Lemon Poha

A reader had queried what she can do using lemons apart from the regular pickle and rice. There are baked recipes that use lemons / limes, if one is interested. And there are of course lemonade and lemon curd. Coming to Indian context, one can use it as a flavoring agent in curries / some savory snacks, replace tamarind in dals with lemon juice like this one or prepare dishes like this lemon gojju, sevai or this capsicum - lime rice. (Note that lime and lemon juice and interchangeable in these recipes.) And if you have any other ideas, please leave them in comments.

And today's recipe is also one that uses lemon juice -  Lemon Poha for the letter "L". If you are among those who don't prefer bread / cereals as part of their breakfast, then here is a decent savory breakfast option from an Indian kitchen that can be put together in about 15 minutes that can serve 2 - 3 adults.

Ingredients:(2 -3 servings)
1 cup thick poha
2 Tbsp oil
2 Tbsp peanuts
1 tsp Bengal gram / chanadal
1 tsp black gram / urad dal
1 tsp mustard seeds
3-4 green chillies, finely chopped
A pinch of asafoetida powder
Few curry leaves
1/8 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 cup fresh grated coconut (optional)
Small lemon ((1 to 1.5 Tbsp juice is enough.)
Salt to taste
Minced cilantro to garnish

Method:
* Wash the poha in a colander. Drain and let it sit for five minutes.
* Heat oil in a pan and add peanuts, chanadal, uraddal and mustard seeds. When the peanuts and dals start to turn reddish, add chillies, curry leaves, turmeric powder and asafoetida. Saute for a few seconds and then add poha, coconut and salt. Mix well once, cover and cook on medium flame for 5 - 7 minutes and turn off the stove. * Add the lemon juice as needed and cilantro. Mix well and serve.

Note:
1. The variety of thick poha I am acquainted with in India, needs soaking in water for about 4-5 minutes. Here in US, the poha I get needs no soaking and by mistake, if the poha is soaked, I end up with a mush. And so one has to decide to soak / wash poha depending upon the variety of the poha. And thin poha is not a substitute for this recipe.
2. Also the amount of lemon juice this recipe requires depends upon one's taste buds. I prefer a little over a Tbsp of lemon juice and not much for the quantity of poha I used. Note that poha doesn't need that much lemon / lime juice as the rice.

Check here to know what other marathoners of BM#25 are cooking.

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