Poha & Puffed Rice

Both begin as rice and both are ready in minutes, which is why so many Indian kitchens keep some of each. Poha, also called pawa, aval or chira, is rice that has been parboiled and pressed flat into flakes. Puffed rice, known as mumra, mamra, muri or pori, is rice heated until it bursts into light, crisp grains. Both sit within our rice and grains department.

Poha comes in thin, medium and thick flakes, plus red aval made from red rice, and the thickness decides the dish. Puffed rice varies too: basmati mumra is long and delicate, bhel mumra is sturdier for mixing with chutneys, and Bengali muri is small and crunchy for jhal muri.

Pick thick or medium poha for kanda poha and batata poha, and thin poha for chivda and dry roasted snacks. Rinse flakes in a sieve for a few seconds only, because they keep softening as they sit. Crisp puffed rice goes limp in humid air, so seal the bag tightly, or warm it in a dry pan for a minute before making bhel.