Aloo Posto is a classic Bengali dish of potatoes stir-fried with a vibrant mix of panch phoron - a five-spice mix - then doused in a creamy poppy seed sauce. It's as delicious as it is simple and it makes the perfect side for dal and steamed rice or roti.
Table of Contents
What is aloo posto?
Aloo posto (alu posto) is an Indian recipe of potatoes cooked in a lightly but vividly spiced poppy seed sauce. This is one of the better known vegetarian dishes from the eastern Indian state of West Bengal but you are not likely to find it at an Indian restaurant. Not eating it, however, would be missing out on one of the most delicious Indian potato recipes ever.
Potatoes are a popular addition to many Indian dishes and play a starring role in side dishes like Aloo Gobi, Aloo Palak, Bombay Potatoes, Jeera Aloo and Dum Aloo. Bengali Aloo Posto, pronounced "aa-loo poash-tow" with a soft "t", is rather unique, however, for a couple of reasons. For one, it is spiced with a vibrant mix of seed spices, panch phoron, that laces the dish with notes of spicy, bitter, earthy and sweet. For another, Aloo Posto is doused in a dry but creamy poppy seed sauce instead of a coconut sauce or a cream sauce, like many south Indian and north Indian recipes are.
Poppy seeds are used in many spicy Indian curries but no one uses them with quite the skill, prolificacy and love that Bengali cooks do. They blend them up into creamy sauces for fish, meat, beans and vegetables, mix them up into a chutney with mustard and green chilis, and mash them with potatoes to make crunchy fritters, among dozens of delicious applications.
How well they understand the use of poppy seeds is vividly demonstrated in Aloo Posto. One wouldn't really think of neutral potatoes and poppy seeds as culinary soulmates. But when Bengali cooks marry them to each other with a sprinkle of panch phoron, a simple, five-spice mix, the result is a dish that sings to your taste buds and brings them to life.
Recipe card
Aloo Posto
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons poppy seeds (khus khus)
- 2 green chili peppers (split down the middle)
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or any neutral oil (or mustard oil, if you have it)
- 1 tablespoon panch phoron
- 1 pound potatoes (baby potatoes are great, but you can use regular sized yellow or red potatoes. Halve or quarter the baby potatoes. If using regular potatoes chop into ¾-inch cubes)
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Soak poppy seeds in ½ cup water for 30 minutes. Add green chili peppers to the blender jar and blend into a very smooth paste.
- Heat oil in a kadhai or wok over medium-high heat. Add the panch phoron. If using mustard oil, wait for the oil to begin smoking before adding the panch phoron.
- As soon as the mustard crackles add the potatoes to the wok and mix. Stir-fry the potatoes for a couple of minutes.
- Add the blended poppy seed paste and a cup of water to the potatoes and mix well. Add salt to taste and bring to a boil.
- Lower heat to medium-low, cover the wok, and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
- Let the aloo posto continue cooking, uncovered, until the sauce has reduced quite a bit and is almost dry. Check salt and turn off heat. Serve hot or warm.
Notes
- Poppy seeds (khus khus). Use white poppy seeds, which are typically used in Indian cooking.
- Green chili peppers. You can use locally available jalapeno peppers or serrano peppers. If you have access to an Indian store buy the slim, spicy green chilies sold there. If sensitive to heat deseed the peppers and/or use just one. You can make the recipe as mild or as spicy as you like.
- Panch phoron. This is a simple mix of five whole-seed spices -- nigella seeds (kalonji), cumin seeds (jeera), fenugreek seeds (methi), mustard seeds (sarson) and fennel seeds (saunf). If you don't have panch phoron on hand just mix half a teaspoon of each of these seeds.
- Potatoes. Small potatoes, like new potatoes or baby potatoes, make for a prettier presentation, but regular sized red or yellow potatoes are fine. Don't use starchy potatoes that bread down easily, like russet potatoes, in this recipe.
- Mustard oil. Edible mustard oil is not sold in the United States because it contains erucic acid, a known carcinogen. Indian stores do stock it but it is sold as a massage oil because of FDA labeling requirements. If you have mustard oil, use it in this recipe for an authentic and traditional flavor. Indian cooks heat mustard oil until it smokes gently before adding other ingredients to it because it is believed to get rid of some of the bad stuff.
Nutrition Information
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How to make aloo posto
Soak poppy seeds in water for 30 minutes. Add green chili peppers to the blender jar.
Blend or grind into a very smooth, fine paste with a very creamy texture. Set aside.
Heat oil in a kadhai or wok over medium-high heat. Add the panch phoron. If using mustard oil, wait for the oil to begin smoking before adding the panch phoron.
As soon as the mustard crackles add the chopped potatoes and mix. Stir-fry the potatoes for a couple of minutes.
Add the blended poppy seed paste to the potatoes and mix.
Add a cup of water to the potatoes and mix well. Add salt to taste. Bring to a boil.
Lower heat to medium-low, cover with a lid and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
Let the aloo posto cook uncovered until the sauce has reduced quite a bit and is almost dry. Turn off heat. (If you want a saucier dish with a bit of gravy, you can turn off the heat earlier.)
