When in Indore, you better not miss the very famous ‘Indori Poha’. It’s not just a dish but an expeirence! Paired with jalebi, this local dish is one of the must-try items on a traveller’s food itinerary. Not even superstar singer Diljit Dosanjh could resist from relishing the flavors of this iconic dish.
Heating up Indian venues with Dil-Luminati Tour, singer, actor Diljit Dosanjh has won the audience to this beautiful country. He performed at C21 Estate in Indore on Saturday, 8th December. Dosanjh has managed to engage with his fans during the tour while finding time for local cultures. He is trying out local delicacies in every city. Dosanjh had Makhan Malai in Lucknow and dined at Bengaluru’s The Rameshwaram Cafe. While in Indore, he did not hesisitate t grab a plate of Indori Poha!
Dosanjh and his team were visiting a roadside stall when, one morning, the famous Indori Poha was had by him, sharing jokes with the vendor. As the day broke, fans gathered around and he was kind enough to pose in front of an ‘I Love Indore’ sign for photographs with them. It is one of the last stops of his 10-city tour. His next destination will be Chandigarh on the 14th and then Mumbai on the 19th.
The History of Indori Poha
Indori Poha, often served with warm jalebi, is a staple of Indore’s food culture today but was not always so. The dish originated in Maharashtra and gained popularity during the 19th century when the Holkars and Scindias moved to Indore. The Holkars were patrons of arts and cuisine and introduced poha as a quick, nutritious meal for workers and farmers.
As time passed, regional variations developed. While Maharashtra’s version often includes onions, potatoes, and curd, the Malwa-Nimar region of Madhya Pradesh, particularly Indore, started adding Indori Sev, crushed jalebi, or kachori for extra flavor. The poha is traditionally prepared from flattened rice and tempered using mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, green chilies, and onions. Garnished with pomegranate seeds, crunchy sev, roasted peanuts, and fresh coriander, it offers a sweet, spicy, tangy, and savory combination.
What makes Indori Poha stand out the most is the signature Jeeravan Masala, a spice mix that provides a tangy flavor. It is actually the composition of spices that gives it a flavor that no other poha variety has – cumin, coriander, fennel, black pepper, dry ginger, and amchur powder.
Now, not everyone can just fly down to Indore to enjoy this special dish but what we can do is try to make it at home! Here’s how:
Indori Poha Recipe
For the Tadka
- 1 ½ tbsp Oil
- ½ tsp Mustard seeds
- ½ tsp Cumin seeds
- ½ tsp Fennel seeds
- 2 Green chilies, chopped
- 2 sprigs Curry leaves
- ¼ tsp Turmeric powder
- A pinch of Asafoetida
For the Poha:
- 3 cups Thick poha
- Water for rinsing
- Prepared Tadka
- ½ tbsp Sugar
- Salt to taste
- 2 tbsp Milk
For Jeeravan Masala:
- 1 tbsp Fennel seeds
- 3 tsp Cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp Coriander seeds
- 1 tbsp Black peppercorns
- 6-7 Cloves
- 1 Mace
- ¼ inch Cinnamon stick
- 6-7 Bay leaves
- 10-12 Green cardamom
- 3-4 Dry Kashmiri red chilies
- ¼ Nutmeg
- Salt to taste
- 2 tsp Pink salt
- 2 tsp Ginger powder
- A pinch of Turmeric powder
- ¼ tsp Asafoetida
For Masala Peanuts:
- 2-3 tsp Oil
- ½ cup Peanuts
- ¼ tsp Degi red chili powder
- Salt to taste
For Garnish:
- Masala Peanuts
- Green chilies, slit
- Ratlami sev
- Masala boondi
- Nylon sev
- Pomegranate pearls
- ½ tsp Prepared Jeeravan Masala
- Chopped Coriander leaves
- Lemon wedges
- Jalebi
Preparing Poha:
Step 1: Wash 3 cups of thick poha in water, strain and keep aside.
Step 2: Heat 1 ½ tbsp oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, and let them splutter.
Step 3: Add chopped green chilies and curry leaves, sauté briefly, then turn off the heat.
Step 4: Add turmeric powder and asafoetida. Pour the tadka over soaked poha. Add sugar and salt, then mix well.
Step 5: Add 2 tbsp milk, mix well, and keep aside
Steaming Poha: Heat water in a kadai, place a plate above it, and add poha along with slit green chilies. Cover and steam for 15-20 minutes.
Make Jeeravan Masala: Dry roast fennel seeds, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, black peppercorns, cloves, mace, cinnamon, bay leaves, green cardamom, Kashmiri red chilies, and nutmeg on low heat. Add pink salt, ginger powder, turmeric, and asafoetida, then roast briefly and cool. Grind into a fine powder and set aside.
Roast Peanuts: Heat 2-3 tsp oil and roast peanuts for 2-3 minutes until golden. Drain excess oil, toss with chili powder and salt.
Serving: Transfer steamed poha to a serving dish. Garnish with masala peanuts, green chilies, Ratlami sev, masala boondi, nylon sev, pomegranate pearls, Jeeravan Masala, and coriander leaves. Serve it hot with a wedge of lemon and jalebi to truly have an Indori taste.
Indori Poha is a very different flavored food, which really tells a story about the diverse foods in Indore.
Enjoy! Diljit did!
