Poha (Rice Flakes) Cutlets

Poha/Povu or Rice flakes/Beaten Rice or Avalakki  (as it is known in different languages- Marathi, Konkani, English & Kannada respectively) is available in the market in two varieties – thin one and a thick one. To prepare the cutlets, you need the thin variety.

The thin variety gets soggy very quickly when soaked in water. So instead of soaking it in water directly, place the poha in a strainer (keep a bowl underneath the strainer to collect the water) and pour water over it with one hand and mix it with the other. This way you will reduce your work and get the desired result too.

This snack is easy to prepare and tasty too. It can be easily subsituted for potato cutlets (patties).
You may also be interested in another variation of cutlets made from left over rice,  here.

 Poha Cutlets with Tomato Ketchup

Ingredients:

Poha (Rice Flakes)	1 cup
Gram Flour (Besan)	3-4 tbsps
Onion (chopped)	1 medium
Green chilies (crushed)	2
Coriander leaves (chopped)	1 tbsp
Salt	As per taste
Turmeric powder	½ tsp
Jeera (cumin) powder	½ tsp
Sugar	A pinch
Oil	For shallow frying
Semolina (fine sooji)	2 tbsps

Method:

1. Wash poha in a strainer till it becomes soft (it takes a minute) and allow the water to drain.
2. Place the drained poha (rice flakes) in a bowl. Add the gram four, together with all the other ingredients (chopped onions, crushed green chilies, salt, turmeric powder, jeera powder and sugar) and knead it into dough.
3. Smear a little oil on your palms while kneading it to avoid the dough sticking to your palm and make small balls and flatten it to form cutlets.
4. Dredge each cutlet in semolina on both sides and keep aside.
5. Now heat a frying pan or skillet (preferable non-stick) and dribble oil on it. When the pan is hot, lower the flame and place the dredged cutlets onto the pan and shallow fry them on both the sides till golden brown. Switch off the gas.
6. Serve hot with tomato ketchup or any chutney of your choice.

 

1. Ingredients for Poha cutlets

3.  Poha cutlets ready for frying

2. Poha drained in a strainer

4.  Poha cutlets being shallow fried

                                                                                                                             

Preparation time : 30 mins

Cooking time      : about 10 mins

Makes: 6- 8 cutlets (depending upon the size and shape)

Note:

• Breadcrumbs can be used instead of semolina to dredge the cutlets in before shallow frying.
• These cutlets can also be deep fried.