is a dehusked rice which is flattened into flat light dry flakes. These flakes of rice swell when added to liquid, whether hot or cold, as they absorb water, milk or any other liquids. The thicknesses of these flakes vary between almost translucently thin (the more expensive varieties) to nearly four times thicker than a normal rice grain.

This easily digestible form of raw rice is very popular across Nepal, North East India and Bangladesh, and is normally used to prepare snacks or light and easy fast food in a variety of Indian cuisine styles, some even for long-term consumption of a week or more. It is known by a variety of names: Poha or Pauwa in Hindi, Baji in Newari, Pohe in Marathi, Aval in Tamil,Chindé in Bengali, Chira in Assamese, Phovu in Konkani, Chudaa in Oriya, Avalakki in Kannada, Atukula Poni in Telugu and parts of Bihar and Jharkhand. , Pauaa/Paunva (પૌંઆ) in Gujarati, and Chiura (चिउरा) in Nepali, Bhojpuri and Chhattisgarhi.

Poha, a snack made of flattened rice.

Cooked poha

Flattened rice can be eaten raw by immersing it in plain water or milk, with salt and sugar to taste, or lightly fried in oil with nuts, raisins, cardamoms, and other spices. The lightly fried variety is a standard breakfast in Malvaa region (surrounding Indore) of Madhya Pradesh. It can be reconstituted with hot water to make a porridge or paste, depending on the proportion of water added. In villages, particularly in Chhattisgarh, Poha or Chiura is also eaten raw by mixing with jaggery

In Bhopal, poha is cooked with lightly frying mustard seeds, tumeric, chili powder, finely chopped onions and then moistened poha is added to the spicy mix and steamed for a few minutes. Jalebi is often eaten with poha.

Flattened rice is also a convenience food and very similar to instant mashed potatoes in uses and spirit.

Dishes made from beaten rice

• Dhau Baji (Newar):- A dish where beaten rice is dry roasted in a pan, then mixed with yogurt and sugar.
• Chindé'r pulao :- A snack prepared by immersing the rice flakes in cold water, drying them, and then preparing pilaf-style with nuts, raisins, black pepper, green chillies, and salt and sugar to taste. This is very popular as a breakfast or evening dish in families, and may not be available in any stores or restaurants.
• Chindé bheja :- Some flakes are immersed in a bowl of usually cold water, flavoured with lime juice, salt, sugar, and a little black pepper.
• Bajeel Ogarne :- Here beaten rice is seasoned with mustard seeds, coconut oil, red chillies.
• Beaten rice with curds :- Here beaten rice is soaked in water and then sieved. Curd is added with table salt, preferably eaten with mango or lemon pickle.
• Kanda Pohe  :- In this dish beaten rice is soaked and sieved. Small pieces of boiled potato, onion, mustard seeds, turmeric and red chilli are seasoned and mixed with beaten rice and served hot.
• Dadpe Pohe :- Thin or medium beaten rice is mixed with fresh coconut, grated green mangos, chili powder, and coriander. Then it is seasoned with salt and a tadka (fried mixture) of peanut oil, mustard seeds, turmeric and finely chopped onions.
• Dahi Chuda :- Beaten rice is cleaned with water to make it little bit soft and yogurt and sugar is added over that. This way of eating flattened rice is famous in Bihar and Orissa, and it is eaten as a first meal during festival of Makar Sankranti.
• "Poha Jalebi"  :- this is the most famous breakfast across Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh especially in Indore, Ujjain, Ratlam, Mandsaur.
• Kharbujache Pohe :- Muskmelon Pohe. You can find the recipe of this dish and many other Pohe dishes from Pohe Page on facebook