Dum Aloo Posto

'Tempt your taste buds with this delightful Bengali preparation of baby potatoes with poppy seeds', is the introduction my LG microwave cooking book has given for this recipe.

I picked some very beautiful baby potatoes freshly arrived on the supermarket counter. I decided to use them right away. This recipe said dum aloo and I thought that is lovely. The picture was more inviting to attempt it.

So here is what I cooked this morning! Since it was entirely microwave cooked, I finished few other chores along. I had prepared the paneer crumble earlier. They look more browned at the filling, in my recipe though the picture in the book was neat :(

Now I am off to a Christmas party for some destitute children with few other friends, organised by a very benevolent Indian lady. She is very sweet and dedicates most of her time, energy and money to this cause. I am happy I can do something little towards that.

Ingredients:

250 grams baby potatoes

75 grams/ about 2 tablespoons heaped paneer crumbled

1 tablespoon chopped cashew nuts

1 tablespoon yoghurt beaten

3 fresh chillies

3 teaspoons poppy seeds

1 tablespoon oil

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

Salt, dry chilli powder and pepper powder to taste.

Method:

Wash and peel potatoes. Carefully scoop out the centres.

Place the potatoes in a microwave proof bowl and adding some water, cook covered on micro power 100% for 5-6 minutes, depending on the output.

Soak the cashew nuts and grind along with green chillies. Mix with crumbled paneer. Fill in the hollows of the cooked potatoes.

Reserve some poppy seeds for garnish. Soak the rest in water and grind with the yoghurt to a smooth paste.

Microwave oil at 100% power for 30 seconds.

Add to this the marinade turmeric powder, salt and redchilli powder. Microwave at 60% power for 4 minutes and then place the prepared potatoes in the same bowl. Gently mix to coat the potatoes with the marinade.

Cover and microwave cook on high for 3 minutes. Sprinkle two teaspoons of water and cook for further 2 minutes, covered on 60% power.

In a micro proof flat dish place the reserved poppy seeds and 1 slit green chilli. Add one drop of oil. Micro wave on 100% power for 40 seconds.

Take this and spread on top of cooked potatoes. Place the potatoes on the flat dish and put them back in the microwave for few more minutes to allow them to get the roasted look.

This is a dry kind of curry. If you want it as a gravy, you may grind more cashews with some other spices and chopped onions. Cook them and add to the potatoes early on.

This aloo posto is being sent to Radhika who is hosting Sunita's Think spice featuring poppy-seeds.