This dish is probably one of the most popular and well loved across the Indian community across the world! It is well know in Gujarat and Maharashtra and while they differ only slightly in ingredients they taste absolutely delicious. Pawah Bateta is a very popular breakfast dish in both these states and is widely available in all local eateries throughout the day.
In Gujarati pawah means “flattened rice or rice flakes” and is nothing more that rice has been parboiled, rolled and flattened to make flaked rice. These rice flakes are light, small and flate with an off white colour. They have rough uneven edges and a rough texture with a bland very mild taste. Depending on cooking method they can be crunchy or soft.
The rice flakes are capable of obsorbing large quantities of water within the context of certsin recipes and therefore hold flavours really well. These such flakes are very popular in Asian cuisine across the world. In the Werstner cultures they are primarily usede to in cereals and rice snacks.
Pawah come in different thicknesses. Thick pawah do become soft and mushy after being sosaked whereas thin pawah is very likely to become soft and mushy soon after being soaked.
I am making the Gujarati version of pawah bateta, the maharasthrian pawah is usually made with onions and potatoes and are therefore known as “kanda poha” where kanda is onions in Marathi.
There are a variety of ways that pawah bateta can be made and is very much dependant on taste and also region. In my recipe for example I use more pawah that potatoes and I use cashew nuts instead of peanuts. Some recipes do not add turmeric and may also add other vegetables like carrots, peas and aubergines.
Rice flakes have health and nutritional benefits including being lactose-free so people who are lactose intolerant can enjoy this dish and fat-free. The way pawah is prepared by pounding rice in iron mortal pestle boost the iron content in poha.
I hope you enjoy this quick and easy pawah bateta recipe!
Gujarati Pawah Bateta (Spiced Rice Flakes With Potatoes)
Ingredients
1 ½ Tablespoons organic coconut oil
1 Teaspoon organic cumin seeds
½ Teaspoon organic asafoetida
4-6 Organic neem leave
5-6 Organic cloves
½ inch organic cinamon stick
500g Thick organic rice flakes (Pawah/Poha/Pohe)
2 Medium organic popatoes
100g Organic whole cashews
1 Tablespoon organic green chillies
1 Tablespoon organic grated ginger
Lemon juice of half a lemon
2 Teaspoons organic brown sugar
½ Teaspoon organic turmeric powder
Salt to taste
Fresh organic coriander
Pomegranate seeds
Sev
Method
- Wash and peel the potatoes and chop into small pieces. Also finely chop the green chillies and grate the ginger. Set aside
- Heat up a pan and add the oil, cinamon stick, cloves, neem leaves and cumin seeds. Allow this to become aromatic at a low heat. Do not allow the tempering to burn.
- Next add the asafoetida, chopped potatoes, cashew nuts, grated ginger, chopped chillies, salt, sugar, turmeric powder and lemon juice. Mix all the ingredients together and set to cook for 5-8 minutes until the potatoes are just soft to the press.
- In a colinder, take the rice flakes and rinse thoroughly under cold running water 2 to 3 times. Keep the rice flakes in colinder for 5 minutes to ensure the excess water is strained.
- Check to see if the potatoes have cooked through till they are soft to press.
- Now add the rice flakes and gently combine all the ingredients together.
- Cover pan and cook for another 15 minutes on a low heat until the potatoes and rice flakes are nicely cooked and combined together.
- Garnish the potatoes and pawah with finely chopped coriander leaves, some pomegranate seeds and sev.
- Serve the pawah bateta hot or warm along with a cup of tea for breakfast or snacks.
Let me know how this tastes for you.
Best Wishes,
Krishna
Cooking With Krish 