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.

Although our North Indian brothers and sisters prefer the Chicken Keema with Paranthas, Naan or Roti, we Bengalis went a step further. We fused the Chicken Keema preparation with our traditional Bengali style Motorer Ghugni, as fillings in Shingara, Potoler Dolma or Bengali ‘Chops’ (a delicious cousin of fritters).

For the Chicken keema balls recipe, Check out Megha’s Kitchen – the YouTube page for quick and tasty recipes.

We would be sharing here the Bengalized version of the Chicken Keema dish.

Here it goes.

Ingredients for preparing Chicken Keema:

• Minced Chicken (Keema): 300 g
• Onion (1 large and 1 small): Finely chopped
• Ginger (chopped): 1 ½ tsp
• Garlic (chopped): 5-6 pods
• Green Chilli (chopped): 2 tsp (or according to preference)
• Fresh coriander leaves (chopped): A handful
• Tomato (1 medium): Finely chopped
• Whole Cumin Seeds: ½ tsp (Can be omitted if you don’t prefer the cumin flavour in chicken)
• Turmeric Powder: ½ tsp
• Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder: 1 tsp (for the rich red colour)
• Cumin powder: ½ tsp
• Coriander powder: 1 tsp
• Garam Masala powder: 1 tsp (You can also use freshly roasted and grounded garam masala powder instead of store brought one)
• Mustard or Refined Oil – 2 tbsp
• Salt: According to taste
• Water: Half Cup

Preparation of Chicken Keema:

• Heat the oil in a flat, heavy-bottomed pan or wok.
• Add the whole cumin seeds. You can omit this step and start by adding chopped onions if you don’t prefer the cumin powered taste in your chicken keema.
• As they start spluttering, add a bit of chopped garlic and 1 tsp of green chillies.
• After a minute, add the chopped onion and a pinch of salt.
• Sauté till brownish. Add the half chopped tomatoes. Stir well, cover and let it cook till the chopped tomatoes turn mushy.
• Now add the chopped ginger and the remaining portion of the chopped garlic.
• Mix well.
• As the raw smell goes away, add the cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and Kashmiri Red Chilli powder one by one while blending in the spices.
• Stir occasionally and cover for 5 minutes.
• Add the minced chicken and the remaining part of the chopped tomatoes.
• Mix the chicken and the chopped tomatoes well with the spices, stir gently, cover and cook for 5 minutes.
• Add half a cup of water. Mix gently. Put the flame on high.
• As the chicken starts getting tender, add the chopped coriander leaves.
• Stir well for 5 more minutes till the water dries up.
• Cover the pan. Serve after a standing time of 10 minutes.

The Chicken Keema goes best with Roti or the traditional Bengali triangular Porota. You can also use it as a filling for your homemade chicken roll, homemade sandwiches, Shingara, Patties or Potoler Dolma.

Chef’s tips

Cook on low flame for best taste.

The post Chicken Keema Recipe- Mughlai savoury dish prepared in Bengali style appeared first on KolkataFusion.

So, to cut the bitter story short, let me introduce a quintessential bitter ‘Prothom Paatey’ recipe. Do try it in your kitchens as well.

Ingredients for Bangali Sukto Recipe

Potato (1 medium)

Sweet Potato (1)

Bitter Gourds (Ucchhe) (5-6 medium)

Raw Papaya (1 small)

Pumpkin (proportionately)

Drumsticks (Moringa sticks) (1 – 2)

Milk (2 tbsp)

Ginger Paste (1 tsp)

Mustard Oil (1 ½  tbsp)

Turmeric Powder ( ½ pinch)

Salt (according to taste)

Sugar (1 tsp)

For tempering

Wild celery seeds (Ajmoda or Radhuni) (1 Pinch)

Five spices (Paanchphoran) (1 Pinch)

Process of Cooking Sukto

Cut all the vegetables lengthwise keeping the length one and a half inch. Heat the oil in a pan or wok (kadhai) and throw in 1 pinch of wild celery seeds. When the seeds begin to splutter, put the vegetables and shallow fry them. Add water, salt, half a pinch of turmeric powder and cook till the vegetables are tender. Now, give the ginger paste and a pinch of powdered paanch phoran or five spices and simmer. When the vegetables are done, add 2 tablespoons of milk and a teaspoon of sugar (because no Bengali food is complete without some sugar in it) and turn off the gas. Top it up with a generous teaspoon of ghee and serve hot with a slice of lemon.

For the perfect non-veg after shukto, check out the Crab recipe.

The post ‘Shukto’ Recipe From MIL’s Kitchen (Serves 4) appeared first on KolkataFusion.