Posto Murgi

I simply remember my favourite things and then I don’t feel so bad.

M for MANGOES , himshagor aam.

N for NOTUN GUR .... think patishapta , rice kheer or narkel naru

O for ORANGES on a cold winter afternoon after the lunch while soaking up the sun.

P for POSTO 

One of the few simple happiness in my life is to eat aloo posto ( potato curry with khus khus or poppy seed)and then the bhaat ghum ( bhat in Bengali means rice and ghum is sleeping , siesta as the Spanish calls it ). The happiness and fulfilment that you achieve after the bhaat ghum is something all Bengalis can relate to.

Posto or poppy seed is an oilseed obtained from the opium poppy. The kidney-shaped seeds are used whole or ground as an ingredient in many food preparation.

I never was a fan of posto to be very honest. I liked it now and then. Back in Kolkata mostly on Wednesdays or Thursdays aloo jhinge posto (potato and ridge gourd curry with poppy seed paste) was a staple side with rice. My ever growing relation with posto started after I shifted to Mumbai.   Now that I need to prepare everything from scratch when the craving kicks in, I mentally kick myself for making faces when it was made at home.  D , my boyfriend however loves his posto.  To be honest I started to cook with poppy seed paste because he loves it.  For me mostly posto has become a comfort food. So on those days when I have lost my senses with the work pressure, I make this chicken curry with Poppy seed paste. The sleep afterwards is an added bonus.

POSTO MURGI recipe

INGREDIENTS

1 kg Chicken

Poppy seed paste 4 tablespoon (grind the poppy seed with 3-4 green chillies)

2 big Onion (roughly chopped)

1 big onion paste or you can just grate it in a grater (I used onion paste)

2 teaspoon Ginger garlic paste

6-7 Green chillies (take 3-4 out of this and grind with the poppy seed)

200 gms curd

2 dry red chillies

½ inch Cinnamon

5-6 Cloves

3 tablespoon Coriander powder

8-10 whole Peppercorns

1 Bay leaf

Salt and Sugar to taste

METHOD

Wash and pat dry the chicken pieces.

Marinade the chicken pieces with onion, ginger-garlic paste, coriander power, curd and salt. Keep aside for an hour.

Heat oil in a Kadai. Add the red chilies, bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves and whole pepper corns.

Within 30 seconds add the chopped onions and fry till the onions become soft and turn brown.                                      I love the smell of piaaj (onion) bhaja (fry).

Add the marinated chicken once the onions turn a nutty brown colour.

Cook without cover mixing everything together. In Bengali we call it KOSHANO.

Cook without lid for 5-6 minutes and after this add a little water, keeping in mind that the curd will start releasing water.

Cover and cook till chicken is done

Add the poppy seed paste, green chilies, sugar. Check and adjust the salt.                 

Cook in high flame for another 3-4 minute and turn off the flames.

Add a little ghee (clarified butter), OPTIONAL.

Best with fluffy white rice .

Warm and colourful on a lazy Saturday

It was one of those cloudy Saturdays when you feel like doing literally nothing. I guess the weather 
left the same. The grey clouds and the sweet sticky air. Perfect to sit back and stare at the world outside. The bulk of my day was spend curled up with one of the few books I have carried from Kolkata all the way here spending extra on my luggage weight. I always feel it is a little piece of home that I have with me.

I was forced back to reality with a phone call from one of my dear friends telling how difficult it is to travel the streets of Kolkata with all the on-going preparations of Durga Puja. Sitting at my Santa Cruz house, I could very well picture the mad carnival, the sweet sticky smell and all the too familiar noises. The lazy grey clouds no longer seemed appealing. I wanted something warm and colourful and a distraction.

I wanted something bright and warm. What better than a loaf of good Italian baguette and bright red tomatoes. Bruschetta it is. I quickly started chopping some tomatoes and put on a big griddle pan on the stove to grill my bread. 

Bruschetta is an antipasto (starter dish) from Italy consisting of grilled bread rubbed with garlic and topped with olive oil and salt. Simple, easy, warm and a dash of colour to brighten up the grey day or grey mood. 

My version of bruschetta with loads of tomatoes, garlic, basil and a generous splash of olive oil.

Bruschetta  recipe

INGREDIENTS

One loaf of good quality baguette

4 ripe red tomatoes

A good handful of basil

5-6 cloves of garlic

Olive oil

Salt

Mixed herbs

Pepper

Olives 

METHOD

Add caption

Place a griddle pan on the gas stove on medium high.

Slice the baguette and rub nicely with garlic cloves.

Toast the breads and keep aside.

To prepare the topping…

Rub the tomatoes with a little olive oil and char grill them on the gas stove.

Keep aside.

With a damp cloth rub off the charred tomato skin.

Roughly chop the tomatoes and set aside in a bowl. Add crushed garlic, olive oil, basil, salt & pepper to taste and the mixed herbs.

Mix well.

Equally divide the tomatoes on top of the baguette slices.

Top it with a dash of olive oil.

Warmth and happiness in a plate. Enjoy with a glass of Red and go back to being lazy