“A desi breakfast staple, goes mainstream this spring,
With asparagus for an oomph, I create this seasonal fling.
Humble and easy, this flattened cousin of rice,
Is ready in minutes, and bears nearly no vice.
Cook up for a weeknight, oh you’ll do so on repeat,
After you taste the magic, once you sit down to eat..”
Asparagus Poha
Ingredients
1 cup Poha (flattened rice – available at most Indian grocery stores)
1 cup asparagus stalks, chopped
6-8 baby potatoes
1 green chili, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh ginger, crushed
1 small red onion, finely chopped
6-8 cherry tomatoes, halved
8-10 curry leaves
½ teaspoon mustard seeds
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
½ teaspoon cumin powder
¼ teaspoon red chili powder
2 tablespoons olive oil or 1 tbsp ghee + 1 tbsp oil
Juice of half a lemon
Cilantro leaves to garnish
Salt to taste
Rinse the poha in running water in a strainer. Don’t rinse too much as the poha will absorb liquid and get mushy. Keep aside to drain.
Par boil the baby potatoes till tender when pierced, but not mushy. Drain, cut into halves, and keep aside.
Heat ghee or oil in a non-stick pan. Add the mustard and cumin seed and cook till they begin to splutter. Add the ginger, green chili & curry leaves and stir for a few minutes. Add the onions, and cook till they begin to turn translucent. Mix in all the dry spices, along with the tomatoes. Cover and cook till the tomatoes are tender, and stir in the asparagus & potatoes. Turn heat to high and cook till the asparagus turns bright green and the potatoes turn crisp on the cut side. Finally stir in the poha, mix well, and cover for 1 minute or so. Turn off heat, stir in the lemon juice, garnish with freshly chopped cilantro and serve hot.