Alu Posto( Potatoes with Poppy seeds)

Alu posto is one of the most popular dish in Bengali Cuisine. It goes well with hot pain rice and Daal(lentil soup). Being a Bengali I can say, our vegetarian meal is incomplete without a posto dish :) :) . It is true that opium and posto(poppy seeds) comes from same plant, but you won't feel sleepy or heavy after consuming poppy seeds, nor you can extract opium from poppy seeds :) :) . I hope you will enjoy this easy but very delicious dish.

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Ingredients:

1. Green chillies-3~4

2. Medium potatoes- 5 - 6

3. Ghee -1 tsp

4. Mustard oil - 2 tblsp

5. Poppy seeds (khuskhus/posto) - 1/2 cup

6. Salt to taste

7. Coriander powder - 1/2 tsb

8. Garlic cloves (optional, if you are preparing pure veg, you may not use garlic)- 4~5 finely chopped

9. Onion chopped (optional, if you are preparing pure veg, you may not use garlic)- 1 cup

Procedure:

Step1. Peel and cut the potatoes into one inch sized cubes, keep them in water.

Step2. Soak poppy seeds in one cup warm water for fifteen to twenty minutes. Remove and grind to a fine paste.

Step3. Heat up mustard oil in a pot till it just reaches smoking point. Lower the heat.

Step4. Put the chopped onion and garlic to the oil and fry till they become golden brown. if you are not using garlic and onion skip this step.

Step5. Now add the potato pieces, salt and stir fry on medium heat up for 4~5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Step6. Add the poppy seeds paste, stir and mix in half cup of water, cover and stir fry on low heat till the potatoes are almost done.

Step7. Take off the lid, mix in salt, coriander powder and slit green chillies.

Step8. Continue to stir fry for a minute more or till potatoes are completely cooked, add ghee at the end. Serve with plain rice. Enjoy your meal