Bhaja Moong Dal ar Alu Posto - Roasted Moong Dal and Potato in Poppy Seed Paste

There are days when the refrigerator is empty, and I'm too lazy to go to the market and buy things yet the heart craves for hot, nice, homemade food. This is for those days. 

Posto or poppy seeds have a huge seat of importance in the Vegetarian Bengali cuisine. Posto comes out of the canisters when there are guests or there is a celebration of some sorts. Posto features a lot more in Ghoti (West Bengal) dishes than the Bangaal (East Bengal) ones. Posto lulls you to sleep and is perfect for the lazy Sunday lunch. 

One of my earliest memories of the kitchen is standing next to Ma when she roasted the Moong dal. I loved that smell and I would hover around her till she gave me a little of the roasted dal to eat. Old habits die hard, they say. And so, even today, each time I roast the dal I can't help but eat a little before cooking it. Bhaja Moong Dal was also the only way my Ma could make me eat Moong dal. I hated the slippery texture of the Kancha Moong Dal (non roasted one). It was also my second favourite dal preparation after Masoor dal. 

So, as a first recipe post, I share two very simple but tasty ones. 

For the Dal, you need:

Moong Dal - 1 cup

Tomato - 1 

Paanch Phoron* - 1 1/2 tsp

Red Chillies - 1

Bay Leaf - 1

Green Chillies - 2

Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp

Salt - to taste

Mustard Oil - 1 tbsp

Ghee - 1 tsp

Method

Heat a pan and roast the dal while stirring continuously. You will know it is done when the dal changes the colour to a light brown and the smell tantalizes the senses. This usually takes about 3 to 4 minutes

Soak this for about half an hour.

Boil the dal with tomato, green chillies and turmeric powder. 

Heat the oil in a kadhai to smoking point and then reduce the heat.

Add the bay leaf and the red chillies.

Once the red chillies change colour, add the paanch phoron.

When it splutters, add the cooked dal. (My tip: For the perfect tadka, add the dal from a height, the flavours always come out better

 this way).

Add salt and simmer this for about 7 to 8 minutes.

Add ghee and simmer for another 2 minutes.

For the Alu Posto, you need:

Potatoes - 3 to 4 medium sized ones

Poppy seeds - 5 to 6 tbsp

Kalo Jeera/Kalonji/Nigella Seeds - 1tsp

Turmeric powder - 1tsp (optional)

Green Chillies - 3 to 4

Mustard Oil - 2tbsp

Peel and cut the potato into cubes.

Grind the poppy seeds and 2 green chillies with a little bit of water. (My tip, for best results, 

use a traditional mortar and pestle).

Make sure that it has a smooth texture and is not watery.

Heat the oil to a smoking point and then reduce the heat.

Add the kalo jeera and the green chillies.

Once it splutters, add the potatoes and  and cook till they are half done in medium heat.

Add the poppy seeds paste and cook till the potatoes are done.

Add a few drops of mustard oil. In case you do not like mustard oil, you could add ghee or serve

 as it is.

Serve with steamed white rice.

*Panch phoron - Five spices is a very important element in Bengali cooking. It consists of equal

 quantities of fennel seeds, nigella seeds, black mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and cumin 

seeds.