Aloo posto (potato in poppy seed paste)
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Potato cubes cooked with ground white poppy seeds and green chillies, a simple, cooling dish especially loved in western Bengal.
Region: West BengalOccasion: Everyday lunchTime: 30 minServes: 4Vegan
Ingredients
- 4 medium potatoes, cut in cubes
- 4 tbsp white poppy seeds (posto), soaked 30 minutes
- 3–4 green chillies
- ½ tsp kalonji (nigella seeds)
- ¼ tsp turmeric (optional)
- 3 tbsp mustard oil
- Salt to taste
Method
- Grind the soaked poppy seeds with 2 green chillies and a little water to a smooth paste.
- Heat mustard oil and add kalonji and the remaining slit chillies.
- Add the potatoes, salt and turmeric and fry for 5 minutes.
- Add ½ cup water, cover and cook until the potatoes are soft.
- Stir in the poppy seed paste and cook for 3–4 minutes until it coats the potatoes. Finish with a few drops of raw mustard oil.
History
Posto is widely said to have entered everyday Bengali cooking in the colonial period, when poppy was grown on a large scale in eastern India. It is especially popular in the Rarh region of Bankura, Birbhum and Bardhaman.
Significance
Aloo posto with rice and dal is a classic Bengali summer lunch; posto is believed to cool the body.