The focus so has been on snacks,
specially evening snacks. Hereafter for next few posts I will give some simple
recipes for the breakfast. One the most important meal in a day is breakfast.
In any part of the world breakfast assumes great importance. There is an Arabic
proverb that says never share your breakfast with anyone, share your lunch with
a friend and give your dinner to your enemy. This is a clear message that one
can skip the dinner but never miss out on breakfast.
Every country, every region has
their peculiarities for breakfast. It depends on what is grown and is abundant
in that region. Countries in the east like Japan, China, Korea, Thailand have
rice or rice porridge or rice noodles along with fish or vegetables and cup of
green tea or soup. In the European continent enjoys different varities of bread
and forms like baguette, croissants etc. with butter, cheese, jam and eggs for
the breakfast with grilled tomatoes, fresh fruits, juices and hot beverages. In
many places its coffee while it is tea in England. In few countries muesli,
oats and cereals also finds a place in the breakfast. Americans are fond of
salami, becon, eggs, fresh fruits apart from cereals, bread, butter, cheese, pancakes,
juices and tea. To put it simply Americans hog. It may sound odd but it’s a
fact. They eat so much as if there is no tomorrow, rather it’s the last meal
that they have before departing to heaven. Brazilians enjoy cheese bread,
fruits and berries. In Venezuela corn bread with meat or beans is preferred.
Cuban have the bread cut like sticks to dip in the coffee for their breakfast.
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| Soothing Dahi Pohe |
India has a wonderful blend of
breakfast. Anything and everything is acceptable as breakfast. A simple chai biskut to a stylish American
breakfast, Indians enjoy everything. Different kind of Parhatas, stuffed or otherwise, puri bhaji, dalia, halwa in the north to Sanja, Upma, in central and south India, all made from wheat. This
is in addition to different kinds of bread are available all over the country.
South Indian rice and dal based breakfast has gone places. Be it Dosa or Utthappa or Idli or
different forms of Vada. Tea and
coffee is accompaniment in North and South respectively. In places Lassi, milk and jalebi dominate the
breakfast landscape. Oats and corn
flakes are miserable failure in India. Eggs do have their own place but with
limitations. Indian masala omelet and anda
bhurji or baida bhurji as known
in Mumbai with bread or Parhata or Roti have earned their own place in
Indian cuisine. These two egg preparations can be made with thousands of
different combinations and all are tasty. Cheese is getting popular but more for pizza like
of preparations or Dosa or Pav Bhaji. Non availability of different
varieties and high cost can be the reasons why cheese has not entrenched the
breakfast tables.
There are some exclusive regional
preparations. North and central India relishes Sattu. Maharashtra has Pohe
and 24X7 Vada Pav, Gujaratis are fond
of Dhokla and Phaphda while Bengalis may prefer Luchi and Aloor Dom. In
Maharashtra Pohe are very common and
are made in different ways. Pohe/Poha is puffed flattened rice.
There is thick and thin variety. Depending upon the preparation one has to
choose the right one. There is one more variety of Poha that is generally used in commercially produced Chivda. For a common kitchen thick and thin Poha are usually sufficient. In
Vidarbha it’s Tel Tikhat Meeth Pohe,
in coastal region it’s Dadpe Pohe,
both these are prepared from thin Poha.
Kande Pohe is everywhere and is made
from thick variety. Apart from this Poha
makes different forms of Chivada that
are popular. For Kande Pohe the dry thick
Poha are generally soaked in water
for a while before it’s cooked. I am not giving here the recipe for Kande Pohe, but for a non-gas cooking
form of thick poha. This is my
favourite Dahi Poha. I like it for
the breakfast especially after heavy and spicy meals earlier evening. This also
good for those who might have had an extra “one for the road” drink late in the
night that is causing some acidity. I would suggest Dahi Poha for such condition as Dahi
(Curd, Yoghurt) has a cooling effect and Poha
increases the volume that offers a soothing sensation over a wider surface area
of stomach, giving relief. I never advise milk in such conditions, but
certainly Dahi or buttermilk or my
favourite Dahi Poha do well.
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| Ingredients: Thick Pohe (dry and soaked) and Yoghurt |
Take a curry bowl full of thick Poha. Place them in a large bowl. Add clean
filtered drinking water that should be at least half an inch above the Poha level. Stir well. Pour out the
water carefully. You may strain if desired. Repeat the process one more time.
Now add some water that should be seen at the edge of washed Poha when you tilt the bowl by about 45
degrees. Leave the bowl on the table and let the water get soaked in for ten to
fifteen minutes. In the meantime take one bowl Dahi (Curd, Yoghurt) in another large bowl and whisk it. Add salt
as per taste, little sugar, half a spoonful of red chili powder as per you liking
and cumin seed powder for taste. Get back to the bowl that has water soaked Poha. Move a spoon through the soaked poha to loosen it and pour the mixture of
Dahi over it. Stir well to mix. You
may add some water depending upon consistency that you desire and sourness of Dahi. Finally adjust salt as per your
taste and your soothing breakfast is ready. As a variation Dahi can be replaced by milk (If you don’t have hyperacidity). Salt
makes a way for sugar and cardamom powder is a substitute for chili and cumin
seeds powder. This sweet version tastes so good with cold milk. Enjoy.
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