This authentic Bengali Aloo Posto is a perfect side to enjoy with Luchi or Dal Rice. The soft morsels of potatoes coated with a creamy poppy seeds coating with a hint of spice from green chili are a treat to the taste buds.
If you are looking for more Aloo recipes, here are some – Aloo Methi, Aloo Baingan, Punjabi Style Aloo Gobhi, Punjabi Jeera Aloo, Aloo Matar Curry, and Til Wale Aloo.
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About This Recipe
Aloo Posto is an authentic Bengali dish where Aloo means ‘Potatoes’ and Posto means ‘Poppy Seeds’. In this recipe, potatoes or aloo are cooked with poppy seeds. It gets its spiciness from the green chilies, which goes really well with the poppy seeds paste.
Make sure to cook this dish only in mustard oil, to get that authentic Bengali flavor. It is a must in every Bengali household for their everyday meals.
This popular dish of West Bengal is best enjoyed with steamed rice or roti along with a dal on the side. I personally like to pair it with crispy Parathas.
It is also popularly prepared during Durga Puja or is a part of the meal during Bengali weddings, festivals, and other special occasions.
You can also prepare it for your fasting days, as it is a no onion and no garlic recipe.
It is a simple Bengali Style Aloo Sabzi, that gets ready in no time and is apt for your everyday meals. So next time you want to give your everyday sabzi a break, do give this Aloo Posto a try.
This Aloo Posto is,
- Vegan
- Quick & Easy
- Unique
- Perfect for everyday meals
- Apt to pack in Lunch Box
Ingredients
Potato – The key ingredient of this recipe is Potatoes. Potatoes are peeled, cubed, and then used to make this dish.
Mustard Oil – Always make this Bengali Aloo dish in Mustard Oil for the best flavors. Do not use any other oil, as you will not get the authentic flavor from the same.
Poppy Seeds – White Poppy Seed is the ingredient that makes this Aloo recipe different from others. Poppy seeds are powdered and then added into the roasted potatoes along with some green chilies and water.
Other Ingredients – Other than these, you will need nigella seeds and green chillies.
Some people also add turmeric powder and dried red chilies in their recipes but I don’t. You can feel free to add these ingredients if you wish to. You can also add Panch Phoran for tempering instead of only cumin seeds and kalonji.
Make sure the poppy seeds are fresh. They get a very stale smell if they are kept for long. I always store poppy seeds in the refrigerator. This way their shelf life increases a lot.
Step by Step Recipe
Mustard Oil for the Win – Heat oil in a pan. Let the oil reach its smoking point and then switch off the heat and let the oil cool a little bit.
Tempering – Switch on the heat and add cumin seeds and kalonji seeds in the oil and let them crackle for a few seconds.
Aloo – Add the chopped potatoes and stir for 2-3 minutes.
Posto – Meanwhile, add in the poppy seeds in the mixer jar.
Grind it into a powder.
Add poppy seeds paste and green chillies along with 1/2 cup water and mix well to coat the potatoes with the mixture.
Cover the pan.
Let the potatoes cook nicely on medium flame. Add salt and cook for another minute. Add some more water if the potatoes are too dry and cook for another minute.
Frequently Asked Questions
This is a fairly simple dish to make except the fact that grinding poppy seeds to make a smooth paste can be a challenge.
Traditionally, the poppy seeds were ground on stone mortar with a stone grinder. But now, it’s not used in most homes so we will have to look around for other options.
After much experimenting, I have figured out that a coffee grinder is the best gadget to grind the tiny seeds into a fine powdery consistency. If you don’t have a coffee grinder, try grinding the seeds in the smallest jar of your blender and in larger quantity.
You can freeze the remaining powder for later use but it will make the process easier. Slightly roast the seeds before grinding them to make the process even easier. You can also soak the poppy seeds and then grind them.
For this recipe, you do not have to boil the potatoes. Just peel and cube them, to use them in this Aloo Posto recipe.
My answer will be a big NO! Mustard Oil is one of the main ingredients in this sabzi, that cannot be replaced. If you use any other oil, you will not get the same authentic Bengali taste.
You can make Aloo Posto with onion as well. Fry the onion in oil until lightly browned. Then add potato cubes and follow the recipe as mentioned below.
You can also add some fried onions in the end, it tastes really nice.
Aloo Posto with Ridge Gourd is a very popular version of this dish and is made in many traditional Bengali households.
To make it, peel 200g ridge gourd and cut them into cubes. Add them along with the poppy seed paste in the below-mentioned recipe.
Storing Suggestions
It stays good for 2 days when store in the refrigerator. Pack it in an airtight container and then place it in the fridge.
Reheat it in a pan or in microwave thoroughly before serving.
Serving Suggestions
It is best served with simple Dal Bhaat, which is a combination of Steamed Rice and Dal. You can also serve it with Luchi.
It tastes the best along with some Cholar Dal, Macher Jhol, and Steamed Rice if you want to enjoy a Bengali meal.
It can be served with Indian Bread such as Tawa Paratha, Laccha Paratha or even Phulka.
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Recipe Card
Aloo Posto Recipe
Ingredients
- 500 g Potato (Peeled and cut into cubes)
- 4 tbsp Poppy Seeds / Khuskhus / Posto (Dry grind in a blender to make a fine powder )
- 2 tbsp Mustard oil
- 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
- 1/2 tsp Kalonji
- 2-3 Green chillies (Slit into halves)
- Salt (To taste)
Instructions
- Heat oil in a pan.
- Let the oil reach its smoking point and then switch off the heat and let the oil cool a little bit.
- Switch on the heat and add cumin seeds and kalonji seeds in the oil and let them crackle for a few seconds.
- Add potatoes and stir for 2-3 minutes.
- Add poppy seeds powder and green chillies along with 1/2 cup of water and cover the pan.
- Let the potatoes cook nicely.
- Add salt and cook for another minute.
- Serve hot with Phulke or Dal Rice.
PRANITA DESHPANDE
Very nice recipe.But why did you have not used color masala or chilly powder? It will give good color to your recipe.
Neha Mathur
This recipe is traditionally made like this only. You can add turmeric powder if you want to.
Random Thoughts
This is a genuine question. What makes this dish so popular and loved? I made it for my Bengali husband who as it turned out has never been a fan of alu posto (He must be the exception to prove a rule). But I was excited for my first taste of this much loved Bengali dish. I was disappointed with the result.. A bland potato bhaji with a hint of chilly and a certain oiliness that the posto lends to the dish. But to each his own, I suppose. Will try again till I figure out the ‘Bengali love connection’ 😉 I doubt at the moment if I’ll ever grow to love it…
Neha Mathur
Some tastes are acquired I guess.