Tarri poha is Nagpur's contribution to India's enormous breakfast repertoire. The dish is simple: a mound of flattened rice (poha), lightly spiced and fried, topped with a ladleful of tarri — a thin, intensely flavoured gravy made from chickpeas, whole spices, and dried coconut. The contrast of textures and the heat of the tarri against the mild poha make it one of the most satisfying morning meals in Maharashtra.
You will find tarri poha at roadside stalls across the city from around 6am, but the best versions are in the older parts of town: around Mahal, Itwari, and the cotton market area. The ritual is the same everywhere — you stand at the stall, hand over 20 or 30 rupees, and eat from a small leaf plate while the chai wallah next door fills your glass. By 10am most stalls have sold out.