Bengali aloo posto (potatoes with poppy seeds)
A super easy, quick and delicious Bengali recipe of potatoes cooked with poppy seeds paste. This one is most Bengalis much loved vegetarian recipe
Equipment
- Shallow cooking pot with lid
Ingredients
- 4-5 medium potatoes diced
- 4 tbsp poppy seeds
- 5-6 fresh chilis
- 1 dried red chili
- 1 tbsp paanch phoron*
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 4 tbsp mustard oil
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Soak the chilis and poppy seeds, in water, for at least 30 minutes thereafter strain and grind to a smooth paste, using 2-3 tablespoons of water. Keep it aside
- Heat the oil, over medium flame until it smokes. Add the dried chili and paanch phoron. Once the mustard seeds in it crackle, add the potatoes, turmeric and salt
- Stir fry these until the potatoes get a light brown colour on them
- Add in ½ cup of hot water, cover and cook the potatoes on a medium flame until 90% cooked
- Next add the poppy seeds paste along with 2-3 slit chilis (optional) and mix in gently. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook
- Once the potatoes are cooked completely switch the flame off and drizzle a spoon of mustard oil
- Serve your yummy Bengali aloo posto with a bowl of steamed rice and dal. Enjoy!
Notes
- *Paanch phoron is a Bengali whole spices mix of onion seeds (kalonji), cumin seeds (jeera), mustard seeds (rai), fenugreek seeds (methi) and fennel seeds (snauf)
- The aloo posto is a semi-dry side dish recipe. However, if you'd like to make a gravy of it increase the amount of water to be added in step 4 by another 1/2 cup
- 1 cup = 250 milliltres
- tbsp - tablespoon
- tsp - teaspoon