The Bengalis swear by two things – a fill of Posto Baata or Alu Posto with rice and an afternoon siesta thereafter. Posto or poppy seeds, also known as khus khus in other parts of the country enriches our taste buds, cools down our bodies, and simultaneously heals our digestive system. The Posto Chicken recipe described here is a true-blue Bong recipe born in our ancestors’ kitchens when they discovered the power of Posto as a condiment enhancing the taste along with thickening the gravy. 

History of Posto

Though the poppy seeds and their farming originated in the Middle East back during the Sumerian Civilization, the British colonization in Bengal started its abundant agriculture in the fertile lands of Bengal for supplying the booming opium trade in China during those years. The food grain farmers suffered exploitations in the hands of the British for increasing the production of the poppy seeds to the extent where their families spent days with immense hunger. 

The British eliminated the dried poppy seeds as waste before collecting the opium. Desperate foraging by the women of the opium farmers’ families led to the discovery of posto baata or paste of poppy seeds that they could have with their rice plates.

Thus, posto, entered Bengali culinary. And today, we can add it to any preparation, be it veg or non-veg. Bengalis even have posto bata (or paste) with nothing but green chilies and a tinge of mustard oil.

Food Historian Chitrita Bannerjee rightly says about posto, though the benefits of khus khus are accepted in other parts of India, “it’s single-minded utilisation is only to be seen in Bengal.” Undoubtedly, our easy dinner recipe of Posto Chicken takes a cue from her this particular observation.

So that’s the history, let’s concentrate now on the recipe:

Preparation of Posto Chicken:

For the Posto chicken recipe, you will require the following ingredients:

1. Chicken – 500 gms
2. Tomato – 1 small
3. Onion (fined sliced) – 1 large
4. Onion (finely chopped) – 1 large
5. Cashew Nuts – 5 gms (optional)
6. Green Chillies (slit) – 4-5
7. Ginger (1 inch) – sliced
8. Garlic (10 cloves) – chopped
9. Poppy Seeds (Posto) – ½ cup
10. Dried Melon Seeds (Charmagaj) – 1/4 cup

Make sure that the proportion of the charmagaj and posto is 2:1

1. Whole Garam Masala – 1 tsp
2. Bay leaves
3. Dried red chillies – 2
4. Garam Masala Powder – ½ tsp
5. Coriander Powder – ½ tsp
6. Cumin Powder – ½ tsp
7. Whole Cumin Seeds – ½ tsp
8.  Refined Oil – 2 tbsp
9. Ghee – 1/2 tbsp
10.  Curd – 200 gms
11. Salt – According to taste
12. Turmeric Powder – 1 small pinch

How to Prepare Ghee At Home

Posto chicken video

How to cook Posto Chicken

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil. Add the whole garam masala, a bay leaf, a bit of salt, sliced ginger, chopped garlic cloves, chopped onion, green chillies, chopped tomato and cashew nuts in the oil and sauté for 4-5 minutes.
2. Add in cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder. Mix in for 2 minutes
3. Turn off the flame and leave it too cool.
4. Blend the masala into a fine paste.
5. Marinate the chicken with 200 gms yoghurt, the cooked masala paste and a bit of oil. Keep in the refrigerator for half an hour.
6. In the meantime, make a paste with the charmagaj and poppy seeds.
7. Once the chicken is marinated, heat the pan.
8. Add the ghee and oil. As they heat up, add coriander seeds, a bay leaf, 2 dried red chillies and fine sliced onions. Fry for 2 minutes.
9. Add the marinated chicken. Cover and cook for a minute and turned the flame to medium.
10. After 10 – 15 minutes, add the poppy seed and charmagaj paste. Mix in well.
11. Cook on a medium flame for 15 more minutes.
12. You can optionally add a drop of keora water before serving the Posto chicken piping hot. But, if you are trying it for the first time, taste the posto preparation without adding it.

How to enjoy Posto chicken?

The Posto Chicken can be a perfect choice during summer dinner get-togethers or quick lunch parties in your homes. This easy chicken recipe goes absolutely fabulous with Rotis, Paranthas, Basanti Pulao, Luchi or Plain Sweet Pulao.

The post Posto Chicken Recipe appeared first on KolkataFusion.

The Bengali Recipe of Brinjal that we’ll be discussing today is a simpler version of the elaborate Begun Basanti from the treasure house of Parna’s mother-in-law’s cookbook. She prefers to call it Doi Begun because curd is the primary ingredient replacing the mustard paste altogether. Due to the absence of the mustard paste, though our Doi Begun has lost its pungency, the yoghurt has brought in a lighter yet delicious taste in it. We have done away with the mustard paste to solve the indigestion problems after having the meal.

Before describing the ingredients and the process, let us share a trivia about Doi or Yoghurt or Curd, as you prefer to call it. The yoghurt was an accidental invention by the Central Asian herders. The animal skin bags they used to store the extra milk made the milk coagulated and sour after exposure to heat. Thus, the yoghurt originated.

Enough of history; here goes the cooking process now!

Bengali Recipe with Brinjal

Ingredients to make the Doi Begun (servings 4)

• Brinjals: 1 large or 2 medium
• Yoghurt: 200 gms
• Salt: According to taste
• Sugar: According to taste
• Roasted Cumin powder: 1 tbsp
• Roasted Coriander powder: 1 tbsp
• Roasted Black pepper powder: ½ tsp
• Green Chillies (slit): 4-5
• Mustard Oil or Ghee to deep fry the brinjals

Step by step process of making Doi Begun

• Heat a pan. Take a tablespoon of Coriander Seeds and dry roast till an aroma comes out. Make sure that you don’t burn it while roasting.
• Follow the same dry roasting process with Cumin seeds and Black peppercorns.
• Grind the roasted spices separately.
• Cut the large brinjal lengthwise into 4 pieces. If it is smaller or medium-sized brinjal, cut lengthwise into halves.
• Smear some salt in the brinjal pieces and keep aside for 15 minutes.
• In the meantime, take a mixing bowl, add the yoghurt, a teaspoon of salt, a teaspoon of sugar, mix well with a spoon. Use the spoon to blend with the hand.

Recommended Read: Another cool Bengali Recipe to try during spring – Green Jackfruit or Enchor Curry

• When the yoghurt mix has a smooth consistency, stop blending and keep the bowl aside.
• Add the roasted spices to the yoghurt mix. If you feel to make the dish sweeter, you can add more sugar.
• Heat the ghee or mustard oil in a deep pan or wok. If you want a bit of sharp taste in your Doi Begun, you need to fry the brinjals in the mustard oil.
• When the oil or ghee is heated well, deep fry the brinjal pieces.
• As they get fried into a golden brown hue, place them on a sheet of tissue paper to absorb the excess oil.
• Allow the fried brinjals to cool down.
• Take a cookie tray or cake baking flat utensil, place the fried brinjal pieces beside each other.
• Pour the yoghurt mix on the fried pieces. Add in a few slit green chillies.
• Allow the preparation to set in for a minimum of 4 hours; the more, the tastier. If you want, you can keep it covered in your fridge too.
• Serve cold with Ruti (Chapati), or Parota, or Luchi for dinner.

Doi Begun tastes excellent in summer. The refreshing sour taste has a cooling effect, indeed. So, next time, when you have a busy day with you exhausted to the core, you know which quickfix Bengali recipe of brinjal to try for dinner! Bon Appetit!

The post Doi Begun – Easy Bengali Recipe with Brinjals for dinner appeared first on KolkataFusion.