Mutton Posto - Bengali Style

          Mutton Posto is a traditional non-veg. version of the very popular Aloo posto. It simply means mutton cooked in a creamy poppy seeds gravy. Tried it for the first time and I should confess that it came out real yummy, 

         It is best relished with hot steamed rice or chapati. But there is absolutely no harm in serving it with jeera rice, plain biryani, pulao or any Indian bread like naan, tandoori roti, kulcha or paratha. So go ahead and give it a try by following a step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this regional dish.

• 400-500 gms. mutton with bones
• 1 cup yoghurt
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 1" ginger
• 4-5 garlic cloves
• 2-3 green chilies
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder (opt)
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• 1 tsp. cumin powder
• 3-4 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• 5-6 cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 2-3 dry red chilies
• 1 mace
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup poppy seeds paste
• 1/4 cup cashew nut paste
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tsp. ghee
• 1 tsp. kewra water

           Grind to a paste the roughly chopped onion, ginger, garlic and green chilies to a smooth paste. 

          Marinate the mutton with the ground paste, 1 tbsp. oil and all the dry spices (except garam masala powder) for a minimum of 3-4 hours or preferably overnight.

          Heat remaining oil in a pan / kadai and temper with bay leaves, dry red chilies, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves, mace and sugar. Sauté for a few seconds.

           Add the onion and stir fry till light brown. Now add the marinated mutton and cook, covered on a low flame till the oil separates.

           Add 1 cup water and pressure cook for 15-20 minutes on a low flame after the first whistle. 

           Bring it back into the pan and add the poppy seeds paste and cashew nut paste. Mix well and cook, covered for 5-10 minutes on a medium flame. 

          Add the garam masala, kewra water and ghee. Give it a stir and continue to simmer for 1-2 minutes more or till the gravy is thick. 

          Serve with plain biryani, pulao, jeera rice, plain steamed rice, naan, tandoori roti, kulcha, paratha or just plain chapati.

Note - I had to substitute poppy seeds paste with sesame seeds & cashew nut paste as the former is unavailable here. But I must confess that it came out real yummy.

                     Marinate mutton with ground paste, 1 tbsp. oil & all dry spices (except                                           garam masala powder) for a minimum of 3-4 hours.

                     Heat remaining oil & temper with bay leaves, dry red chilies, cinnamon,                                         cardamoms, cloves, mace & sugar. Saute for a few seconds.

                       Add the onion and stir fry till light brown. 

                      Add marinated mutton & cook, covered on a low flame till oil separates. 
                      Add 1 cup water & pressure cook for 15-20 min. on low flame after the
                      first whistle. 

                     Bring it back into the pan & add poppy seeds paste & cashew nut paste. 
                     Mix well & cook, covered for 5-10 minutes on a medium flame. 

                     Add garam masala, kewra water & ghee. Give it a stir & simmer for 
                     1-2 minutes more or till the gravy is thick.

                          
                                Serve with any form of rice or Indian bread. 

Mutton Posto Biryani - Bengali Fusion Style

          Mutton Posto is a classic Bengali dish where the mutton is cooked in a poppy seeds gravy. I turned this yummy dish into an amazing and a quick biryani by layering the rice with all the garnishes over the curry and baking to perfection. This new innovation turned out something unique and can be relished with just a plain raita. One pot delicacy for your next party. 

• 400-500 gms. mutton with bones
• 1 cup yoghurt
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 1" ginger
• 4-5 garlic cloves
• 2-3 green chilies
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• 1 tsp. cumin powder
• 3-4 tbsp. oil
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• 5-6 cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 2-3 dry red chilies
• 1 mace
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup poppy seeds paste
• 1/4 cup cashew nut paste
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tsp. ghee
• 1 tsp. kewra water
• 1 cup basmati rice, soaked for an hour
• 2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 2 tbsp. mint leaves, chopped
• 2 tbsp. fried onions
• pinch of saffron / yellow food colour mixed with 2-3 tbsp. milk
• 1-2 boiled eggs, cut into half
• few onion rings
• lemon wedges

           Grind to a paste the roughly chopped onion, ginger, garlic and green chilies to a smooth paste. Cook the rice along with some salt till it is 80 percent done. Drain and keep aside. 

          Curry - Marinate the mutton with the ground paste, 1 tbsp. oil and all the dry spices (except garam masala powder) for a minimum of 3-4 hours or preferably overnight.

          Heat remaining oil in a pan / kadai and temper with bay leaves, dry red chilies, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves, mace and sugar. Sauté for a few seconds.

           Add the onion and stir fry till light brown. Now add the marinated mutton and cook, covered on a low flame till the oil separates.