Variations
- Some cooks add onions to this recipe. If you'd like to include this, slice a medium red onion thinly and add to the skillet or wok after the seeds sputter. Saute until soft before adding potatoes.
- Turmeric is not traditionally added to aloo posto but if you want to add it for its health benefits, add ½ a teaspoon of turmeric powder to the wok after the mustard sputters, then quickly add the potatoes.
Aloo posto FAQs
You can serve aloo posto as a side dish with dal and basmati rice for a tasty Indian meal. Or serve it with an Indian flatbread like roti.
Aloo posto can be refrigerated for up to three days. Place in an airtight container before placing in fridge. Place the aloo posto in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to three months. Thaw and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop. Add a little water if needed.
Ida says
Wow!!!! Absolutely phenomenal!! I ordered the poppyseeds from Amazon as I was not able to find locally. Recipe incredibly easy to put together and same for flavorful Panch Phoron. I will definitely prepare again. I love the flavor and I love the ease of preparation. A definite top rated recipe for me. Thank you, Vaishali for your incredibly yummy recipes!
Vaishali says
Hi Ida, so thrilled you made the aloo posto. Thanks for the feedback. This is one of my favorites too!
Dave fryett says
I have never seen yellow poppy seeds
Vaishali says
Indian stores carry white poppy seeds and you can also find them online!
Kirsten Lindquist says
I just found your blog and i love it! So inspiring, I can't wait to make some many of your posts! I used to live in DC (Takoma Park and then Mount Pleasant and NE) so love to hear about my old home. Thanks so much for sharing!
Sheela says
Hey Vaishali,
Lots of love and hugs to Lucy!!! Great to see the Pic!! Bravo Lucy!!!!
I have never tasted this Aloo recipe will try soon! Cool that you ahve such a lovely garden, can I get some fresh veggies please 😉
I try to grow few in my patio....I don't have a huge garden space.
I have planted cilantro, Methi, cucumber....Yeah 🙂 my mint plant died no clue why? ( I had bought it from whole food, but don't see the same herb anymore)
Do you know from where I can get one?
Hope all is well with you Vaishali!!
Thanks for all the wonderful recipes. Always a pleasure to stop by your virtual kitchen :)---------Sheels
Vaishali says
Hi Sheela, you are welcome to my veggies anytime. 🙂
Mint is a really easy plant to grow-- it grows like a weed, in fact, unless controlled in a pot or an enclosed space. You can find it at any nursery or, if you have a friend or neighbor who will let you pull up a couple of sprigs with the root, you can just plant it in some earth and water it and sit back while it grows.
If you're located in the DC area, I'll be glad to share some with you.
Sheela says
:((( Nope I am not in DC, I live in PA.
Wish I was closeby to your place, I would have been your eager student to learn some cooking and baking, believe me!!
Thanks for sharing Vaishali!!
Mints! says
Love that aloo posto in that lovely dish!!
Lots and lots of love to Lucy.
Vaishali says
Lucy sends you lots of love right back, and a big thank you woof for the treats-- she's been guzzling them up!
Kath says
Hello Vaishali, I just came over from Kay and Simes blog,as I adore Indian food and so far, my attempts at vegan cooking have been woefully bland. I think that's about to change LOL
Big love to Lucy from my 2 scruffy English dogs, Ellie and Roobarb xx
Vaishali says
Kath, welcome, and your English dogs sound adorable!
Elizabeth says
What's the white stuff mixed into it. I don't see anything in the recipe that would make that sauce-looking coating.
Vaishali says
Elizabeth, it's the poppy seed paste.
Sushma Madhuchandra says
Unlike Washington, it is raining cats & dogs in Detroit. We sometime pray for the rains to stop 🙂 Aloo posto looks very inviting! Wish I could have my own garden.
notyet100 says
Even I luv this sabzi,,,,:)
Mel says
The aloo posto looks so lovely! I'm not usually very fond of potatoes in curries but I love the sound of the poppy seed paste and adore panch phoron. Do you think it work as well with another vegetable like cauliflower? How fantastic that you were able to use your home-grown produce.
Pass on lots of hugs and kisses to Lucy from me and our new fellow Ollie. Great to hear to she still has an appetite for treats!
Vaishali says
Mel, you could definitely do this with other veggies-- I'd choose a hardier veggie than cauliflower, which tends to get mushy when cooked, like eggplant or sweet potatoes.
Ollie sounds so cute-- love that name!
Richa says
that aloo posto looks amazing! We planted a few potatoes and got about 12 odd ones from 2 plants in our balcony. atleast someone is using the balcony:))
sending lucy lots of hugs and good times.
Vaishali says
Wow, Richa-- growing potatoes in a balcony is quite an achievement. Good work!
Karen's Vegan Kitchen says
That looks awesome. I just love, love, love spicy potato dishes!
Manasi says
Oh woe is me 🙁 I planted 'hari mirch', nothing happened, I mean , there is a nearly 1.5 foot plant, no flowers, no 'ghar ki mirch'.
I planted Tomato, it is growing, totally unsure if I will EVER grow anything:(
Can I come and live near u?
The aloo posto looks great, I have often wondered how it will taste, time I try,
Love and wooooof to Lucy!!
Vaishali says
Yes! I absolutely want you to live near me, Manasi! You can have all the veggies you want. 🙂