Cauliflower, Potatoes & Shrimp in White Poppy Seed Sauce

Phool Kopi Alu Chingri Posto

White poppy seed sauce (known in Bengali as 'posto') is very versatile and can be used to dress practically any vegetable. The addition of black mustard seed paste and grated coconut gives it an added dimension of flavour.  And shrimp will, of course, take it up the ultimate notch! 

Ingredients

1 lb. shrimp, shelled & deveined
Paste of
   1 tsp. black mustard seeds

   2 tsp. white poppy seeds

   2 tsp. freshly grated unsweetened coconut

   2 green chillies

   Salt to taste

juice of 1 lime

2 + 4 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 tsp. nigella seeds (a.k.a. kalo jeera/kalonji)

1 cauliflower, cut into florets

1 russet potato, cut in long wedges

1 Tbsp. ginger paste

1 tsp. ghee

½ tsp. sugar

1 tsp. chopped cilantro

4 green chillies, slit

Directions

Soak black mustard seeds with salt for ½ an hour and drain.

Soak white poppy seeds in boiling water for ½ an hour. Do not drain.

Purée the paste ingredients listed above along with water poppy seeds were soaked in.

Add lime juice to the paste, stir well and set aside.

In a skillet, heat 4 Tbsp. oil & sputter nigella seeds.

Add and cook cauliflower, potatoes with ginger paste & salt until cooked.

Add shrimp and pour poppy seed paste over vegetables in skillet, cover and cook for 5 minutes.

Add sugar, adjust salt and garnish with ghee, cilantro & green chillies.

Serve with steamed Basmati rice.