Bengali Style Vegetable Poha/Flattened Rice/Aval/Chirer Pulao

Chirer Pulao is a beatened rice (Poha) savory snack which doubles as a breakfast meal also.  It is a Bengali recipe which is different from the ordinary Poha dish. This dish is prepared with vegetables and dry fruits. This dish is also popular in the northern region like Nepal, Bangladesh etc.

Ingredients:

Chirer/Poha/Aval/Flattened Rice – 2 ½ cup

Oil – 2 tbsp

Ghee – 1 tbsp

Peanuts – 1/3 cup

Cashew Nuts – ¼ cup

Raisins – ¼ cup

Cinnamon Stick – 1 inch long piece

Green Cardoman – 4 (slightly crushed)

Cloves – 3

Bay Leaves – 1

Dry Red Chillies – 2 (broken)

Grated Ginger – 1 tsp

Onion -1 (finely chopped)

Green Chillies – 2 (cut into two)

Tomato Puree – 3 tbsp or Tomato – 1 (finely chopped)

Red Chilli Powder – 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder – 1 pinch

Pulao Masala – 1 tsp or Garam Masala – ½ tsp

Sugar – 1 tbsp

Finely chopped Coriander Leaves – 3 to 4 tbsp

Lemon Juice – 1 ½ tbsp

Carrot (medium sized) – 1 (cut into small cubes)

Fresh (or Frozen) Green Peas – ¼ cup

Method:

Parboil the Green Peas and Carrots. Keep aside.

Take the Poha in a strainer and rinse it in running water for 20 to 30 seconds. Keep aside.

Heat 1 tbsp of Oil in a broad pan and roast the Peanuts crispy.

Add the Cashew Nuts and roast them pink. Transfer to a plate or vessel and keep aside.

Heat 1 tbsp of Oil in the same pan. When the Oil becomes hot, add the Cinnamon Stick, Cardoman, Cloves, Bay Leaf and Red Chillies. Roast them for a few seconds.

Add the finely chopped Onion, Grated Ginger and the chopped Green Chilli. Stir cook till the Onion becomes translucent.

Add the Tomato Puree (or chopped Tomato pieces), Turmeric Powder, Red Chilli Powder, Pulav Masala. Cook for 2 to 4 minutes.

Add the parboiled Carrot and Green Peas. Add the chopped Capsicum. Continue cooking for 2 to 3 minutes till the Oil starts separating.

Add the soaked Poha. Mix well to combine all of them well to infuse the flavor and Masala into the Poha.

Add Sugar, Salt, Roasted Pea Nuts, Cashews and Raisins. Mix them well and simmer for a few minutes.

Now, add 1 tbsp of Ghee, Lemon Juice and the chopped Coriander Leaves.

Mix well. Transfer to a serving bowl.