5 from 1 vote

Potol Posto or Parwal Posto is a traditional Bengali dish featuring pointed gourds (potol) cooked in a rich, creamy paste of poppy seeds, mustard seeds, and aromatic spices.

This flavorful vegetarian delight is a cherished part of Bengali cuisine, offering a perfect balance of sweetness and spice.

Ingredients like pointed gourds, poppy seeds, mustard seeds, and spices are essential. Start by preparing the gourds and making a paste of seeds and chilis.

So Let’s dive in for the more details.

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways

Bengali Classic: Potol Posto is a beloved Bengali vegetarian dish made with pointed gourds cooked in a creamy poppy seed and mustard paste, offering a delightful balance of sweet and spicy flavors.

Key Ingredients: Essential components include pointed gourds, poppy seeds, mustard seeds, and spices, prepared by slitting gourds and creating a flavorful paste.
Cooking Steps: Involves gourd preparation, paste making, frying, tempering, adding paste, seasoning, preparing gravy, and finishing with mustard oil for enhanced flavor.
Crucial Tips: Soaking seeds, cautious frying, turmeric timing, balanced seasoning, and gravy control are essential techniques for the dish’s perfect taste.

Perfect Companions: Enjoy Potol Posto with steamed rice, roti, paratha, or luchi, elevating the meal’s overall satisfaction and taste.

The Ingredients:

Potol or pointed gourds: 500 gm (cut, cleaned, scaled & slitted side wise)

Posto or poppy seeds: 4 tbsp (soaked for ½ hr & strained)
Black mustard seeds: 2 tbsp (soaked for ½ hr & strained)
Green chilis: 8 pieces (red in color)

Sugar: ½ tbsp
Turmeric powder: ½ tbsp
Nigella seeds: ½ tbsp

Dry red chili: 3 pieces
Salt to taste
Mustard oil: 4 tbsp

How to Cook Potol Posto (Step by Step Images)?

1. Preparing the Pointed Gourds

First, smear the potol or pointed gourds with ½ tbsp of salt. Set them aside for 10 minutes.

2. Making the Paste

Now, make a smooth paste of poppy seeds, black mustard seeds, and green chilis using a mixer grinder. Add less than ½ tbsp of salt to the mixture. Add 2 tbsp of water and blend until a thick paste forms.

(Expert Tip: If desired, you can use a grinding stone to make the paste. Adding salt prevents bitterness. The paste may appear red due to red chilis; you can use green chilis if preferred.)

3. Frying the Pointed Gourds

Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a wok. Once the oil is hot, add the potol or pointed gourds. Lightly fry the pointed gourds and remove them from the oil when fried.

(Expert Tip: Be cautious as oil might splatter while adding the pointed gourds.)

4. Tempering

Add 1 tbsp more oil to the same wok. Once the oil is hot, add nigella seeds and dry red chilis. Sauté for 10 seconds. Add turmeric powder and sauté briefly.

5. Adding the Paste and Cooking

Add the prepared paste to the wok. Mix well. Rinse the mixer grinder with water and add the water to the mixture. Stir and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes.

(Expert Tip: For a better color, add turmeric powder to the oil. Avoid keeping turmeric powder in the oil for too long, as it may darken the color.)

6. Adding the Pointed Gourds and Seasoning

Add the fried pointed gourds to the mixture. Stir it nicely. Add ½ tbsp of salt and ½ tbsp of sugar. Mix thoroughly. Cook on low heat for 7 minutes, covered.

(Expert Tip: Adjust the amount of salt as per preference.)

7. Preparing the Gravy

After 7 minutes, uncover the dish. You’ll notice moisture in the gravy. Increase the heat to evaporate the excess water. As the spices release their oil, add 1 cup of water. Cover and let it cook.

(Expert Tip: Adjust the amount of water according to desired gravy consistency.)

8. Finishing Touch

Potol posto is almost ready. Add 1 tbsp of raw mustard oil and cover for an additional 1 minute. Turn off the flame.

9. Serving

Transfer the potol posto to a serving bowl and enjoy this delicious dish.

Pro Tips for Making Best Potol Posto

Balanced Soaking: Ensure to soak the poppy seeds and mustard seeds for at least half an hour. Proper soaking results in a smoother paste, making the dish creamier.

