Aloo Posto | Potatoes cooked with poppy seeds

Posto or poppy seeds or khus khus are obtained from opium poppy and are used across various cuisines. Bengalis are one of those kinds that ate deeply awed by their POSTO. It is highly versatile and can be incorporated virtually into any vegetable/fish/chicken to satisfy a Bengali gastronome. Born into a Bengali family, I have very fond memories of having posto cooked by my mother every now and it still remains an integral part of my favorite food list. 

One of my ever favorites and my ultimate comfort food is Aloo Posto and here is how I love to make it:

ALOO POSTO (POTATOES COOKED WITH POPPY SEEDS)


Preparation time :                                                          Cooking time :
Serves : 2

Ingredients

Potatoes -  (3-4 large potatoes peeled and cubed)
30 gm : White poppy seeds (soaked in water to get 5-6 heaped tsp of paste / posto bata)
5-6 : Green chillies
1 tbsp : Mustard oil
1 tsp : Nigella / kalonji / kalo jeera
A pinch of : Turmeric (optional)
Salt and Sugar to taste
2 tsp : Ghee

Method

1. Wash, peel and cut the potatoes into cubes.
2. Soak the poppy seeds in little water for 2-3 hours or more, even overnight. Longer the poppy seeds are soaked, easier it will be to grind them in a paste.
3. Chop the green chillies and use them with the poppy seeds while making a paste, add very little water to grind the paste. It will take around 10 minutes in multiple pulses and give your mixer a break for 2-3 minutes in between to cool off the heat.
4. Heat the mustard oil in a pan till it reaches the smoking point.
5. Temper the oil with nigella seeds, let it splutter.
6. Add the potatoes, green chillies and a pinch of turmeric if you are using it.
7. Fry the potatoes on medium heat, do not brown it.
8. Add the cumin powder, if using.
9. Add ½ cup water , salt and cover the potatoes, let it simmer on lowest heat till half done.
10. Now add the poppy seed paste, coat the potatoes well with the paste, saute for couple of minutes.
11. Adjust the seasonings, check for salt and add sugar to taste (usually ¼ tsp).
12. Add the milk or water, cover it and let it cook till done, potatoes should not get mashed.
13. This is a dry dish, so wait till most of the liquid evaporates.
14. You can drizzle few drops of mustard oil or a spoonful of ghee over aloo posto to heighten the flavor.
15. Serve aloo posto with steamed rice and dollop of ghee.

Note:

The poppy seeds paste should be very smooth and turns out better when soaked for a couple of hours. Traditionally, my mother would make the paste in a sheel noda. But for working people who do not have this can dry grind the seeds and mix them with water.

Image source: Google Images

Eggless Oreo Cake | Jhatpat Microwave Cake in 5 minutes

This super duper easy and quick cake would always remain special to me and there's a reason for that. Here I have to admit that never ever in my life so far, have I been able to make a cake successfully. Somehow, the forces from above have always kept me from making that delusional perfect spongy cake. But yesterday was different. After a string of failed attempts, I have succeeded in making a spongy and delectable cake. I was so excited that I just couldn't wait for garnishing the cake, I just had to dig into it!

I came across the recipe for this cake on a Facebook page and never thought that I could really execute it as I believed my baking attempts are jinxed forever. But on the insistence of a friend who had successfully tried it, I went ahead and took the plunge.

For those like me who have never dared to venture into the world of baking, this is a must-try!

Here's what you need:

EGGLESS OREO CAKE RECIPE

Preparation time: 5 mins                                                    Cooking time: 5 mins


Ingredients

Oreo biscuits - 19
Milk - 1 cup
Eno - 3/4 tsp or Baking powder - 1/2 tsp


Method

1. First crush all the Oreo biscuits to a powder consistency.
2. Add milk and whisk it all well till it rises to about twice in volume.
3. Grease a glass bowl or a microwavable dish that is deep enough with olive oil or butter.
4. Add the Eno/baking powder to the batter and transfer the contents to the greased dish.
5. Put the bowl in the microwave on high power for 5 minutes.
6. Check if the cake is done. If not, microwave it for some more time, keeping a close watch.
7. Once it is done, leave undisturbed for 15 minutes before garnishing/serving.

Note:

1. I used the original Oreo biscuits. You can also try the other variations.
2. You can also add a drop of vanilla essence into the batter for enhanced flavour.

This was the first time I baked a cake but certainly was not the last! I will endeavour to move ahead from here and improve my baking skills. 

"NO MATTER HOW GOOD YOU GET YOU CAN ALWAYS GET BETTER, AND THAT'S THE EXCITING PART."

~ Tiger Woods

Chicken Makhanwala - Comfort food on a rainy day | Chicken Makhanwala

As I have already spoken about being married into a family of food aficionados, every person including my husband and even my father-in-law is a great cook with his/her own specialty. This post is about a recipe from my brother-in-law's goody bag. He is exceptional when it comes to preparing non-vegetarian dishes and is our in-house chicken/mutton/pork expert. He never follows any recipe and cooks from the heart, which is perhaps the reason why food cooked by him turns out brilliant most of the time.

Last evening, as we welcomed the belated first shower of monsoon, our plans to go out for dinner were foiled. As we were all perplexed by the heavy shower, dear Brother-in-law (let's call him RD) decided to be the saviour of the evening and made this version of Butter Chicken (which he calls Chicken Makhanwala) for us. No points for guessing that it was finger lickin' good!

So here is the recipe that I have taken from him for the toothsome Chicken Makhanwala, which novices like me could breeze through.

CHICKEN MAKAHANWALA RECIPE

Preparation time : 2-3 hours                          Cooking time : 50 mins
Serves : 6

Ingredients

Chicken - 1 kg

Garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Green chillies - 3 (sliced)
Tomatoes - 6 (puréed)
Cumin powder - 2 tsp
Red chilli powder - 2 tsp
Sugar - 1 tsp
Salt - as per taste
Water - 1 cup
Milk - 1/2 cup
Cream - 5 tbsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Kasuri Methi - 1 tsp
Coriander leaves - finely chopped (for garnishing)


For Marination
Curd - 2 tbsp
Salt - 3 tsp
Red chilli powder - 2 tsp


Method

1. Take the chicken along with all ingredients listed under marination list in a bowl. Mix well and keep aside for at least 2-3 hours.
2. When done, heat butter in a pan on very low heat and as butter melts, add the garlic paste and cook.
3. As the raw smell of garlic goes, add sliced green chillies, cumin powder, red chilli powder and salt.
4. Add 1 tbsp of water and mix it well.
5. After 2-3 mins, add tomato purée and cook on medium flame till oil starts separating.
6. Now add 1/2 cup of water and sugar and stir.
7. Once the gravy comes to a boil, add the chicken pieces. Cover and cook till chicken becomes tender.
8. Once chicken is cooked, lower the flame (you can even remove from heat) and add milk. Stir well and cook for a minute.
9. Add cream, mix it all well.
10. Now add garam masala and kasuri methi. Mix well.
11. Transfer the contents of the pan into a serving bowl and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
12. Chicken Makhanwala is ready to be served.

Note: 

1. The milk should be kept at room temperature before adding to the gravy.
2. Be very careful when adding milk to the gravy. Lower the flame and you can even switch the flame off as high heat would cause the milk to curdle.