Aalu Posto and childhood memories

Tonight auntiji, my cook walked in late and I realized that I wait for her more eagerly than I have ever waited for any of my boyfriends or the husband. Upon that she declared that she is running a fever and I did not have the heart to ask her to go through any elaborate ritual of cooking. After declaring my rush of generosity to auntiji and asking her to make some rice and bottle gourd curry, it dawned upon me that I had a standing request from my mother-in-law to prepare ‘Aalu Posto’ (potatoes cooked in poppy seed paste) for her friend whom she was going to see the next morning. So the task fell upon me and I accepted it with the air of self-importance that delicate dishes like this should be left to able hands like mine ;-), after all the delicate allure of tender cooked potatoes wrapped in mildly flavoured poppy seed paste can be matched by very few dishes!!!

Aalu posto is mostly eaten in summers in Bengali households as poppy seeds are said to have cooling effect on the body. Summers being hot and humid, this mildly spiced dish is ideal for a vegetarian meal accompanied by Kalai daal (skinned Urad daal) and steamed rice. Though I admit that I can eat aalu posto any time of the year, with or without any other accompaniment.

My mother makes great aalu posto and it was mostly cooked on Sundays or other holidays as it was considered a special treat by all of us. On the days that she used to cook it, as children my sister and I used to wait for small portions of it that my mother used to give us as before-lunch snacks. We used to eat the smallest morsels possible at a time in an effort to make it last as long as possible. Though, the milder but humid Guwahati summers have long been replaced by longer, and harsher Delhi summers, and mother, the cook has been replaced by daughter, the cook; the protagonist in the story – the aalu posto still retains all its charm, glamour and glory.

What all are required:
5-6 medium sized Potato (peeled and cut lengthwise),
4 tbsp Poppy seeds (khus khus),
2 tbsp Mustard oil,
½ tsp Onion seeds (kalonji/kalo jeere),
a pinch each of turmeric and red chilli powder,
1 tsp ginger paste,
Salt to taste,
½ tsp Sugar,
2 Green chilli (slit),
1 tsp Pure ghee (optional)

How to do it:

Soak poppy seeds in one-cup warm water for fifteen to twenty minutes. Drain and grind to a smooth paste.

Heat mustard oil in a pan till it just reaches medium heat. Add onion seeds and slit green chills, stir-fry briefly.

Add potato pieces, turmeric, red chilli powder, salt and cook on medium heat for five minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the ginger paste, stir, cover the pan and cook for another 2 minutes.

Add poppy seeds paste. Stir and add half a cup of water. Cover and cook on low heat till the potatoes are almost done. Remove the lid, sugar Continue to cook for a minute more or till potatoes are completely cooked. Stir in pure ghee and serve hot.

Trivia: Poppy seeds, popularly known as khus-khus in some countries of Asian continent, are obtained from Poppy flowers. Apart from being good at adding flavor to a number of food items like breads, rolls, cookies, cakes and sauces, poppy seeds are also store houses for opium, which is considered as a useful ingredient for preparing various herbal medicines as well as narcotic drugs. According to the Ayurveda, poppy seeds have a cooling effect on the body, and protect from heart diseases, asthma, cough, insomnia, diarrhea, abdominal pains, swelling and joint pains.