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.

Baby Potatoes in Poppy Seed Sauce

Alu Posto

Serves: 6

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp. white poppy seeds (posto)

1 cup water

3 Tbsp. extra light olive oil

½ tsp. nigella seeds (kalo jeera/kalonji)

1 lb. baby potatoes, cut in half

2 tsp. ginger paste

Salt to taste

1 tsp.ghee or melted butter

2-3 green chilies, left whole

Directions:

1.   Boil potatoes for 15 minutes, drain, peel and quarter each half segment.

2.   Boil a cup of water in microwave, pour over poppy seeds in a bowl. Set aside to cool and soften.

3.   Puree the poppy seeds, water, some salt and a green chili until it reaches the consistency of a thick     sauce.

4.   Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat and add nigella seeds.

5.   When the seeds begin to sizzle, add potatoes, ginger paste and salt.

6.   Lower heat to medium-low and cook for 5 minutes.

7.   Add pureed poppy seeds and stir until well combined.

8.   Cook for 5 minutes until the sauce reduces and just coats the potatoes.

9.   Garnish with ghee & whole green chilies and transfer to a serving dish.

Note:

• The potatoes can be replaced with several other vegetables, such as eggplant, cauliflower, potatoes, zucchini, ridge gourd (jhinge), sweet potatoes, or pumpkin, etc.