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Kanda Poha with Sprouted Moong and Peanuts
Maharashtra's most familiar breakfast, given more protein with a generous handful of sprouted moong folded in at the end.
- Region
- Maharashtra
- Status
- Adaptation — traditional kanda poha with sprouted moong added
- Diet label
- Strictly vegetarian, egg-free
- Time
- Sprouting 1–2 days (or ready sprouts) · Prep 10 min · Cook 15 min
- Serves
- 2 (about 250 g each)
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Good for
- Quick weekday breakfast
- Tags
- Good source · Quick · Dairy-free · Soy-free · Whey-free · Gluten-free* · No added sugar
- Allergens
- Peanuts
Nutrition (estimated)
- Calories
- 375 kcal
- Protein
- 13 g
- Carbs
- 55 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 8 g
Headline values are per serving, as written.
| kcal | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Sat fat | Fibre | Total sugars | Protein per 100 kcal | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per serving | 375 | 13 g | 55 g | 11 g | 2 g | 8 g | 3 g | 3.5 g |
Good source · 3.5 g per 100 kcal. With 200 ml toned milk: about 490 kcal and 19 g protein. Values checked against IFCT 2017 on 14 Oct 2026.
Ingredients
- 100 g thick poha (1⅓ cups)
- 100 g sprouted moong (from about 45 g dry whole moong)
- 25 g raw peanuts · 80 g onion, finely chopped
- 10 g groundnut oil (2 tsp) · ½ tsp mustard seeds · 10 curry leaves · 2 green chillies · ¼ tsp turmeric · 3 g salt · ½ tsp sugar (optional, traditional)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice · 2 tbsp coriander · 10 g fresh coconut (optional garnish)
Method
- To sprout: soak moong 8 hours, drain, and keep in a covered colander for 24–36 hours, rinsing twice a day, until tails are 3–5 mm.
- Rinse poha in a colander under running water for 20 seconds. Drain and leave 10 minutes to soften. It should be soft but not mushy.
- Steam the sprouts for 5 minutes, or microwave with 2 tbsp water for 2 minutes, until just tender.
- Heat oil on medium. Fry peanuts 2 minutes until golden; remove.
- In the same oil, add mustard seeds; when they pop, add curry leaves and chillies, then onion. Cook 3 minutes until translucent.
- Add turmeric, salt and sugar (if using), then poha and sprouts. Toss gently on low heat for 2–3 minutes until heated through.
- Turn off the heat. Add peanuts, lemon juice and coriander. Serve with coconut on top.
Protein optimisation
- Sprouted moong gives about 5 g per serving, peanuts 3 g, poha 3.5 g.
- Boost: double the sprouts to 200 g (+5 g protein, +75 kcal per serving), or serve with a glass of milk or chaas as above.
Variations, serving and storage
- Regional: Indori poha — finish with ½ tsp jeeravan masala and a few pomegranate seeds.
- Substitution: sprouted matki (moth bean) in place of moong for a nuttier taste.
- Storage: best fresh; keeps 1 day refrigerated, reheated with a sprinkle of water.
- Food safety: sprouts can carry bacteria; steam or microwave them as described rather than eating raw, especially for older adults, pregnant women and young children. Discard sprouts that smell sour or look slimy.
- Meal prep: sprout a batch for the week; refrigerated sprouts keep 3 days.
Nutrition values are estimates calculated from the Indian Food Composition Tables 2017 (ICMR-NIN) and typical product labels. They have not been laboratory-analysed and will vary with your ingredients, brands and cooking. Recipes are for healthy adults and are general information only, not a substitute for advice from a doctor or qualified dietitian. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, cooking for children, have food allergies, or live with kidney disease, diabetes or any other medical condition, please take professional advice about your diet. From the collection Protein-Rich India by Dr. Shantanu Deshpande · drshantanudeshpande.com