Poha Cutlet / Poha Vegetable Cutlet

Poha Cutlet is a healthy and delicious appetizer full of vegetables. It is crispy outside, soft inside, and has a pleasant vegetable crunch. The recipe is easy, and straightforward, comes together quickly, and cutlets are shallow-fried with a little oil. 

Jump to:

• About Poha Cutlet
• Ingredients
• Step-by-Step Directions
• Serving Suggestions
• Storing and Reheating The Poha Cutlet
• Make-Ahead Suggestions
• Helpful Tips
• Frequently Asked Questions
• More Appetizers
• Recipe Card

Our Latest Videos

About Poha Cutlet

Poha Vegetable Cutlet is an Indian Appetizer and can also be served as an early evening snack or breakfast. The recipe is simple, but it really tastes excellent and satisfying. 

Poha, or pressed rice, is prevalent in India and is used for a healthy breakfast. So, try this cutlet recipe if you want to give a little twist to your regular Poha dish.

Poha Cutlet is without onion and garlic, but I have added other vegetables. The cutlet mixture comes together very easily, and to give some crispiness, I have coated the cutlets with bread crumbs. But you do not even need to use bread crumbs; you can shallow-fry the cutlet without any coating.

Ingredients

1. Poha: The recipe requires to use of thick Poha. Thin Poha breaks very easily while washing them and gets mushier. But thick Poha retains the shape well even after washing them. 
2. Potato: Here, the potato works as a binding agent. And hence there is no need to add cornstarch or flour to bind the mixture. You can use boiled raw bananas instead if you do not eat potatoes.
3. Vegetables: I have added carrots, green pepper, and cabbage. The vegetables add nutrient value and crunch to the cutlets. You can use your choice of vegetables, but make sure to chop them finely. If using green peas, boil them and drain the water completely. You can also add blanched french beans if you prefer. 
4. Coriander Leaves: I love adding these greens to most dishes. It provides a beautiful color and an earthy flavor. Use the fresh leaves and chop them finely.
5. Ginger and Chili: You can add the quantity mentioned in the recipe or add less or more as per your preferences.
6. Spices: Garam Masala, Chaat Masala, and a pinch of black pepper perfectly work in this recipe. They add lots of flavors to the cutlet. But again, you can add the spices as per your choice.
7. Sugar: It is optional to add, but I will highly recommend it. It elevates the other flavors and adds a very slight sweetness in contrast to the spiciness of the Poha Cutlet.
8. Lime Juice: You can add less or more as you prefer the taste. Also, instead of lime juice, you can add Amchur powder (dried mango powder).
9. Cornstarch Slurry: Cornstarch slurry helps the breadcrumbs to coat with a Poha cutlet. Instead of cornstarch, you can also use all-purpose flour to make the slurry.
10. Breadcrumbs: I have used wholewheat and soft breadcrumbs. But you can use white breadcrumbs and use either dry or soft; either one will work. You do not need much of it; I have made fresh crumbs from one slice of whole wheat bread.

Step-by-Step Directions

Making a Poha Cutlet Mixture

• Place the Poha into a colander or strainer. Wash them thoroughly under running water until the water runs clear.
• Let the Poha stand for 8-10 minutes until completely drained.

• Boil or steam the potatoes until thoroughly cooked.
• Then peel the potatoes and take them into a large mixing bowl.

• When potatoes are still warm, mash them with a fork or potato masher.
• Alternatively, you can also grate the potatoes with a fine grater.

• To the bowl of mashed potatoes, add Poha, all the vegetables, coriander leaves, salt, ginger, chili, turmeric powder, Garam Masala, Chaat Masala, black pepper powder, sugar, and lime juice.

• Mix everything well.
• Continue mixing with your hand until the mixture comes together like a dough.
• At this point, taste the mixture and adjust the salt, sugar, or lime juice if required.

Shallow-Frying The Poha Cutlet

• Divide the mixture into 8-12 equal portions, depending on the size of the cutlet you prefer.
• Shape each portion into a round patty.

• To make a cornstarch slurry, In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and water.
• In another bowl, take the breadcrumbs.

• Now dip each cutlet into a cornstarch slurry first.
• Then place the cutlet into a bowl of breadcrumbs and coat the cutlet evenly with breadcrumbs.
• Prepare all the cutlets this way.

• Heat 2-3 tablespoon of oil in a frying pan.
• Place the cutlet into the pan, 3-4 at a time, so the pan is not overcrowded.
• Cook the cutlets on both sides until crispy and golden brown on both sides.  

• Remove the cutlets from the pan and place them on absorbent paper or a paper towel. 

Serving Suggestions

• Serve the Poha Cutlet hot or warm with ketchup or your choice of chutney.
• You can serve them with this Tomato Chutney or this Coriander Chutney.
• Serve the Poha Vegetable Cutlet for breakfast, afternoon snacks, and after-school snacks, or as an appetizer for a party or get-together.
• You can also make sandwiches using these cutlets. Place the cutlet between the slices of bread with chutney and other veggies. It will make a wholesome lunch or meal.

Storing and Reheating The Poha Cutlet

• Poha cutlet is best served hot or warm. It will become soft upon keeping for longer. But if you have leftovers, place the cutlets into an air-tight container and refrigerate for up to two days.
• Reheat the cutlets on the frying pan with very little oil on low heat until hot. If you have an air-fryer, you can also reheat it in the air-fryer until the cutlet is crispy and hot again.

Make-Ahead Suggestions

• You can prepare the mixture ahead of time. Place it in the fridge until the time to make cutlets. We can keep the cutlet mixture in the refrigerator for up to two days.
• To make it easier, you can also shape the mixture into cutlets and then place them in the fridge until you are ready to shallow-fry.

Helpful Tips

• Use only thick Poha, and do not sub with thin variety.
• Add a few or more veggies of your choice.
• You can also use a small raw banana, boiled, peeled, and mashed instead of potatoes.
• Add green chili and Garam Masala as per your taste.
• The coating of breadcrumbs adds extra crispiness to the cutlet. However, you can skip the step of cornstarch slurry and breadcrumbs. Instead, shallow-fry the cutlet without breadcrumbs coating.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Skip Vegetables?

Yes! You can skip the vegetables and make the cutlet with only Poha and potatoes. Vegetables add nutrient value and crunch to the cutlets, but skipping them will not affect the taste of the Poha Cutlet.

Can I Make It Without Potato?

Absolutely! Potato works as a binding agent to this cutlet. So replace potatoes with something similar. For example, you can use boiled and mashed raw bananas instead of potatoes. Or add some cooked rice to the mixture for the binding.

More Appetizers

You may also like

• Corn Paneer Tikki
• Healthy Zucchini Paneer Fritters
• Air Fried Chickpea and Spinach Tikki

Recipe Card