A Simple Illustrated Guide to Making Peanut Curry Poha

Here is an easy way to make a wonderful, nutritious, and delicious Ayurvedic meal in under 10 minutes start to finish at about 50 cents per serving. It can serve as a breakfast, snack, or light lunch or dinner.

Ingredients list:

• poha (approx. 1 cup per serving) - flattened rice, available in Indian stores or on Amazon
• mustard seeds (approx. 1 tsp per serving)
• curry leaves (approx. 2 tsp. per serving)
• turmeric (approx. 1 tsp. per serving)
• salt (approx. 1/2 tsp. per serving or to taste)
• chili powder (approx. 1/2 tsp. per serving) 
• peanuts (approx. 1/4 to 1/3 cup per serving) 
• ghee  (approx. 1 tsp. to 1 tbsp. per serving)
• lime (1/2 per serving)
• pomegranate seeds (optional)

Step 1
Soak poha in a pot  or bowl of hot water for five or so minutes. Transfer to colander to drain.

Step 2
Start tarka. (Tarka is a term for spices in hot ghee. It is believed that the hot ghee emancipates the higher properties of the spices.)
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Put ghee in skillet. Put on medium heat until melted. Add mustard seeds. Reduce heat to medium-low. Listen for popping sounds of the seeds. A delightful flowery fragrance should be released. Reduce heat to low. Only now, add curry leaves and stir. Add chili powder, turmeric, and salt. Stir.

Step 3
Add peanuts and stir. Let sit for 2 minutes. Stir again.

Step 4
Add drained poha and stir, evenly distributing the color.  Optionally, pomegranate seeds can be added. Serve.

Step 5
Add squeezed lime to plated poha. 

That's it!

Ayurvedic Six Tastes:

• Sweet - poha, ghee, pomegranate seeds
• Sour - lime, pomegranate seeds
• Salty - salt
• Pungent - chili powder, mustard seeds
• Bitter - curry leaves, tumeric
• Astringent - curry leaves, peanuts, pomegranate seeds