If you ask any Bengalis that what are our essential pantry ingredients, we all name poppy seeds/posto in the list. Yes, it’s true. Poppy seeds (posto) are integral part of our cuisine. We make a variety of veg or non veg dishes just with this one item. If you search for the name of popular Bengali dishes, you surely will stumble upon the recipe of Alu Posto (Potato curry with poppy seeds). Not only that, we cook various vegetables like bottle gourd, pointed gourd, ridge gourd, cauliflower even eggplant with poppy seeds. We also cook egg, fishes, paneer and sometimes chicken also with this ingredient. Yes, it is that vastly used in our cuisine. Even there are some amazing recipes with the poppy seeds (posto) only, in which it is standalone like "posto r bora (poppy seeds fritter)” or “posto vape ( steamed poppy seeds). I will surely share a lot of poppy seeds recipes form our cuisine in near future but for today I’m presenting you the one "Paneer Posto (Paneer with poppy seeds)” from my kitchen.
Tips:
This is a dry gravy dish, so put little water for the gravy.
Try not to substitute the mustard oil in the recipe because it gives a pungent flavour to the dish which is very distinct in Bengali recipes.
If you want to try out a full vegetarian dish you can skip the onion in this recipe, it will taste as good.
Paneer Posto (Paneer with poppy seeds)
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Servings: 3
Ingredients:
250 g paneer, cut in cubes
50 g onion, cut in slices
50 g tomato, cut in cubes
4-5 green chillies, slitted
1.5 tbsp poppy seeds (white one)
1/2 tbsp grated ginger
1-2 dry red chillies
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/4th tsp nigella seeds
3 tbsp mustard oil
1 tsp sugar
Salt to taste
A little water for gravy
Recipe:
First dry grind the poppy seeds in a grinder, then add small amount of water along with 1-2 green chillies. Grind it to a coarse paste. Set aside. (Alternatively, if you have time, soak the poppy seeds in warm water for at least 2 hours prior to cooking, then grind it along with water and green chillies)
In a bowl, take the paneer cubes, smear 1/4th tsp of turmeric powder and little pinch of salt. Coat the paneer pieces well. Keep it aside.
In a small bowl, take the grated ginger, 1/4th tsp turmeric powder, chilli powder and cumin powder along with the sugar and a pinch of salt. Add a little amount of water to it and stir to make slurry. Keep aside.
Heat 1.5 tbsp mustard oil in deep bottomed pan and heat in moderate high heat. When the oil starts to smoke lightly, add the paneer pieces and fry it for 2-3 minutes until lightly golden in colour. Remove from pan and set aside.
Next in the same pan add the onion slices and fry it in medium low heat for 2-3 minutes until they are golden brown in colour. Remove them from the pan and keep them side.
Now add the remaining amount of oil in the same pan and heat it gently. Once smoking lightly and pale yellow, add the dry red chillies and nigella seeds. Fry them for couple of seconds until they splutter.
Next add the spice paste in the pan and braise the spice paste in medium low heat for 3-4 minutes until all the raw smell of the spices are gone.
Add the tomato pieces to the pan. Stir once. Change the temperature to medium low and cover the pan. Cook it for 4-5 minutes until the tomatoes are soft, well mixed with the spice paste and oil starts to seep out from the sides of the pan. If the spices start to stick in the bottom of the pan, splash some water and stir it well.
Now add the poppy seeds paste. Stir and mix it with the spice paste. Cook on low heat, uncovered, until the raw smell of the poppy paste goes away. It will take around 4-5 minutes.
Next add the fried paneer cubes, slitted green chillies and the fried onions. Give it a good stir. Cook it in high heat for 1-2 minutes then add small amount of water (1/2-1/3rd cup) for the gravy. Change the temperature to medium low and cover the pan. Cook it for 3-4 minutes until the gravy is slightly thicken and oil seeps out from the sides.
Check for seasoning, adjust accordingly and cook it further 1-2 minutes.
Now give it a final stir and switch off the flame.
Give at least 5 minutes of standing time before serving. Serve "Paneer Posto (Paneer with poppy seeds)“ hot with steamed white rice.
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