Best Way to Use Leftover Rotis: Roti Poha Recipe

by Rotimatic Team
Best Way to Use Leftover Rotis: Roti Poha Recipe

Introduction

If you have grown up in India or an Indian household, the first thing that will come to your mind when someone mentions breakfast is poha! We grew up eating some delicious version of Indian poha, with a nice tempering of curry leaves, mustard seeds and onions. Even today, eating poha topped with some sev or bhujiya takes us back to those childhood days of mom's cooking and love. Recently, I have started being mindful of what I eat and the portions, too. As delicious as poha is, it makes us hungry just in a few hours. My love for poha, rotis, and eating healthy made me experiment and create my version of poha- roti poha! Sometimes, I use up leftover rotis or, at times, make spiced rotis, especially for roti poha, and we enjoy the roti poha with crushed peanuts, tampering, fresh coriander, and a dash of lemon! In this article, I will share the recipe for this simple but delicious type of poha. The best part is that you can customize it to your taste and convenience! The dish is a bowl of comfort, easy to make with a little sprinkling of nostalgia!

What is Roti Poha?

All of us have flattened rice poha. Roti poha is a fun twist on the traditional Indian poha, made using leftover rotis instead of flattened rice. All you need to do is make a tempering of cumin seeds, onions, green chilies, curry leaves, ginger, and roasted peanuts. Then, cut/tear the rotis into small pieces and add them to the prepared tempering. Mix well, adjust the salt, and top it with some cashews, a little lemon juice, and fresh coriander. You can take your roti poha to the next level by adding a little bhujiya while serving. You can have roti poha for breakfast, brunches, or even as a quick, light, but filling dinner. Pairing it with some yogurt on the side makes it a more wholesome meal.

How to Make Roti Poha?

Roti poha is a versatile dish and easily customizable. To make it, you can use the ingredients at hand and add something of your choice; the possibilities are endless. It is an easy and quick recipe, making it ideal for when you want to eat home-cooked meals but are short on time. Here is the list of ingredients and the steps for the basic recipe:

Ingredients:

  • Whole Wheat Flour -1 cup: You will make the rotis from the wheat flour. It is the base of the recipe. Once cooled, the rotis are torn and put in the poha.
  • Big Red Onion -1: Onions add a nice sweet and savory flavor to the recipe and a crunchy texture when sautéed.
  • Green Chilli - 1: Chili will give a good spice kick and enhance the overall flavors of the dish.
  • Cumin Seeds – 1 TSP: A tempering of cumin seeds is a must; it gives a nice, warm, and earthy aroma.
  • Minced Coriander Leaves – 1 TBSP: Garnishing the roti poha with freshly chopped coriander leaves adds a pop of color and freshness to it.
  • Roasted Peanuts - Handful: Peanuts add a crunchy texture and a nutty flavor when mixed with the soft rotis.
  • Bhujia (optional) - Handful: Just a little bhujiya on top of the roti poha gives a crispy crunch to it and a dash of salty and spicy flavor, which elevates the dish
  • Big Potato (optional) - 1: Potatoes are everyone's favorite and comfort ingredient, and it will make the poha more filling too.
  • Ginger (optional) – 1 TSP: Add a little crushed or grated ginger for a little zesty and spicy flavor.
  • Curry Leaves – 1 Sprig: Any tempering in the Indian recipes is incomplete without curry leaves. They give a distinctive aromatic flavor to the dish.
  • Lemon Juice – 1 TSP: Adding a dash of lemon juice at the end gives the roti poha a nice tangy freshness and balances the dish's flavors.
  • Roasted Cashew Nuts – 12 to 15 Nos.: Cashews give a rich, buttery flavor and a crunchy texture to the poha.
  • Oil – 2 TBSP: Oil is needed for tempering the spices and to sauté the ingredients. It enhances their flavors and ensures even cooking.

Roti Poha recipe 


Step 1: Make rotis using the roti settings on your Rotimatic, or use leftover rotis. In a food processor, mince the rotis to small bits.

Roti Poha Recipe Step 1

 

Step 2: Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and minced green chillies. When the cumin seeds splutter, add onion, ginger paste and curry leaves. When the onion becomes slightly brown, add potatoes and peas. Cover and cook untill the potatoes are soft.

Roti Poha Recipe Step 2


Step 3: Add the minced roti and mix well. Sprinkle 1 tbsp of water on the poha, then cover and cook for 3-4 mins. This will soften the roti. Add lemon juice and coriander leaves. Additionally you can add roasted peanuts, roasted cashew nuts, or bhujia.

Roti Poha Recipe Step 3


Alternative

This recipe uses whole wheat flour rotis to make the poha. But if you are allergic to gluten or avoiding wheat flour for health reasons, you can always substitute wheat flour with any other flour and make bajra roti, jawar roti, ragi roti, etc. The poha will turn out delicious and healthy.

Conclusion

Roti poha is a perfect mixture of childhood nostalgia and comfort in adult life. It is a simple, versatile dish that can be cooked easily in no time and is healthy, too. Whenever you are in a hurry or, like me, lazy and have leftover rotis, make this poha. It will keep you full for a long time, and you will not need to order in or go out to eat!

Back to Recipes