Aloo posto – Potatoes with poppy seeds

‘Aloo posto’ is like an anthem in every Bengali household around the world. 🙂 Another traditional vegetarian food.

Posto = poppy seeds = khus khus (Hindi).

It may sound like a boast, but Bengali women dominates, though we are not a complete Matriarchal Society. I loved this article on Modern Matriarchy  http://www.second-congress-matriarchal-studies.com/goettnerabendroth.html

But we Bengali are a dominating lot 😉 Goddess Durga and Kali combo 😛 . For more information……..

http://www.durgasite.com/durga/durga-kali/

Women are the centre stage in a Bengali household……and Bengali men are considered good husband material 😉 😀

Kitchen is part of that centre stage 😉

Aloo posto is a much loved and prepared food in our community. Best part is, it is easy to cook, few ingredients, light on the palate 🙂

Here’s what i did………

INGREDIENTS

3 nos – medium sized potatoes (peeled and cubed)

1/2 tsp – tumeric powder

2 nos – green chili

1 1/4 tbsp – poppy seeds

1/4 tsp – nigella seeds

2 tsp – oil

1 tsp – sugar

salt to taste

METHOD

Soak the poppy seeds for 30 mins and then grind it into a fine paste with 1 green chili.

Heat oil in a wok and temper with the nigella seeds. Wash the cubed potatoes and add it it to the tempered oil. Saute for 2-3 mins on high flame. Add the poppy paste, tumeric, salt and sugar. Slit the remaining green chili and add. Stir for a min and 1 cup of water. Cover and cook on low flame till potatoes are tender. If water remains, increase the flame and stir till all water dries up. Take it off fire.

Serve hot with steaming rice and pink lentils.

P.S. One may add thinly sliced onion before adding the potatoes. Posto can be cooked with several other seasonal vegetables and can also be made into fritters with/without freshly grated coconut.

Happy cooking !!! 🙂

Cheers !! 😉

 

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