New year ...new start : WFPBNO Posto and Kolai er daal

To make Posto you will need

• 6 Russett potatoes or yukon Gold cut in small 1 inch cubes
• 1 medium size onions chopped
• 4-6 green chillies ( adjust based on ability to eat spice)
• 1 tsp nigella seeds ( Amazon link)
• salt to taste
•  1/4 -1/2 cup poppy seeds ,called posto in Bengali / khus-khus in Hindi, available in all indian stores( Amazon link) . Soak the posto in warm water for 5-10 mins, and then grind to a fine paste with the green chillies. Keep aside

Take a saucepan, and dry roast the nigella seeds. When you start getting the aroma of the roasted seeds, add 1/2 cup water. Once the water boils add, copped onions and fry. If the onions sticks, add 2 tbsp of oil and continue till the raw smell of onion goes away. Now add potato and fry with onions. When onions are completely done, add the poppy seed paste, along with 1 cup of water and let it come to a boil. Now cover the pan and let it simmer till the potatoes are cooked. Once potatoes are cooked , increase the heat, add salt to taste and stir it till the water evaporates and the consistency of the potato, posto mixture is as shown in the image. Serve hot with rice and kolai er dal.

To make Kolai er daal  ( Biuli daal)

•  1 cup Black gram split dehusked ( https://www.amazon.com/Organic-Mogar-Black-Split-Dehusked/dp/B00BIYAE08)
• 3 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
•  1 teaspoon Nigella seeds
• 2-3 red whole chillies
• 1 tbsp fennel seeds powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger paste
• salt to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar

This is most easily cooked in a pressure cooker. Soak lentil/dal ( black gram) with  3 cups of water, pressure cook or in an instant pot ( manual, 7 mins with pressure) . If you do not have a pressure cooker, just cook the lentils till the are soft and mushy. this lentil is slimy so if you dislike that, dry roast the dal before you cook it.

In a saucepan, dry roast the nigella and red chillies. Now whisk the cooked dal and add to the roasted seed and chillies. Add the fennel powder, ginger, salt and sugar and boil. If it gets too thick thin it out with more water. The dal is delicately spiced and should smell of the fennel powder.  Traditionally this is eaten with rice and posto. I added the Brocoli to  add he green as well. These were steamed in the microwave for 5 mins and then broiled in a oven at 400 C for 30 mins with a little salt and cumin powder.