Orzo Poha

Orzo pasta cooked with sautéed onions, spices, curry leaves, potatoes and peas

Poha is eaten in Uttar Pradesh for breakfast. It is made with dried beaten rice soaked lightly to soften, then cooked with sautéed onions, potatoes and spices. Orzo stands in for beaten rice in our version. While beaten rice can get mushy when soaked too long, orzo absorbs all the flavours of the spices, holds its shape and is ready in minutes. Serve with coriander mint chutney or a spicy pickle.

4 cups water 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta 2 tbsp vegetable oil 1/4 tsp each: cumin seeds and black mustard seeds 20 fresh curry leaves 1-2 hot green chilies, thinly sliced 1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped 1 medium-sized white potato, peeled and diced into small 1/4-inch pieces 1/2 cup frozen peas 1 tbsp sugar Salt to taste 1/2 tsp each: turmeric and cayenne pepper 2 tbsp each: fresh lemon juice and chopped fresh coriander

Boil water in large saucepan over high heat. Add orzo, stir once. Once water boils again, reduce heat to medium and cook 5-7 minutes until pasta is just tender, not mushy. Drain, set aside.

Warm oil in deep non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Add cumin and mustard seeds. Sizzle 30 seconds, add curry leaves and green chilies. Sauté 30 seconds, add onions. Sauté 4 minutes until onions are slightly softened. Add potatoes and peas, mix well. Cover, cook on low heat 5 minutes until potatoes are cooked, not mushy.

Add sugar, salt and spices. Mix well, cook 1 minute. Mix in orzo. Cover, cook on low heat 10 minutes, stirring once. Add lemon juice and fresh coriander. Turn off stove, let poha rest, covered 5 minutes.

Fluff up and serve.

Serves three or four