← Nouns Cooking · Indian

Ingredients

• 60 g white poppy seeds (posto), soaked in warm water for 1 hour
• 3 green chillies, divided
• 3 tbsp Mustard oil
• ½ tsp nigella seeds (kalonji)
• 2 Dried chillies (optional)
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 cm cubes
• ½ tsp Ground turmeric
• 1 tsp Salt
• 200 ml hot water

Method

1. Drain the poppy seeds and grind them with 2 green chillies and a few spoons of water into a thick, smooth paste.
2. Heat the mustard oil in a pan until it just smokes, then lower the heat to medium. Add the nigella seeds and dried chillies for a few seconds.
3. Add the potatoes and turmeric and fry for 5–6 min, stirring, until the edges start to colour.
4. Add the salt and hot water, cover and cook on low heat for 10–12 min until the potatoes are almost tender.
5. Stir in the poppy paste and the last chilli, slit, and cook uncovered for 4–5 min, stirring gently, until the paste is cooked and clings to the potatoes. Finish with a drizzle of raw mustard oil.

Tips

• Soaking well and grinding finely gives the creamy texture; a spice grinder works better than a big blender for such a small amount.
• Serve with rice and dal, the classic Bengali lunch.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Archana's Kitchen Whisk Affair