Sweet Dahi Poha is a creamy, no-cook indian breakfast that's creamy, fruity, and deeply satisfying. Flattened rice(poha) is soaked in milk and then folded with sweetened, cardamom-spiced yogurt. Topped with juicy seasonal fruits and nuts, it makes for a perfect summer breakfast or a light dessert.
I didn’t grow up eating this breakfast. Dahi poha (or choora) was introduced to us by a neighbor from Bihar. We instantly took to it. It’s light, refreshing, and, on some days, a welcome change from our usual stuffed paratha mornings.
How To Make Dahi Poha
It’s quite similar to overnight oats, except the poha doesn’t need to soak nearly as long. Honestly, there’s hardly a recipe. Just soak the poha in milk (or water) until it absorbs the liquid and softens. If you like, you can add chia seeds while soaking for an extra boost.
If you want to avoid mixing milk and yogurt, soak the poha in water instead. Once the poha has softened, add cold whisked plain yogurt. There’s no need for exact measurements, just build your bowl the way you like it.
The only real trick is choosing the right kind of flattened rice, since there’s no cooking involved. Use thick poha, as it holds its texture better after soaking. Thin poha breaks down and the texture is lost, so I would avoid it.
Divide into portions and top with seasonal fruits (since I make it during summers, I always go for mangoes & cherries). Sprinkle with any nuts or toppings you like and sweeten with just about anything. I love to top it with date syrup or maple syrup but kids prefer sugar(which also preserves the pristine ivory color).
You can make it layered with layers of soaked poha and fruits or place in a bowl.
Recipe Tips
- Play around with the quantities of yogurt to get the consistency you like.
- Use thick coconut milk while soaking and dairy free yogurt of your liking for a vegan version of this recipe.
- I highly recommend whisking the yogurt to smooth before adding it in. This helps keep the poha from turning mushy. Once you add the yogurt, avoid over mixing; instead, gently fold it in to maintain the texture.
- For a fruity twist, try mixing the yogurt with puréed berries, mango pulp, or mashed bananas before combining it with the poha. It adds a lovely flavor and natural sweetnes. As you can see in photos, I use mango pulp or mango chunks on different days.
Sweet Dahi Poha (Dahi Choora)
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup thick poha flattened rice
- 1 cup milk or water
- 1.5 cup plain yogurt make sure its not sour, adjust quantity as needed
- ¼ teaspoon green cardamom powder
- 1 ripe mango ~¾ cup mango pieces
- ½ cup cherries pitted and halved
- 1-2 tablespoon date syrup adjust to taste, or use sugar
- 2 tablespoon nuts I use walnuts and almonds
Instructions
- Place the flattened rice in a large bowl and cover it in milk. Let sit and soak for 15 minutes. Don't use too much of milk or soak for long else the poha will get very mushy.
- Whisk the yogurt in another bowl using a metal whisk. If you are using sugar, mix it at this stage with yogurt. If you are using mango or banana pulp, mix with yogurt at this stage.
- Once poha is soaked, fluff up and loosen grains gently with fork. Add the yogurt on the soaked poha. Sprinkle the cardamom powder.
- Using a small rubber spatula, very gently fold the yogurt and combine with poha. Avoid mixing vigorously to preserve the texture.
- Divide the dahi poha in serving bowls.Top it with rest of the yogurt, mango puree and seeds/nuts of choice. Drizzle date syrup and add the nuts. Alternatively, you could layer the yogurt and poha in a mason jar. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Adjust the amount of yogurt to achieve the consistency you prefer.
- For a vegan version, soak the poha in thick coconut milk and use your favorite dairy-free yogurt.
- For a fruity variation, blend the yogurt with puréed berries, mango pulp, or mashed bananas before adding it to the poha. This adds natural sweetness and a nice flavor. As shown in the photos, I sometimes use mango pulp and other times fresh mango chunks.
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