Milk Poha also known as Doodh poha, Paal aval is a popular flattened rice preparation made in Gujarati household. It is made by a combination of flattened rice simmered in sweetened milk and garnished with nuts and dried fruits. This healthy dish is considered as an Indian cereal in many places.
Doodh Poha Recipe (Milk Poha)
We all are familiar with savoury poha preparations like kanda poha, batata poha but this is a sweet dish made with poha enjoyed all over Maharashtra. Think about it as an Indian cereal.
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The first time I made it was few years back and it is completely different version that this. I added coconut and banana and made this slightly thicker. Even though it tasted good, I was not a fan of the thicker porridge consistency for the milk poha. So I made this version which is more like a cereal. It was tasty, nutritious and filling.
About Doodh Poha (Milk Poha)
Poha also known as flattened rice is a staple ingredients in Indian household. It is made into different dishes starting from breakfast to dessert. Such a nutritious and versatile ingredient to have on hand.
One of the most common way of consuming poha is upma. This vegetable poha upma and aval upma is a family favorite. Every Krishna Jayanthy we made this aval varattiyathu and aval payasam.
Recently I updated curd poha which turned out a winner and I have been making that over and over again. This milk poha has become a favorite too, specially with my little one.
I made this slightly different, I wanted to have it like a cereal. So I soaked and strained my poha to soften it first. Reduce milk with sugar and saffron. Usually cardamom is used, but I don't prefer cardamom in this recipe because it makes it taste like kheer then.
Once milk is reduced add in the soaked poha and simmer just for 2 minutes to soften the poha. Thats it. Traditionally chopped nuts and dried fruits is mixed directly into the milk. But I like to toast them. When you toast dates in ghee, it turns into this chewy texture which is super delicious.
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Ingredients
- Milk - use full fat milk for making this kheer. Boil the milk until it is reduced a bit before adding in the poha.
- Flattened Rice (Poha) - I use slightly thick poha for this dish, you can use thick or thin as per your preference.
- Sweetener - Jaggery, sugar can be used to sweeten this dish. You can also use honey or maple syrup.
- Flavourings - I used saffron to flavour the milk. You can add a touch of cardamom as well.
- Ghee - add little ghee to toast nuts. You can add nuts as it is without toasting.
- Nuts and Dried Fruits - You can use any nuts or dried fruits that you prefer. I used cashews, almonds, dates.
Step by Step Pictures
1)Take poha in a fine sieve and rinse them with cold water.
2)Once the poha is completely rinsed, set them aside for 5 minutes to soften.
3)Take sugar and saffron in a sauce pan.
4)Pour milk in the sauce pan and place on high heat.
5)Bring it to a full boil and cook for 5 to 8 minutes until the milk has reduced just a bit.
6)Now add in the softened poha into the milk.
7)Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes on low heat.
8)While the poha is simmering, heat ghee in a small pan. Add in cashews and almonds and fry in the ghee. Add in chopped dates and fry for another minute.
9)Now pour this into the poha mixture and mix well. Allow this to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
10)Serve immediately.
Watch Doodh Poha Recipe Video
Expert Tips
- You can use regular poha or thick poha for this recipe. Some times I use brown rice poha also.
- You can use any nuts or dried fruits that you prefer. You can use sultanas, raisins, pistachios or walnuts.
- Toasting the nuts is optional, you can add them without toasting as well.
- Flattened rice tends to absorb the milk as it rests. Depending on the consistency of the dish, you can adjust the milk.
Serving and Storage
Doodh poha taste best when made fresh and served fresh. As it rests and sits in fridge it gets thicker. So you may need to add more milk and warm it through.
FAQ
Q: Which poha should I use thick or thin?
You can use both thin or thick in this dish. Also you can use white or red rice poha as well.
Q: Can I sweeten this with jaggery instead of sugar?
Yes you can use jaggery, honey or maple syrup instead of sugar to sweeten this milk poha.
Q: What else can I add in this?
You can add different nuts and dry fruits. You can use any nuts or dried fruits that you prefer. Add sultanas, raisins, pistachios or walnuts. You can also use coconut, banana, apples in this.
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Milk Poha Recipe (Doodh Poha Recipe | Aval Paal)
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¾ cup Poha (Flattened Rice)
- 3 cups Milk
- ⅛ teaspoon Saffron
- ¼ cup Sugar
For Garnishing
- 1 teaspoon Ghee
- 4 no Dates chopped finely
- 2 tablespoon Cashews chopped
- 2 tablespoon Almonds chopped
Instructions
- Take poha in a fine sieve and rinse them with cold water. Once the poha is completely rinsed, set them aside for 5 minutes to soften.
- Meanwhile take sugar, saffron and milk in a sauce pan and place on high heat. Bring it to a full boil and cook for 5 to 8 minutes until the milk has reduced just a bit.
- Now add in the softened poha and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes on low heat.
- While the poha is simmering, heat ghee in a small pan. Add in cashews and almonds and fry in the ghee. Add in chopped dates and fry for another minute.
- Now pour this into the poha mixture and mix well. Allow this to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Video
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bestvindia
I liked it. Very good taste.