Need a quick and healthy vegan breakfast or snack idea? Hariyali Poha is a flavorful and nutritious Indian dish made with flattened rice and a green masala made from cilantro, and green chilies. It's a popular variation of traditional poha and is known for its vibrant green color and fresh taste. The green masala gives Hariyali Poha a unique and aromatic flavor. This Indian breakfast/snack recipe can be made in 15 minutes!
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What is Poha
Poha is rice that has been parboiled, rolled, flattened, and then dried to produce flakes. Rice is parboiled before flattening because when it becomes Poha, it can be consumed with little or no cooking. It is also known as Rice Flakes, Flattened rice, or Beaten Rice and is a prevalent Indian staple. In the South, it's called aval or Avalakki. It can be used in many savory and sweet recipes.
In Indian cuisine, Poha, a plant-based snack is often consumed as a nutritious breakfast or snack. In West India, there is Kande Pohe or Dadpe Pohe (a no-cook recipe). In the South Indian region, we make Puli Aval Upma and also make this dessert called Aval Kesari/Pudding with it, during the Janmashtami festival. A handful of aval is added to the idli batter to make soft and fluffy idlis.
Aval provides energy to the body to carry out its daily functions, is a good probiotic food, rich in fiber, light on the stomach so it can easily be digested, and is a low-calorie snack.
What is Hariyali Poha
While many veg Poha recipes are available, I urge you to try this quick and easy Hariyali (which means green/greenery in Hindi) Poha recipe. Also known as Kothamali Aval Upma (in Tamil), Green Chutney, Cilantro/Coriander Poha, or Green Masala Poha, is a different and easy breakfast aval recipe that will keep you satiated and content.
What gives this vegan snack its unique flavor is the freshly ground green masala paste (similar to green chutney) made with cilantro, mint leaves, coconut, and green chillies. The aromatic coriander leaves give this Aval Upma a new refreshing flavor and a beautiful green color. Give this delicious homemade Indian vegan breakfast or snack recipe a try! The recipe is simple, flavorful, and very nutritious.
Why make it
- It contains nutritious ingredients
- Vegan, soy-free, and gluten-free breakfast and snack recipe
- Can be made in 15 minutes
- A quick and easy one-pot meal
- It's made without potato, onion and garlic
Ingredients needed 🧾
Poha - You need the thick variety to make this green Kothamali aval. The thin variety will not withstand the rinsing and soaking and will end up mushy.
Herbs, spices, and aromatics - cilantro or coriander leaves, mint leaves, green chillies, curry leaves, cumin seeds, and mustard seeds give this green coriander poha its flavor.
Veggies - I have added frozen green peas to this Hariyali ha recipe You can also use fresh matar (green peas in Hindi).
Coconut - You can use freshly grated coconut or dry unsweetened desiccated coconut, coconut shreds, or flakes.
Peanuts and urad dal give the green chutney poha recipe a nutty flavor and the required crunch.
Other seasonings - lemon juice, and sugar will help balance the flavors. Use vegan ghee, olive oil, or any vegetable oil to make this vegan Hariyali Poha.
How to make it 🔪
- Add coconut, cilantro, mint leaves, sugar, green chillies, and lemon juice to a blender jar.
- Blitz, to make a smooth paste by adding 1-2 tablespoons of water. Do not add more water. Set this green masala paste aside for now.
- Next, add dry flattened rice to a strainer or colander.
- Rinse it under running water (at room temperature) until it turns soft and there is no dry aval left. This should take about 30 - 45 seconds. Keep it aside for now. Chef Tip - Do not soak the flattened rice in water.
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- Heat vegan ghee in a skillet. Temper mustard seeds along with cumin seeds. Once they begin to splutter, add the curry leaves, peanuts, and urad dal.
- Once the urad dal turns light golden, add the green peas and saute for 2 minutes on medium flame.
- Then add the ground green masala paste. Mix and continue to saute for another 2-3 minutes. The raw smell should go.
- Lastly, add the rinsed poha along with salt. Mix till it coats well with the green masala. Chef tip - If the flattened rice feels too dry at this stage, then sprinkle some water, mix, cover, and take it off the flame after a minute.
Serving suggestions 🍽
Squeeze some lemon juice on top and garnish with coconut shreds. Serve immediately. It will become dry if not consumed immediately. Drizzle some oil on top if you feel it's become dry. You can also add some chopped raw onions, roasted peanuts, sev, fried cashews, or pomegranate arils on top of the Hariyali poha. Serve this for breakfast, evening snack or even pack it in lunchboxes. We love having this breakfast for dinner.
