Name: Jhinge Aloo Posto (Ridge Gourd & Potato in Creamy Poppy Seed Paste) recipe by Barnali B at BetterButter
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Ridge Gourd(Jhinge) - 4 long; Potato - 3 medium; Poppy Seed - 50 gm; Kalonji (Nigella Seeds) - 1 tsp; Turmeric - 1/2 tsp; Green chilli - 3; Refined oil; Salt to taste; Sugar to taste

ABOUT Jhinge Aloo Posto (Ridge Gourd & Potato in Creamy Poppy Seed Paste) RECIPE

The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of food is Bengali cuisine.The variety of fish and vegetables are so diverse that anything can be combined with everything and a new dish can be created. Bengalis make ambrosial dishes out of the oftentimes rejected peels, stalks & leaves of vegetables. Ghonto, chorchori, chechki, labra, paturi, bhapa, jhal, jhol, kosha, bhate, chhyanchra, dalna, dolma,kalia, pora, shukto are some of the predominant cooking styles from this cuisine. Every dish gets its unique signature flavor and taste depending on the cooking method. Today I would like to write about a very humble and comforting recipe from Bengal.

Instructions

Soak Poppy seeds in a cup of lukewarm water for 20 minutes. The poppy seed will soak up the water. Grind to a fine paste.The longer you soak the seeds the finer will be the paste.
Peel the skin of the ridge gourd alternatively. Cut it lengthwise and then chop into half moon sized quarter inch pieces.
Peel the skin and dice the potatoes into cubes matching the size of the ridge gourd quarters.
Heat oil in a wok and fry the potato cubes till the edges start to brown. Add the ridge gourd and turmeric and a pinch of salt. Toss for a few minutes till the ridge gourd start to wilt. Lower the heat, cover and cook till both potatoes a
In the same oil throw in the poppy seed paste. Saute for a few minutes on low flame stirring continuously till the water is dried up and the raw smell is gone. (Poppy paste will become bit crisp). Take care not to burn it as poppy seeds ten
Heat the remaining oil and toss in the Kalonji. When the spice is fragrant add the fried potatoes and ridge gourd. Fold in with the Kalonji. Add the sugar and salt at this stage. ( Ideally the dish is made slightly sweeter)
When the salt-sugar-heat level is adjusted add the fried poppy seed paste and mix well. Saute for a couple of minutes and cut of the heat.

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