This recipe “Ridge gourd Posto” is from my friend Sanchali.
She is a terrific cook ( Bengali, of course!) and always rustles up something tasty when I am around at Kolkatta.
This dish is made in a jiffy and the variation is of course, the popular Aloo Posto.
Posto means poppy seeds and for this recipe we need the following :
One medium onion
4/5 tsp Oil (Mustard oil replaced with our Refined oil) – (unless you have an acquired taste for mustard oil..)
Ridge gourd (Peerkangai) -1 (big) or 1 ½ (Medium) size
Black Cumin Seeds
Sugar – 1 tsp
To be ground into a thick paste :
Poppy Seeds – 2 big spoons
Garlic Pods – 2/3
Green chilly – 2
1. Dry grind poppy seeds, then wet grind with very little water alongwith garlic and green chilly. Do not use too much water, since the posto should be coarse and thick paste. Wash the grinder with little water and you can use this to cook the vegetables.
2. Slice onion in to thin slices, chop gourd in small pieces.
3. Heat oil, add cumin seeds. Fry the onion on a low flame, after 3-4 minutes add the gourd. Cook on a low flame.
4. Sprinkle some water. When its about 3/4th done, add the posto paste and the sugar. The dish should be semi-gravy, so just add in 2-3 tsps of water. Keep it on low flame throughout to retain the green color of the gourd.
The tasty dish is ready and have a go with rotis.. Enjoy!