Serve it with some coconut chutney or raita on the side if you want. You can also pair it with Chikoo Milkshake, or Turmeric Latte and enjoy a wholesome breakfast! If serving it as an evening snack, pair it with tea, or coffee. Serve some crispy Kara Boondi, Crispy Almonds, or Chiwda with it. I pair it with Tomato Soup, or Broccoli Soup and Cucumber salad. If it is a bit spicy for you, wipe it down with some Chaas Popsicles!
Top recipe tips 💭
Do not over-rinse or soak the poha. It will become mushy and lumpy. Rinsing it underwater in a colander for 30-45 seconds should be enough. Prep the rice flakes and prepare the green masala before starting the cooking process. If you have leftover green chutney at home you can use it in this veg Hariyali poha recipe. Do not overcook or else the aval will become hard and dry. Squeeze some more lemon juice on top when you serve for that extra zing.
FAQs 📖
You can find it in Indian grocery stores like Patel Brothers. It is also easily available on Amazon
. You must remember that there are two kinds of Poha - thick and thin. The kind you buy depends on the recipe you want to make.
The thin variety
is normally used to make Chiwda (an Indian dry and crunchy snack similar to trail mixes). The thick variety
is what we use to make snacks like this recipe. Some other varieties are brown aval made from brown rice, millet poha made from millets, and Red Aval
which is made from red rice and is considered to be a healthier option.
Use any other form of sugar instead of jaggery if needed. Skip adding curry leaves if it's not found where you live. Use any kind of unsweetened coconut for this recipe. Add 10-12 mint leaves along with cilantro while grinding to give this dish a refreshing flavor. Use the cilantro stalks as well when grinding the green masala. I sometimes also add a tablespoon of rasam powder or sambar powder when grinding the green masala paste for more flavor. Add cashews along with peanuts or use them as a garnish. They add a nice crunch.
Feel free to add more veggies of your choice. You can add green vegetables like - spinach, bell peppers, green beans, and broccoli. Other veggies like potatoes, carrots, and onions can also be added.
It is best served fresh as it tends to dry up over time. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 4-5 days. When reheating, sprinkle water on top and reheat. The green masala can also be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for up to 2 days. Don't forget to add lemon juice or olive oil to prevent discoloration and retain freshness.
Yes. This same green masala paste can be used to make Hariyali Pulao, Hariyali Sabudana, Hariyali Quinoa, Hariyali Pasta, Hariyali Paneer, Hariyali Cauliflower Rice, etc. Swap the beaten rice with these grains. You can also make Sundal with this green masala paste.
More breakfast ideas
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Recipe 📖
Hariyali Poha | Green Masala Poha
Equipment
Ingredients
To make the green masala paste
- ⅓ cup coconut Grated
- 1 cup cilantro
- ¼ cup mint leaves
- 3 green chillies finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon water
To prep the Poha
- 2 cups Poha Thick
- Water for rinsing
To make the Hariyali Poha
- 1 tablespoon vegan ghee
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 5-6 curry Leaves
- 1 tablespoon urad dal
- 2 tablespoon peanuts
- ⅓ cup green peas
- Salt
- ½ teaspoon sugar
Instructions
To make the green masala paste
- Add coconut, cilantro, mint leaves, sugar, green chillies, and lemon juice to a blender jar.
- Blitz, to make a smooth paste by adding 1-2 tablespoons of water. Do not add more water. Set this green masala paste aside for now.
To prep the Poha
- Next, add dry flattened rice to a strainer or colander.
- Rinse it under running water (at room temperature) until it turns soft and there is no dry poha left. This should take about 30 - 45 seconds. Keep it aside for now. Chef Tip - Do not soak the flattened rice in water.
To make the Hariyali Poha
- Heat vegan ghee in a skillet. Temper mustard seeds along with cumin seeds. Once they begin to splutter, add the curry leaves, peanuts, and urad dal.
- Once the urad dal turns light golden, add the green peas and saute for 2 minutes on medium flame.
- Then add the ground green masala paste. Mix and continue to saute for another 2-3 minutes. The raw smell should go.
- Lastly, add the rinsed poha along with salt. Mix till it coats well with the green masala. Chef tip - If the flattened rice feels too dry at this stage, then sprinkle some water, mix, cover, and take it off the flame after a minute.
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We'll email this recipe to you, so that you can look at it later!
Aparna says
We could also use this cilantro paste for sundal. Just that add the paste in the end and allow it to cook with legumes / beans of your choice.
Do you recommend to use fresh coconut or will dessicated coconut give the same results?
Priya says
Yes, you can use this for making sundal as well. I mostly always use desiccated coconut as that is what I have handy. So you can use either. Hope this answers your question 🙂
Kanchan says
Loved the tips about soaking the poha as also good to know the differences in different varieties of poha ! Will definitely try this one ; normally make the traditional poha , this looks interesting 😎
Priya says
Thank you so much. Do try it..its really yum and super easy to make.