Chili Choice: If you prefer less heat, substitute red chilis with green ones in the paste for a milder flavor profile.

Careful Frying: When frying the pointed gourds, handle with caution as hot oil might splatter. Lightly fry them until they turn golden for the best texture.

Turmeric Timing: While tempering, add turmeric powder briefly to the hot oil. Avoid overcooking the turmeric in oil, preventing it from turning too dark.

Seasoning Sensibility: Adjust salt levels according to personal taste preferences. Remember, moderation is key to striking the right balance of flavors.

Gravy Control: Adjust the amount of water added for the gravy to achieve the desired consistency. Evaporate excess water to intensify flavors if necessary.

Mustard Oil Finishing: Adding raw mustard oil at the end gives a distinctive flavor. Covering the dish for a minute allows the oil to infuse its essence into the dish.

What to Serve with Potol Posto?

Potol Posto, a delightful Bengali dish, pairs exceptionally well with various accompaniments. Here’s what you can serve alongside this flavorful creation:

Steamed Rice: The classic and most common companion to Potol Posto. The simplicity of steamed rice complements the rich flavors of the dish.

Roti or Paratha: Enjoy Potol Posto with Indian bread like roti or paratha for a wholesome meal. Their slightly crispy texture contrasts the creamy nature of the dish.

Luchi: Indulge in the traditional Bengali deep-fried bread, luchi, as a delightful option to savor with Potol Posto.

Each of these sides complements the flavors and textures of Potol Posto, enhancing the overall dining experience and making it a satisfying meal.

Choose according to your preference and enjoy this traditional Bengali delight with your favorite accompaniment.

How Does Potol Posto Taste?

Mild Sweetness: The dish derives its initial flavor from the pointed gourds, offering a mild sweetness that forms the base taste.

Creamy Texture: Thanks to the creamy paste of poppy seeds and mustard seeds, Potol Posto presents a rich and velvety texture.

Nutty Essence: The combination of poppy seeds and mustard seeds contributes a nutty essence, enhancing the overall taste profile.

Aromatic Spices: The use of green chilis, nigella seeds, and dry red chilis infuses the dish with a subtle, aromatic heat, adding depth to the flavor.

Balanced Seasoning: Salt and a touch of sugar are delicately balanced to create a harmonious blend of flavors, ensuring neither sweetness nor saltiness dominates the dish.

Turmeric’s Earthy Note: The addition of turmeric not only enhances the visual appeal by imparting a vibrant color but also adds a subtle earthy note to the dish’s flavor profile.

Overall, Potol Posto offers a unique blend of mild sweetness from the gourds, a creamy texture from the paste, nutty undertones from the seeds, a gentle heat from spices, and a perfectly balanced seasoning, resulting in a flavorful and comforting dish emblematic of traditional Bengali cuisine.

Potol Posto Alternatives

Jhinge Posto (Ridge Gourd in Poppy Seed Paste): This Bengali dish features ridge gourd cooked in a creamy paste of poppy seeds, mustard seeds, and spices, similar to Potol Posto but with a different vegetable.

Begun Posto (Eggplant in Poppy Seed Paste): Slices of eggplant cooked in a flavorful paste made from poppy seeds and mustard seeds, creating a creamy and aromatic dish.

Kumro Posto (Pumpkin in Poppy Seed Paste): A delightful Bengali preparation where chunks of pumpkin are cooked in a rich paste of poppy seeds and mustard seeds, offering a sweet and creamy flavor.

Chingri Posto (Shrimp in Poppy Seed Paste): A non-vegetarian option featuring shrimp cooked in a similar creamy poppy seed paste, often accompanied by other spices for added flavor.

Postor Bora (Poppy Seed Fritters): These fritters are made from a batter of ground poppy seeds mixed with spices and fried to a crispy texture, serving as a delicious side dish or snack.

Each of these dishes showcases the versatility of posto (poppy seeds) in Bengali cuisine, offering a diverse range of flavors and textures that can either serve as an alternative to Potol Posto or complement it when served together in a meal.

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Conclusion

“Potol posto” is an incredibly delectable and delicious dish.

The sweetness of the potol, or pointed gourds, harmonizes beautifully with the paste of poppy and mustard seeds, enriched with the flavors of green chilis.

This dish is a delightful accompaniment to steamed rice, roti, and paratha, making it a perfect choice for both lunch and dinner.