Jhinge-Aloo Posto is a classic Bengali food which is immensely popular in West Bengal and Orissa. It is an authentic Bengali food which has occupied place in almost every popular Bengali restaurant’s Menu Card. In this recipe, Ridge Gourd and Potatoes are cooked in Poppy seeds paste, green Chillies. It is mostly accompanied with steamed Basmati rice or flat breads.
It’s a no onion no garlic recipe. So, it is a great option for any vegetarian ceremonies like Laxmi Puja, Choitro Sankranti etc. I always add this dish in my menu for these occasions.
Jhinge-Aloo Posto is a very simple and easy recipe. It requires minimal and easily available ingredients to get prepared. The best part of the recipe is that it gets prepared very easily without investing much time.
Poppy seeds or Posto has its own unique flavour and taste. So, normally people don’t eat Jhinge-Aloo Posto with any flavoured rice. It tastes best with steamed Basmati rice. But you can have it with flat breads like Rotis, Parathas, Chapatis, Luchi as well.
Posto recipes play a major role in Bengali recipes. There is an eternal relation between Posto and Bengali people. Bengalis love Poppy seeds, and both are incomplete without each other. There are many salivating vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes that are prepared with this magical ingredient.
Posto (Poppy Seeds) has a very regular but important use in Bengali culinary. Aloo Posto, posto bora, Potol Posto are the few most famous names of poppy seeds recipes which make the whole nation crazy.
But before directly jumping into the recipe, let me share few interesting facts about the posto recipe and Ridge gourd.
Health benefits of Ridge Gourd:-
a) Ridge Gourd is low in calorie and an excellent source of losing weight.
b) It is high in fibre which helps to get rid of constipation.
c) It helps to control the blood sugar level of our body.
d) It is also used as a detoxing agent.
e) It is full of vitamins, zinc, manganese and iron. It can be a great addition to our regular diet.
1 large Ridge Gourd, cut into thick strips
2 large Potatoes, cut into wedges
3 tablespoons Poppy seeds
2 Green Chillies
¼ tsp Nigella seeds (Kalonji)
Salt to taste
Mustard oil for cooking and pouring at the end
Step 1: Peel and cut potatoes into 1-inch cubes and keep them immersed in water.
Step 2: Peel the ridge gourds, then cut them into half lengthwise. Now cut each half into 2 cm pieces.
Step 3: Soak the poppy seeds in water for 30 minutes. Then grind them into a smooth paste using very little water, only as much as is needed for the grinder to run and make a smooth paste, Green Chillies and salt as per taste. Set it aside.
Step 4: Boiled cut potatoes with ridge gourds with little salt upto 70%.
Step 5: Heat the mustard oil in a kadhai/wok. Temper the hot oil with kalonji (black cumin seeds). Let them crackle and become fragrant.
Step 6: Next add the boied potato cubes and ridge gourds to the kadhai; do not forget to drain the water out before that.
Step 7: Fry them on medium heat for 5 minutes more. Once both the veggies are nicely fried and cooked, add the posto or poppy seeds paste.
Step 8: Check and adjust seasoning, if needed. Drizzle about a tablespoon of mustard oil on top of the jhinge aloo posto as a final touch.
Step 9: Serve warm aloo jhinge posto with rice and dal for the ultimate Bengali comfort food! Enjoy!
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