Posto diye Palong Shaak Bhaja (Stir Fried Spinach with White Poppy seeds)…green,green, gone!!

Posto diye Palong Shaak Bhaja (Stir Fried Spinach with White Poppy seeds)…simple, easy, different…an ingredient list that is not a mile long…next to no prep required…the “eat your greens” box checked…really, what more could you ask for?? And Oh yes – delicious too!! J

Posto diye Palong Shaak Bhaja (Stir Fried Spinach with White Poppy seeds)

Ingredients:

• Spinach leaves, washed and tough stems discarded, roughly chopped and water completely drained out, 400gms (this dish doesn’t work with frozen spinach, only fresh leaves would do. I use pre-washed baby spinach leaves – less cleaning up to do)
• Raw peanuts, a handful or Bori/Dal Vadi/ Dried Lentil Dumplings, a handful (optional)
• Garlic, finely chopped/sliced, 3-4 cloves (or more)
• Whole Green Chilies OR Whole Dried Red Chilies, 2-3
• Kalo Jeera/ Kalonji/Nigella seeds OR Panch Phoron/Bengali 5 spice (recipe here), ½ tsp 
• Posto/Khus Khus/ White Poppy Seeds, 4 tbsp (I roughly use about a tablespoon for every 100gms of spinach – you can use less or more)
• Red chilli powder, to taste (I normally skip)
• Salt, to taste (be careful with the salt because spinach is salty by itself)
• Sugar, ¼ to ½ tsp (or to taste or skip it – refer to notes)
• Oil, 1-2 tbsp (preferably mustard oil)

  

Instructions:

Heat the oil in a large pan/wok/skillet. Fry the peanuts(or bori) till they change colour to light golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep aside.

In the same pan, on low heat, add in the nigella seeds (or panch phoron) followed by chilies and garlic.

Fry for about 15-20 seconds and then add posto (refer to notes), sugar and salt. Stir for a minute or so.

Add in the spinach leaves. Toss and mix well to ensure the spinach gets coated with the oil in the pan.

Cover and cook for 5-7 minutes without adding any additional water.

Uncover and cook till all the water released by the spinach has nearly dried out.

Garnish with fried peanuts and serve with steamed rice and dal.

Notes:

• You can either add posto right in the beginning as above or right in the end. We like it better when it gets nicely fried when added in the beginning as above but if you want to add it later -  EITHER sprinkle posto when spinach is nearly done, mix well  and then cook for about 2-3 minutes OR soak posto for about an hour in warm water. Drain using a tea strainer and then mix well with spinach once you switch off the heat.  Each method would taste slightly different – try all and see which one you prefer. J

• Though not done traditionally, I like to add onion to this. It adds a subtle hint of sweetness and without adding the sugar. Skip nigella seeds and add a finely sliced onion instead. Add posto and proceed as above once the onion starts to caramelize.

• Traditionally, fresh green chilies are used with nigella seeds and dried red chilies with panch phoron.

• Skip peanuts and bori and add cubed and seasoned fried eggplant a couple of minutes before switching off the heat. You can skip the posto as well if adding eggplant.

• Same preparation works well with Laal Shaak/Amaranth leaves  and even Kale.

Shada Aloor Dom...the yin and the yang!!

Shada Aloor Dom/ Bengali White Dum Aloo…it is the lesser known sibling of the world famous Aloor Dom…completely overshadowed by the big brother…robust and spicy versus mellow and sweet…the yin and the yang…only those who have tried it know its real value…Go on then, give it a try, won’t you? J

Shada Aloor Dom/ Bengali White Dum Aloo (Potatoes cooked with coconut and poppy seed paste)

Ingredients:

• Baby Potatoes, 250gms, about 8-10
• Coconut, grated, fresh or use frozen but thaw it first, 3 tbsp
• Posto/ Khus Khus/ White Poppy seeds, 1 tbsp
• Plain Yogurt/Dahi, 3 tbsp (ensure it is not too sour)
• Fresh Ginger Paste, 1 tbsp
• Fresh Green Chilli paste, ½ tsp
• Whole Dried Red Chilies, 1-2
• Green Cardamom, 1-2
• Cloves, 2-3
• Cinnamon stick, ½” long
• Bay leaf, 1
• Roasted Cumin Powder, ½ tsp + ¼ tsp
• Salt, to taste
• Sugar, ½ tsp – 1 tsp (according to taste)
• Water, ¾ to 1 cup (or as needed)
• Oil, 1 tsp if using the oven or air fryer or 1 tbsp if sautéing on the stove + 1-2 tbsp (or more J and no mustard oil for this one)
• Ghee, 1 tsp

Instructions:

Soak posto and coconut in about ¼ cup of warm water for half an hour. Blend into a smooth paste. Keep aside.

