Aloo Posto (Potatoes cooked in rich poppy seed paste)

Poppy seeds or khaskhas, most popularly known as POSTO in Bengal is one of the favourite ingredients in many Bengali dishes. You would rarely find a Bengali who is unaware of this ingredient and most importantly there may be no such Bong who doesn't like Aloo Posto.

Aloo (Potato) + Posto (Poppy seed paste) = Soul food of every bong on this earth

So how do we achieve the equation above? Please find the steps below.

Ingredients

2 – 3 medium sized potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes

6 heaped tbsp of Poppy Seed (Posto/Khaskhas) paste

Slit Green chillies

Salt to taste

Sugar (optional)

Mustard Oil

Method

• In order to make a paste, you can first grind it to a powder. Then add some water and grind again. You can also add few green/red chillies while grinding as per your spice quotient. Remember that it should be a thick paste and not watery.
• Heat mustard oil in a wok. Add the chopped Potatoes. Stir well on high flame.
• Now add salt and a pinch of sugar. Stir well on high flame for 2 minutes. Remember that the potatoes need to be mixed with oil properly without getting a brownish tinch.
• Now add water and slit green chillies and cover cook till the potatoes are cooked. The water should be just enough to boil the potatoes and should not be added in excess.
• Once the potatoes are cooked, add the Poppy seed paste and stir well.
• Increase the flame and keep stirring till the water gets dried up. Keep in mind that the potatoes should not get mashed up in the process.
• Add 1 tbsp of Mustard oil just before removing from flame and stir a little.
• Serve your Aloo Posto garnished with slit green chillies.

Enjoy your meal with a simple Masoor Dal and Steamed Rice.