Indian · Bengal · side

Aloo Posto (Potatoes in White Poppy Seed)

Aloo Posto (Potatoes in White Poppy Seed) reads heat 4.3, salinity 3.6 and nutty 3.0 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Indian · Bengal side, about 55 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

The measured notes (of 18)

Heat 4.3 · Salinity 3.6 · Nutty 3.0 · Sweetness 2.9 · Earthy 2.7 · Herbaceous 2.6 · Richness 2.4 · Warm Spice 2.2 · Umami 2.0 · Citrus 1.4 · Bitterness 1.3 · Floral 1.1 · Sourness 0.8 · Fruity 0.7 · Allium 0.5

What's in it (10)

Time & effort: about 55 min (54 min active) · effort: medium

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 100.5 kcal, 2.2 g protein, 7 g fat, 8.3 g carbs

Dietary: Vegan — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (7 steps)

  1. Soak the poppy seeds in the warm water for 30 minutes, then grind them to a fine, almost silken paste. A coarse posto paste makes a gritty dish; take the time.
  2. Heat 3 tablespoons of the mustard oil in a karai until it smokes, then take it off the heat for a moment to settle.
  3. Return to medium heat, add the nigella seeds and two of the slit green chillies and let them crackle for about 20 seconds.
  4. Add the potatoes, turmeric and salt and fry for 8 to 10 minutes, turning often, until the cubes are patched with gold at the corners.
  5. Stir in the poppy paste and the remaining chillies and cook 2 minutes, until the paste loses its raw chalky smell and starts to smell nutty.
  6. Pour in the hot water, cover and cook 10 to 12 minutes on low, until the potatoes are done and the posto has drawn tight around them. This is a dry dish; there should be no free liquid.
  7. Take off the heat, stir through the raw mustard oil and serve at room temperature with rice and a wedge of lime.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.