The Steaming Pot - Easy vegetarian recipes from India

Cool homemade yogurt, flattened rice that needs no cooking, honey/jaggery and fresh fruit. A breakfast so healthy it’ll give you a palpable halo around your head. Presenting for you staple morning-time food from Bihar – dahi chura.

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From my mom’s kitchen, a colorful, vegetable-laden poha for a superhealthy kickstart to the day.

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Who says the tastier the dish, the more sinful it is? Coconut and date laddoos (bonbons) are the perfect rebuttal to that axiom.

Learn how to make this delectable sweet  packed with nutrition, with no added oils, no processed sugars. And vegan to boot.

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A spin-off on the snack Chura Bhuja with Mattar, this dish uses the healthier red poha instead of white.

The method of making is exactly the same – the only difference with red poha is that it’s a little less easy to make out when it is done. With white poha, the color change to golden is a sure indicator. With red poha, the color is already dark when you start so you need to be more watchful. The poha turns crisp and ready to eat in about 5-6 minutes. I take a little nibble to make sure.

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I’ve got myself a pack of organic red poha (flattened brown rice) this time and made this nice breakfast-time dish of kanda poha (flattened rice cooked with onions, potatoes and peanuts) with it. This style of cooking poha is popular in Maharashtra and Karnataka, where it goes by the name avalakki bath.

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The quintessential Bihari snack – chura bhuja.

What is chura, did you ask? Chura is the Bihari word for flattened rice, called chiwra elsewhere in north India. The more common way of preparing chiwra is in its moistened form as poha but this tasty dish uses chura dry.

What is bhuja, did you ask? That is another Bihari word, for a dry roasted snack.

Chura bhuja can be had on its own but it tastes best when accompanied with a mattar (peas) dish – here is a simple recipe. If you have the time and inclination you could prepare it as a full-fledged ghughni with onions and tomatoes.

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