Poha cutlet in air fryer is a simple Indian snack made with soaked flattened rice, boiled potato, onion, ginger, chilli, and everyday spices. The cutlets turn lightly crisp outside and soft inside without deep frying.
This recipe is different from my air fryer rice cutlet, which uses cooked rice as the main base. Here, poha gives the cutlets a softer, lighter texture. If you enjoy air fryer Indian snacks, you may also like this air fryer Indian snacks collection and these air fryer pakora recipes.
Why Make This in the Air Fryer?
The air fryer cooks the poha cutlets with less oil than deep frying. It also makes small batches easy, especially when the cutlets are shaped and ready in advance.
Quick Summary: Soak and drain poha, mix it with potato, onion, ginger, chilli, and spices, shape into cutlets, freeze overnight, then air fry at 185°C until browned.
Pro Tip: Drain the poha well before mixing. Too much water can make the cutlet mixture soft and harder to shape.
Ingredients
- Poha
- Boiled potatoes
- Onion
- Ginger
- Green chilli
- Garam masala
- Paprika
- Amchur
- Salt
- Oil
Use medium or thick poha for better texture. Very thin poha can become mushy quickly after soaking.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Soak the poha
Add poha to a bowl and soak it in water for a few minutes, just until it softens. I have used Red poha here, hence the light pink color.
2. Drain the poha
Drain the excess water well. Keep the soaked poha aside while you prepare the potato and onion mixture.
3. Chop onion, ginger, and chilli
Add onion, ginger, and green chilli to a chopper. Chop them finely so they mix evenly into the cutlet mixture.
4. Add boiled potatoes
Add boiled potatoes to the chopped onion mixture and mash them coarsely. Keep some texture in the mixture.
5. Mix the potato base
Transfer the potato and onion mixture to a bowl. Add garam masala, paprika, amchur, and salt.
6. Add soaked poha
Add the drained poha to the potato mixture. Mix gently until the poha, potato, onion, and spices come together.
7. Shape the cutlets
Take a portion of the mixture and shape it into a round patty. Press it gently so it holds together.
8. Freeze the shaped cutlets
Arrange the shaped cutlets on a lined tray and freeze them overnight. This helps them stay firm before air frying.
9. Air fry the first side
Preheat the air fryer for 5 minutes. Place the cutlets in the basket, brush with oil, and air fry at 185°C for 10 minutes.
10.Brush, turn, and finish cooking
Brush with a little more oil, turn the cutlets, and cook for another 10 to 12 minutes at 185°C, until browned and lightly crisp.
Variations
- Spicier poha cutlet: Add extra green chilli or a little more paprika.
- More tangy: Increase amchur slightly if you like a sharper snack-style flavour.
- Mini poha bites: Shape the mixture into smaller patties for party snacks. Adjust the cooking time based on size.
- Different cutlet base: For a rice-based version, try this air fryer rice cutlet.
Substitutions
- Poha: Use medium or thick poha. Thin poha can become too soft after soaking.
- Potato: Potato helps bind the cutlets, so avoid reducing it too much.
- Paprika: Use mild red chilli powder if you want more heat.
- Amchur: Use a little lemon juice only if the mixture is not already too soft, as extra liquid can affect shaping.
- Oil: Use any neutral cooking oil for brushing.
Poha Cutlet in Air Fryer
Equipment
- Air fryer
- bowl
- Food processor
Ingredients
- 1½ cups poha white poha / red poha
- 2 big potatoes boiled potatoes
- 1 medium onion
- Ginger chopped
- Green chilli chopped
- ½ tablespoon garam masala
- ½ tablespoon dried mint powder or fresh mint
- ½ tablespoon paprika
- ½ tablespoon amchur powdered dry mango, use lemon juice if required
- Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoon Oil for brushing
Instructions
- Soak the poha in water for a few minutes, then drain the excess water well.
- Chop the onion, ginger, and green chilli finely.
- Add boiled potatoes and coarsely mash them with the onion mixture.
- Transfer the potato-onion mixture to a bowl.
- Add garam masala, paprika, amchur, and salt.
- Add the soaked and drained poha.
- Mix everything gently until the mixture holds together.
- Shape the mixture into round cutlets.
- Arrange the cutlets on a lined tray and freeze overnight.
- Preheat the air fryer for 5 minutes.
- Place the cutlets in the air fryer basket, brush with oil, and cook at 185°C for 10 minutes.
- Brush with oil again, turn the cutlets, and cook for another 10 to 12 minutes, until browned and lightly crisp.
Notes
FAQs
Yes, soak the poha for a few minutes so it softens. Drain the excess water well before mixing it with potato and spices.
The mixture may have too much water, or the poha may not have been drained well. Freezing the shaped cutlets overnight also helps them stay firm while air frying.
Yes, this recipe does not use breadcrumbs. The boiled potato and soaked poha help bind the cutlets.
Similar Recipes
- Air Fryer Rice Cutlet - A similar cutlet-style snack made with cooked rice instead of poha.
- Air Fryer Indian Snacks - A useful collection for more low-oil Indian snack ideas.
- Air Fryer Pakora Recipes - A related collection of crispy Indian air fryer snacks.
- Air Fryer Mix Pakora - Another vegetable-based air fryer snack with Indian spices.
- Air Fryer Gobi Pakora - A cauliflower snack cooked in the air fryer with less oil.
- Air Fryer Bread Pakora - A filling tea-time snack made in the air fryer.
Conclusion
This poha cutlet in air fryer is a simple way to turn poha, potato, onion, and spices into a lightly crisp vegetarian snack. Serve it hot with chutney, ketchup, or tea. For more ideas, browse these Indian air fryer recipes or try the related air fryer rice cutlet.
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