Whip the yogurt with ½ tsp roasted cumin powder. Keep aside. (Must be at room temperature to ensure it doesn’t split during cooking)

Wash and scrub clean the potatoes. Par boil with skin on in with well salted water – the potatoes should still be firm.

Peel and prick each potato a few times using a toothpick. (I sometimes keep the skin on in this recipe but typically only peeled potatoes are used)

If using the air fryer – add 1 tsp oil to coat the potatoes. Preheat the fryer at 200C for 10 minutes and then bake for 10-12 minutes till the outer layer crisps ups. Toss once or twice in between.

If using the oven – add 1 tsp oil to coat the potatoes. Preheat the oven at 220C for 15 minutes and then bake for 20-25 minutes till the outer layer crisps ups. Toss once or twice in between

For stove top method – Heat 1 tbsp oil in a heavy bottom pan (with lid). Once the oil is hot, add in the potatoes and toss around till the outer layer goes crispy and bits of gold appear. Remove the potatoes from the pan using a slotted spoon and keep aside.

Heat 1-2 tbsp oil in the same pan.

Add in the whole dried red chilies and fry for about 5 seconds. Remove the chilies and keep aside (to be added back later – added initially to flavor the oil and removed so that they don’t split and bleed colour into the gravy).

Add bay leaf followed by green cardamoms, cloves and cinnamon.

Once the spices start to sizzle, add in the coconut and poppy seed paste made earlier. Fry the paste on low heat, till the oil separates – the paste would have changed colour to a very pale golden and come together.

Add in the green chilli paste and ginger paste, mix well and fry for another minute.

Remove the pan from heat and add in the whipped yogurt, stir and mix well. Let it cook with the coconut poppy paste for about a minute or so. (all cooking on low heat or else the yogurt may split)

Add in the water, mix well and simmer till the gravy reduces by about half and oil starts floating on top.

Add in the potatoes, sugar and salt (take into account that potatoes have already been boiled in salted water)

Cover the pan and simmer till the potatoes are done and the consistency of the gravy is to your liking – about 10 minutes.

Remove cover and switch off the heat. Add in the ghee, remaining ¼ tsp roasted cumin powder and the fried red chilies kept aside earlier.

Stir, cover and let rest for 5-10 minutes.

Goes best with Luchis but great with Paranthas as well.

Aloor Dom/ Bengali Dum Aloo...one in a million!!

Aloor Dom/ Bengali Dum Aloo...the quintessential Bengali vegetarian recipe that everyone is aware of and has a version of…besides the million Dum Aloo recipes pan-India (you have seen one of mine here), there are a million recipes/variations that are done in Bengal alone for this dish – the one below, with only tomato, with only curd, with only dry spices etc etc (you have seen one of mine here)…served for breakfast or lunch or snacks or dinner…you can’t go wrong with this one...ever.J

Aloor Dom/ Bengali Dum Aloo (Potatoes cooked in spicy tomato gravy)

Ingredients:

• Baby Potatoes, 500gms, about 18-20
• Fresh Onion Paste, Blend an onion with a little water in a blender, 1 medium size onion, about 3 tbsp paste
• Fresh Tomato Puree, Blend a tomato in a blender with skin and seeds, 1 large tomato, about 7 tbsp paste
• Fresh Ginger Paste, 1 tbsp
• Green Chilies, slit, 2-3
• Hing/Asafoetida, ¼ tsp
• Green Cardamom, 2-3
• Cloves, 4-5
• Cinnamon stick, 1” long
• Bay leaves, 1-2
• Coriander powder, 1 tsp
• Cumin Powder, 1 tsp
• Kashmiri Red Chili Powder, ¼ tsp + ½ tsp to 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder, ¼ tsp + ¼ tsp
• Salt, to taste
• Sugar, ½ tsp – 1 tsp (according to taste)
• Plain Yogurt/Curd, 1 tbsp (optional)
• Water, ½ cup if making dry, ¾ to 1 cup with gravy (or as needed)
• Oil, 1 tsp if using oven or air fryer or 1 tbsp if sautéing on the stove + 2-3 tbsp ( for the right to call it Bengali Aloor Dom, use mustard oil or else use oil of your choice J)
• Ghee, 1 tsp (optional)
• Bengali Bhaja Moshla, ½ tsp + ¼ tsp (recipe here)
• Fresh Coriander leaves, chopped, a handful

Instructions:

Wash and scrub clean the potatoes. Par boil with skin on in with well salted water – the potatoes should still be firm.