           Add 1 cup water and pressure cook for 15-20 minutes on a low flame after the first whistle. 

           Bring it back into the pan and add the poppy seeds paste and cashew nut paste. Mix well and cook, covered for 5-10 minutes on a medium flame. 

          Add the garam masala, kewra water and ghee. Give it a stir and continue to simmer for 1-2 minutes more or till the gravy is thick.

          Biryani - In an ovenproof dish layer the mutton posto curry and top it up with the rice. Sprinkle the coriander leaves, mint leaves, fried onions and the colour. Cover with a lid and bake for 10-15 minutes at 180 degrees C.

           Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with boiled eggs, onion rings and lemon wedges. Serve with raita for a sumptuous lunch / dinner.
          






Note - I had to use sesame seeds in place of poppy seeds as the latter is unavailable here. But frankly speaking there was no change in the taste and flavour.

                           Biryani - In an ovenproof dish layer mutton posto curry & top it 
                           up with rice. Sprinkle coriander leaves, mint leaves, fried onions 
                           & colour. Cover with a lid & bake for 10-15 min. at 180 degrees C.

Chicken Posto (Chicken in Poppy Seeds Gravy - Bengali Style)

          Bengalis love for posto (poppy seeds) is quite well known. It is used in preparing many delectable dishes both in veg. and non-veg. So here is one that I prepared with chicken, which is cooked in a poppy seeds based creamy and thick gravy. 

          A drizzle of some mustard oil to the end product gives an authentic touch to the dish and completes the picture. It is typically savored with plain steamed rice. You may try with any kind of Indian bread too. So check the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this traditional Bengali delicacy.

• 400-500 gms. chicken with bones
• 1 cup yogurt, well beaten
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 3 tbsp. poppy seed paste
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 tsp. nigella seeds (kalonji)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 fresh red / green chili, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1-2 green chilies, slit
• 1 tsp. raw mustard oil to garnish
• 2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Marinate the chicken with 1/2 cup yoghurt, lime juice and 2 tbsp. poppy seed paste for 2 hours.

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with nigella seeds. Sauté for a few seconds. Then add the onion and fry till light brown. Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry till the raw smell disappears.

          Now add the remaining yoghurt and chili paste. Continue to fry till the oil separates. Add the marinated chicken, salt, remaining poppy seed paste and slit green chilies. 

          Cover and cook till done. Add some water if required. Switch off the flame and add the coriander leaves and raw mustard oil. 

          Keep it covered for 2-3 minutes. Serve, garnished with coriander leaves.





Note - 

1.  I had prepared chicken posto on my recent visit to India, but was unable to click. So tried to create the same in my kitchen here, substituting poppy seeds with sesame seeds as the former is unavailable here. But I should confess it turned out super yummy. So you may try both ways. It simply tastes awesome.

                    Marinate chicken with 1/2 cup yoghurt, lime juice & 2 tbsp. poppy seed 
                    paste for 2 hours.

                     Heat oil & temper with nigella seeds. Sauté for a few sec. Add onion 
                     and fry till light brown. 

                               Add ginger-garlic paste & fry till the raw smell disappears.

                               Add remaining yoghurt & chili. Stir fry till the oil separates. 

                  Add marinated chicken, salt, remaining poppy seed paste & slit green chilies. 

                      Cover & cook till done. Add some water if required. Switch off flame
                      & add coriander leaves & raw mustard oil. 

                   Keep it covered for 2-3 minutes. Serve, garnished with coriander leaves.

Chingri Posto Bata (Prawns Poppy Seeds Chutney - Bengali Style)

           In my quest to discover some traditional and lost recipes, I came across this simple and  yummy recipe of fried prawns that are ground to a paste along with poppy seeds, coconut, mustard seeds, etc. It is then sautéed in mustard oil for an authentic Bengali flavor.  

          So all prawn lovers, go for it. Just try this rustic style no-frills recipe and I'm sure you'll  love this amazing and unique preparation. The best way is to have it with only plain steamed rice. But you may also try having it with chapatti. 

• 1/2 cup poppy seeds
• 1 tbsp. mustard seeds
• 1 cup prawns, clean & deveined
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• salt to taste
• 2 green chilies
• 1/4 cup fresh grated coconut
• 1 tsp. nigella seeds (kalonji)

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan and sauté the prawns till light brown. Drain and keep aside to cool. Grind along with poppy seeds, mustard seeds, salt, turmeric powder, coconut and green chilies to a fine paste.

          Heat remaining oil and temper with nigella seeds. Sauté for a few seconds and then add the ground paste. Stir fry on a low flame till dry. Serve with hot steamed rice.




Note - This recipe was prepared during one of my visits to India.