Red Rice Poha Healthy Breakfast Recipe

Red Aval - Rice flakes

Red rice Poha is a healthier version on the popular Indian breakfast dish made with rice flakes(also known as aval, chivda or pohe, beaten rice). It is also served as a evening snack.

Red rice Aval - poha is made with red rice, which is considered to be more nutritious compared to white rice poha. Poha is also know as beaten rice. It is a convenience food . It is made from red rice which is beaten or pressed / flattened.

Aval is a very versatile ingredient as many recipes can be made using aval. You may use thick or medium aval for this recipe.

Click here to watch recipe on Youtube - Red Rice poha - Riceflakes recipe.

How to make Red Rice Poha healthy breakfast

Ingredients for Red Rice Poha for 2-3 servings

Red Poha (aval / rice flakes) - 1 cup
Onion - 1 medium sized. You need about 1/2 cup chopped onion.
Green chilies - 2-3, more if you like spicy
Ginger - paste or finely chopped - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - 7-8
Vegetable oil - 3 tbsp
Tomato - 1/4 cup chopped tomato.
Rai / mustard seeds - ½ teaspoon
Jeera / cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Hing / asafetida - a pinch
Salt - 1 1/2 tsp or to taste
Sugar - ½ tsp
Black pepper powder(optional) - 1 pinch
Fresh grated coconut - 2 tbsp
Hara dhania/ coriander / cilantro leaves - 1 small bunch

Preparation before making Red Rice Poha

Add medium or thick poha / aval in a colander and hold it under running water.
Or else, you can wash aval in a bowl and remove all water.

Here you can see I have added red poha to a bowl.

I wash poha twice by adding water and lightly rubbing with my fingers.

If you like softer poha, you may leave a tablespoon of water in the washed poha/beaten rice.
Keep aside for about 10 minutes.

While the beaten rice is soaking,

Chop onion, tomato, ginger, coriander leaves.
Chop green chilies in big pieces or slit in two. Or use green chili and ginger paste as I do.

Add salt, sugar to the washed and soaked rice flakes.
Add a pinch of black pepper powder, if adding. Mix well.
If there are lumps, break them with a spoon or your fingers.
Keep aside till further use.

Cooking Red Rice Poha:

Heat oil in a deep pan / kadai.
Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, hing.

When they crackle add chopped onion.
add turmeric powder.
If adding chopped green chili and ginger, add now. I am adding pastes later.
Mix and let cook for 2 minutes or till onions changes color (become translucent.

Add chopped tomatoes, green peas, grated carrot (if adding).
Mix.

add ginger paste.

Add green chili paste.

Cover kadai with a lid and cook on medium low flame for 2-3 minutes or till tomatoes start losing shape.
Stir once in between.

Add the soaked, mixed poha.

Mix poha with the cooked onion/tomato.

If poha looks too dry, sprinkle a little water.
Place lid and cook for 2 minutes on low flame.
Stir once in between to make sure that poha does not get burned at the bottom.

add fresh grated coconut, chopped coriander leaves, 1 tsp ghee(optional).
Ghee adds flavor and taste to poha.
Mix well.
Switch off the flame.

Add 1 tsp lemon juice(optional).
Mix.

Healthy red rice Poha is ready to serve.

Red rice pohe/ aval is ready to serve for breakfast or as a quick filling snack.

Serve it by itself or with pickle or chutney.

Tips for variation in making red rice poha:

You can also add mixed vegetables - green peas, potato, capsicums in addition to or instead of onions.

Do not leave too much water in the aval after washing. That will make it like a paste.

You may also like to visit Batata poha - Aloo poha recipe.

Question - How long can we keep cooked poha in the fridge?

Answer - We can keep cooked poha in the fridge for 2-3 days. Store it in an airtight container. Just reheat before eating. If poha looks too dry after taking out from the fridge, sprinkle a little water over it and then reheat.

Question - Does poha cause constipation?

Answer - Red poha has a lot of fibre, which helps keep our gut happy, and the common malady, constipation at bay. So you may have red poha without worrying about constipation.