Alu Posto (Bengali recipe: Potatoes with Poppy Seeds)

Alu Posto is one of my all time comfort foods. If I have Alu and planning a weekend lunch, it has to be Alu Bhaja (Fried Potatoes), Alu Posto, Dal (lentil soup) and Bhat (rice). I just love this combination and it creates a certain level of satisfaction in my heart. I took the recipe from my mom right after joining IBM so I guess I have been preparing this recipe for more than ten years now. Dishes like this are especially useful to novice cooks because they do not have to do a lot of preparation or complicated steps. Just boil some rice, make some dal and enjoy it with this delicious torkari (vegetable side dish).

Alu Posto is a classic dish in Bengali families and like many other everyday recipes there are quite a few versions of it. My mom-in-law prepares it with garlic and Debarshi is quite fond of that flavor. My mom, on the other hand, uses only Panch fhoron and Posto to prepare this and since I love both the versions I keep switching between the two flavor profiles. Some people use mustard oil or nigella seeds or even soak the Posto overnight (for a quick fine grinding). I just use canola or vegetable oil to prepare this and since I never plan it ahead, overnight soaking is out of the question. Plus, I use Nutri bullet to grind the poppy seeds and it is a wonderful appliance for last minute dishes like this.

As I have mentioned in my article - Know more about Posto (Poppy Seeds), there are a few ingredients which we (Bengali’s) will always have in our kitchen (like Panch Fhoron, Cumin, Asafoetida and Posto). Of all these, Posto is one of the most expensive spices so make sure you are not wasting it. Wash it carefully and once you transfer the paste to the wok just rinse the grinder cup with a little water and add it in the wok so that all the Posto is used up.

Alu Posto can be paired with rice and any dal (Moong or Arhar) or even with roti. However, in the Bengali families it is mostly served with Urad dal and rice. This whole menu is comfort food, so make sure to take a nap after enjoying this delicious lunch. After all:

Happiness is – Comfort food on a weekend.

Ingredients:

• Potatoes – 2-3 large, peeled, cut into medium size cubes and washed
• Poppy Seeds – 2-3 tablespoons 
• Green Chilies – 2, slit in halves
• Canola or Vegetable Oil – 2 tablespoons
• Panch Fhoron – 1 teaspoon
• Turmeric Powder – ½ teaspoon
• Salt - to taste (about ½ teaspoon)
• Garlic – 2 cloves (optional)

Directions:

• Refer to my article on ‘Know more about Posto (Poppy Seeds)’ to know how to wash Posto.
• Once done, grind it in your Nutri Bullet (use the extractor blade). If you are adding Garlic, add it as well and make a paste.
• Heat a wok on medium- high heat.
• Add Oil in it.
• Pat dry the Potatoes.
• After a couple of seconds, add the Panch Fhoron and Green Chilli in it.  
• When the Panch Fhoron starts sputtering, add the Potatoes. 
• Fry till the Potatoes are golden red in color.
• Add the Poppy Seeds (and Garlic) paste, Turmeric powder and Salt in it and mix well. Make sure not to waste the paste clinging inside the grinder cup. You can add a little water in it and stir with a spoon or rubber spatula so that the Posto paste mixes with it and then you can add it in the wok. Mix well.
• After 2-3 minutes, turn down the heat to medium low and cover the wok.
• Cook for about 10-15 minutes so that the Potatoes are well cooked. 
• Press a piece of Potato with the spatula and if it breaks Alu Posto is ready. The consistency should be dry, there should be no gravy in the wok. The Posto paste should coat the potatoes.
• Serve with Urad dal and rice with a side of onion and green chilies.

Recommended Reading:

• Know more about Posto (Poppy Seeds)
• Kancha Posto (Bengali recipe: Raw Poppy Seeds Paste)
• Nutri Bullet – now cook gourmet foods whenever you want
• Urad Dal Bengali Style (Biulir dal/ White Lentils Soup) 
• Moonger dal (Yellow Lentils soup)
• Sweet Masoor Dal (Red Lentils Bengali style)
• Panch Fhoron
• Arhar Dal (Toor Dal or Split Yellow Pigeon Peas Soup)
• Kacha Aamer Ombol (Bengali chutney with Unripe Mango)
• Shorshe Diye Bata Mach (Bengali recipe: Fish in Mustard Gravy)
• Alu Potol Kumror Dalna (Potato, Pointed Gourd and Pumpkin curry)
• Korola Alu (Stir fried Bitter Gourd with Potatoes)
• Postor Bora (Bengali recipe: Poppy Seed Fritters)
• Pui Saag er Chochchori (Bengali recipe: Mixed vegetables with Shrimp and Malabar Spinach)
• Borboti Alur Torkari (Beans sautéed with spices and Potatoes)
• Beet er Torkari (Stir Fried Beetroot with Garlic)
• Jhinge Alu Posto (Ridge Gourd and Potatoes With Poppy Seeds)
• Bandakopi Alur Torkari (Mamma’s Cabbage in curried Potatoes)
• Kathal ki Sabji (Enchor/Jackfruit in a Tomato Curry)
• My Non-Traditional Sukhto (Bengali recipe: Mixed Vegetables)
• Bengali Tomato Chatni (chutney) With Dried Fruits

Kancha Posto (Bengali recipe: Raw Poppy Seeds Paste)

Bengali lunch menu has its own beauty. You see, if we are serving a goat or fish curry as our main course, we will prepare lots of other courses before that. So, there will be a starter with ghee (clarified butter) and a Bhaja like Saag or Korola (fried spinach or bitter guard) and then there will be dal (lentils) with some torkari (stir fried vegetables) and finally the highlight of the meal - goat or fish curry. In many families, a dessert like Roshogolla (prepared with Indian cottage cheese and sugar syrup) or Chaler Payesh (prepared by boiling rice in milk and flavored with nuts) is also a must after the meal. Sounds like a lot of food? The trick is to eat small portions of rice with the starter and lentils so that you can enjoy the main course properly while saving some room for the dessert as well.

