Poha Khadi / Beaten Rice Burfi / Pova Chikki.

Poha Khadi / Beaten Rice Burfi / Pova Chikki also known in olden days as Pova Mandi topped with roasted melon seeds and cashews for Today's Naivedyam .... A delicious sweet chikki type burfi that tastes yummy .....

** Chikki / Khadi is sort of a hard toffee prepared using jaggery. This also known in Konkani Saraswat Cuisine as Pova Mandi. You can prepare these using any ingredients like roasted grams, groundnuts, cashew nuts, dry fruits, poha, kurmura etc. A lovely burfi sort of item that is best taken with you when you travel as popping in the same and slowly munching on them releases energy to the body. Sometimes when we are on a tour or vacation we are not able to get proper food etc. and this comes in handy during such times.

** I always make it a point to carry anyone one of the once I prepare while travelling as not only it can be relished to kill boredom it also fills in the tummy and is a good time pass too. Try this, its summer holidays and children are always feeling hungry or wanting something to munch on. They are sure to love rolling this in mouth or chewing on them. Also poha is very good for health considering it has not much of calories in them compared to nuts and is definitely better than those ready made eatables from stores.

** Here is to the Recipe to Poha Khadi / Beaten Rice Burfi / Pova Chikki .... 

** Take three cups of thick pova / poha / beaten rice in a MW dish and microwave for 2 minutes mixing in between at one minute interval. Remove and keep it aside ready.

** You can roast them on a kadai too if you do not wish to follow the microwave method. The point here is to roast the poha to abtain crispiness.

** Take ½ cup of melon seeds and ½ cup of cashews cut into small pieces. Mix well and roast in microwave till slightly brownish. You can dry roast in a thick bottomed kadai too. Just roast it on medium flame stirring often till light brown in colour. Keep this ready aside.

** Again, here too you can roast them on a kadai too if you do not wish to follow the microwave method. I use microwave method coz. it is quick and fast and gives perfect results if you learn how to go about it.


** Grease a tray / plate with melted ghee. Rub it all over the inner sides of the tray evenly and keep this ready too aside.

** In a thick bottomed kadai add 200 gms of chikki gur (jaggery) or any other jaggery cut into small piece. Add 1 tblsp of pure homemade ghee (you can use any ghee) and keep it on medium flame till the jaggery melts.

** Keep a bowl with water ready aside to test the thread consistency of the jaggery. When the jaggery comes to a boil, lower the heat to minimum, put in a marble sized drop into the water.

** If the jaggery can be formed into a sticky ball the jaggery has reached the consistency needed for the burfi. Do not over boil the jaggery. Once full bubbles form in the jaggery it hardly takes a few minutes for it to reach the right consistency.


** Now add the roasted melon and cashews to the melted jaggery and mix well. Add in a tsp of cardamom powder also and mix well. Add in half of the poha and mix well. Keep adding the poha and mixing the jaggery.

** Keep checking the texture of the mixture. If you find that the jaggery has covered up the poha well, do not add in more poha.  This is because the amount of poha the jaggery holds usually differs from each jaggery. Some take in a lot while some do not. Here I have used all the 3 cups of poha.


** Mix the poha and jaggery well so that all the poha’s are coated well with the jaggery. This process should be done fast to avoid the poha from getting hardened in which case you cannot then give proper shape to the burfi.

** Now pour all the poha in one go into the tray carefully as it is hot. Spread the poha well with the back of the spatulla to cover the full tray.


** Now use the back of a flat bottomed tumbler to level the poha by applying ghee to the tumbler and patting it nicely on the poha. 

** Leave the poha burfi to cool a bit, then make insertions on it. You can give any shape like diamond shape or square one’s. Making markings and complete insertions is very important.

** This will help you in getting perfectly cut burfi. Once the mixture cools then it next to impossible to do the same. So do make it when still hot. 

** Let cool completely. With the help of a blunt knife gently lift each burfi from bottom and separate them into pieces. Put them in an air tight box and serve as and when you wish.

** Remains good for 2 weeks. Also good to carry when travelling coz. Its quite filling and gives energy too. Remains good if carried in airtight box or you can pack them a few pieces in paper wraps too. 

** "Poha Khadi / Beaten Rice Burfi / Pova Chikki is done and ready to be served".  Serve these to your family and children and you will love to see their gleaming faces with joy. Children simply love rolling them in their mouth, so do not make them into large pieces and keep them small, they will really enjoy chewing them, off course so will elders and seniors too.

Note : Chikki gur is jaggery ie available in Mumbai (Maharashtra) during the month of January at the time of Makara Sankranthi. This is available for a month or so. That is the time when the famous Til gul / Seasame laddoo are prepared. This is usually bought in bulk during that time and stored for all year round. It is available sometimes in some shops for almost 6-7 months if they store the same. This jaggery does not need much of boiling and testing for the thread consistency. Once the jaggery melts and good bubbles appear it’s a breeze work as the jaggery will have reached right consistency. Water is however not added to the gud as it melts really fast on its own. The chikki gur / jaggery if somewhat gummy in texture. You can use any jaggery in which case you will have to check the correct thread consistency for the same. I have used chikki gur here as I usually store the same for year around usage.