Poha is known as flattened rice, and mamra is known as puffed rice. They can be processed from any type of rice but are commonly made from white rice.

Flattened Rice (Poha)

Flattened rice is grayish-white color small rice flakes. They are made by partly cooking and drying, and then pressing gently to give the flattened shape. Because they are partly cooked and exposed to fire element in the process, they are lighter to digest than regular white rice. There are two varieties of flat rice – thick poha and super thin nylon poha.

Thick flat rice can not be eaten raw. It needs to be soaked for five minutes before cooking. Then it is cooked with seasonal vegetables, nuts, and spices. This healthy and delicious recipe can be a part of any meal, breakfast, lunch, dinner, or just as a snack.

As the name suggests, super thin nylon poha is extremely thin and delicate and is easier on the digestive system than the regular variety of flat rice. It can be eaten raw, with milk and spices, or lightly roasted with oil, nuts, and spices.

Puffed Rice or Mamra

Puffed rice is made by parboiling the rice and then frying with indirect heat or steam under pressure. It is extremely light in weight and even easier to digest than regular rice or flattened rice. It also can be eaten raw as a snack. Similar to super-thin flat rice, puffed rice can also be made into a sweet dish or a tasty snack with spices. Puffed rice cakes and balls are traditional street food in the eastern countries.

Because poha and mamra are easier to digest than regular white rice, they can be a good diet choice during sickness, old age, fever, or during any digestive issues. There are so many easy and nutritious recipes are made from both of them. In recipes, they can be used individually or together.

Quick Breakfast Recipe

Soaking the flat rice and/or puffed rice in warm milk for a few minutes, adding a sweetener of your choice and a pinch of cardamom and cinnamon powder can be a very easy and healthy breakfast choice!

Super Thin Nylon Poha Chevdo

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3 cups Super Thin Nylon Poha (Flat Rice)

1 cup Mamra (Puffed Rice)

1 Tbsp. Oil

1 tsp Brown Sugar

½ tsp Lemon Juice

¼ tsp Turmeric Powder

⅛ tsp Hing (Asafoetida)

½ tsp Salt

5-6 pieces of Peanut, Cashew, Raisin, and Curry leaves

1 tsp small pieces of dry coconut

1 tsp small pieces of green chili

Preparation:

1. Mix turmeric powder, salt, brown sugar & asafoetida in a small bowl, and keep it on the side.
2. In a wide mouth pan, warm up the oil on low heat.
3. Add peanuts to the pan and continuously stir until golden brown.
4. Add cashew, coconut & raisin and cook until they turn light brown in color.
5. Add green chili and curry leaves. Stir for about 10 seconds.
6. Add lemon juice.
7. Quickly add the thin flat rice, puffed rice, and then the spice mix (step 1)
8. Mix everything gently, be careful not to break thin poha in the process (approx. 5-7 minutes until everything mixes well and poha becomes crispy).
9. Remove the pan from the stove.
10. Transfer to the mixture another vessel to avoid the poha burning and sticking to the bottom of the hot pan. You might have to mix it for another 2-3 minutes to circulate the poha.
11. Serve and eat while warm (not hot).
12. Poha can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days.

Special Tips:

• You can easily find super thin nylon flat rice and puffed rice in any Indian grocery store
• They can be cooked individually with the same recipe
• Adjust the spice amounts, brown sugar, and lemon juice according to your taste
• Dry fruits are optional but they enhance the taste of the recipe
• It can be a light and tasty snack choice for the winter and spring seasons.