This weekend we decided to go for an authentic Bengali lunch. Debarshi wanted to prepare Ilish Mach diye Jeerer Jhal (Cumin Fish curry), so I started working on the dal, Bhat and papad (prepared with a batter of gram flour, papad is thin like a crepe but sun dried and crisp, it is found ready made in packets and can be cooked either in microwave or on a skillet or by deep frying) part. I was still thinking about the starter when Debarshi took over. He prepared a quick, appetizing and hot poppy seed paste. We had it as a first course with some steamed rice and it was so flavorful that I couldn’t stop myself from eating some more. So, I thought why wait? This yummy paste should go on my blog right away!

Photo features: Steamed rice with Kancha Posto, Korola Peyaj (Bitter guard with onion), Chicken Korma and Arhar Dal (lentils).

Ingredients:

• Poppy Seeds - 3 tablespoons 
• Garlic – 2-3 cloves
• Green Chili - 2 
• Salt – to taste (about ¼ teaspoon)
• Red Onion – ¼, chopped finely
• Mustard Oil - 1 teaspoon 

Directions:

• Wash the Poppy Seeds in a strainer. Transfer to Nutri Bullet or Food Processor and add 2-3 tablespoons of water. Add the Garlic, Green Chilis and Salt and grind to a smooth paste with a thick consistency.
• Check by pressing a little amount of paste between your thumb and index finger. If it feels grainy grind again.
• Transfer the paste to a serving bowl with a spatula, avoid using your hands (remember the Chilis)
• Add the chopped Onion and Mustard Oil in it and mix well.
• Serve with steamed rice.

Recommended reading:

• Know more about Posto (Poppy Seeds)
• Nutri Bullet – now cook gourmet foods whenever you want
• Panch Bhaja (Crispy Deep Fried Vegetables)
• Korola Peyaj (Stir Fried Bitter Gourd with Onion)
• Alu Posto (Bengali recipe: Potatoes with Poppy Seeds)
• Kacha Aamer Ombol (Bengali chutney with Unripe Mango)
• Shorshe Diye Bata Mach (Bengali recipe: Fish in Mustard Gravy)
• Postor Bora (Bengali recipe: Poppy Seed Fritters)
• Jhinge Alu Posto (Ridge Gourd and Potatoes With Poppy Seeds)
• Bengali Tomato Chatni (chutney) With Dried Fruits

Know more about Posto (Poppy Seeds)

Every cuisine has a few basic ingredients which are used quite often to prepare a variety of dishes. In Bengali cuisine such common ingredients are Mustard Seeds and Mustard Oil, Turmeric, Ginger, Panch Fhoron, Cumin, Fennel and Poppy Seeds (also known as Posto in Bengali). I think it will be correct to say that you will find all these items in any Bengali’s kitchen. While we have used the other ingredients quite a few times in our recipes, I think it will be best to know more about Posto before we start discussing the recipe – Kancha Posto.

In India I have always seen and used only the white poppy seeds but here in the U.S, you can also find blue/ gray seeds. While the white Posto is sweeter in taste, the blue/ gray ones are slightly bitter and that’s why the latter are usually added to sweet baking goods to complement the taste. Since we will be using only the white poppy seeds in our Indian recipes, I would suggest you to get it from the local Indian store. As we do with all our spices, Posto should also be stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry and dark place so that it can stay fresh for up to six months. 

If you are feeling curious about the taste of Posto then go ahead take a few seeds and chew on it. Posto has a nutty and aromatic flavor and because of this it is used in the preparation of a variety of dishes like Alu Posto (stir fried potatoes with poppy seeds), Chicken Rezala (Chicken gravy with a paste of poppy seeds and cashew), Postor Bora (poppy seeds fritters with all purpose flour, onion and green chili), Jhinge Posto (Ridge gourd with poppy seeds), Fish Curry (with mustard and poppy seeds) and the list goes on and on. It will also be interesting to know here that Posto has many health benefits as well. It is rich in antioxidants and high in Oleic acid which helps to lower the bad cholesterol and increase the good cholesterol levels in the blood. Posto is also high in fiber and helps in the digestion process. It also contains good levels of minerals like iron, copper, calcium, potassium, manganese, zinc and magnesium. Dried poppy seeds are known to soothe the nervous irritability and act as painkillers. 

Whenever you are using Posto, always remember that every recipe will use a different amount. I also recommend to wash it before adding in any dish. Take a tea strainer and put the measured poppy seeds in it. Open the tap lightly and place the strainer below it. Swirl the poppy seeds with your finger and after the seeds settle, close the tap and transfer the washed seeds to the Nutri bullet to make a paste. If the dish demands whole seeds, then you can add the Posto in the dish right after washing it.

Know any other dishes prepared with Poppy seeds? Post in the comment section.

Bon Appetit!


Recommended Reading:

• Nutri Bullet – now cook gourmet foods whenever you want
• Alu Posto (Bengali recipe: Potatoes with Poppy Seeds)
• Postor Bora (Bengali recipe: Poppy Seed Fritters)
• Kancha Posto (Bengali recipe: Raw Poppy Seeds Paste)
• Mutton Rezala (Bengali recipe: Tender Meat in Cashew Poppy Seed sauce)
• Jhinge Alu Posto (Ridge Gourd and Potatoes With Poppy Seeds)
• My Non-Traditional Sukhto (Bengali recipe: Mixed Vegetables)
• Thandai (Refreshing Indian Drink)