Peel and prick each potato a few times using a toothpick.

Coat the peeled potatoes with a little salt, ¼ tsp turmeric and ¼ tsp Kashmiri red chili powder.

For air fryer – add 1 tsp oil while coating with spices. Preheat the fryer at 200C for 10 minutes and then bake for 10-12 minutes till the outer layer crisps ups. Toss once or twice in between.

For oven – add 1 tsp oil while coating with spices. Preheat the oven at 220C for 15 minutes and then bake for 20-25 minutes till the outer layer crisps ups. Toss once or twice in between

For stove top method – Heat 1 tbsp oil in a heavy bottom pan (with lid).Once the oil is hot, add in the potatoes and toss around till the outer layer goes crispy and bits of gold appear. Remove the potatoes from the pan using a slotted spoon and keep aside.

Heat 2-3 tbsp oil in the same pan.

Once the oil is hot, lower the heat. Add in the asafoetida followed by bay leaves, green cardamoms, cloves and cinnamon.

Add in the onion paste and cook till it changes colour to pinkish brown.

Increase the heat to medium high; add in the tomato puree and sauté for a couple of minutes.

Add in the ginger paste, coriander powder, cumin powder, ½ tsp bhaja moshla, remaining ¼ tsp turmeric powder and 1 tsp kashmiri chili powder. Mix well and sauté for about 10 minutes.

Add the yogurt, if using and cook till oil separates.

Add the slit green chilies and potatoes. Mix well so that the masala coats the potatoes well and sauté for a couple of minutes.

Add in the water, sugar and salt (take into account that potatoes have already been boiled in salted water)

Once the water comes to a boil, cover the pan and simmer till the potatoes are done – about 5 to 7 minutes.

Remove cover and switch off the heat (Increase the heat to high to dry out almost all the water from the masala paste if you want the drier version like mine)

Add in coriander leaves, ghee and remaining ¼ tsp bhaja moshla (and more green chilies if you want). Stir, cover and let rest for 5-10 minutes.

Goes best with Luchis but great with Paranthas as well.

Bread Tadka...because little things matter!!

Bread Tadka…IMO, if there is one Indian Breakfast thingy that is highly overrated, it is what people called Bread Upma or Bread Poha. The version of leftover bread thingy that I grew up with was covered in masala but wasn’t gooey unlike what I see almost everywhere. Presenting Bread Tadka - it doesn’t look like the real upma or the real poha and thus not called by any of those names!! And it is nice and it has crunch. The difference is in roasting the bread cubes first till golden brown, so the bread doesn't doesn't go mushy. The little things in life make the biggest difference, right? J

Bread Tadka

Ingredient:

• Bread Slices, cubed, 5-6 (you can use brown bread if you want but white definitely tastes better in this. Keep or remove crusts)
• Onion, finely chopped, 1 large or two medium
• Tomatoes, finely chopped, 2 medium
• Potato, diced into small cubes, 1 small
• Ginger, finely chopped, ½ tsp
• Green chilies, finely chopped, 1-2
• Curry leaves, a few
• Mustard seeds, ¼ tsp or Cumin seeds, ¼ tsp
• Kashmiri Red chili powder, ½ tsp (for colour)
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, 2 tsp + 1 tsp + 1 tsp

(You can additionally add any vegetable of your choice; I don’t as for me it takes away from the taste of bread! I also don’t add any other spice powder for the same reason – and also the fact the aroma of frying curry leaves, ginger and green chillies wafting in the kitchen first thing in the morning doesn’t need any messing around with, right? J)

Instructions:

Heat 2 tsp oil in a wide pan and add the cubed bread. Stir and roast the bread on low medium heat till it is toasted to a light golden brown colour on all sides. Keep aside.

Heat 1 tsp oil in the same pan and add in the potatoes in a single layer. Keep the heat on low medium, sprinkle with a little salt and cover the pan. What you are looking for is to fry the potatoes to crisp golden on the bottom and steamed cooked on the top. It adds to the texture. No stirring, let the potatoes turn crispy– around 4 to 5 minutes. Once done, remove and keep aside with the bread.

Heat the remaining 1 tsp oil in the same pan. Add in the mustard seeds/cumin seeds and when they start sizzling, add in the curry leave, ginger and green chilies.

Stir for about 30 seconds and add in the onions. Cook the onions till they turn translucent.

Add the tomatoes, salt and red chili powder. Cook till tomatoes go mushy.

Add the toasted bread cubes and cooked potatoes. Toss well until bread is well coated with the masala.

Serve hot immediately!