India. The second most populated country in the world. As tropical as it can get-bursting with heat, people and flavors of the gazillion different kinds of food from its various states. Sadly, Indian food outside of India is mainly restricted to that from the North (Chicken Tikka Masala, Naan, Dal Makhni, Paneer) or the South (Dosa, Idli, Vada)but rarely are the other regions represented. Here is a sneak peek into the cuisine from the east, which is home to me. This dish is a variation of the “Alu-peyaaj-posto bata “ (potato-onion-poppy seed mishmash), an out of the world curry which was an integral part of my childhood and is cooked in almost every household in West Bengal regularly. The back-home version requires onions and potatoes, but leeks (a close cousin of onions) serve the purpose as well. Presented below is a slightly different take on the original recipe by Sutapa Ray (www.sutapa.com)
Leeks with poppy-sesame paste
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| Serves | 2-4 |
| Prep time | 15 minutes |
| Cook time | 10 minutes |
| Total time | 25 minutes |
| Meal type | Main Dish |
Ingredients
- Black onion seeds (1/2 teaspoonful)
- Whole, dry, red chilies ((3-4, depending on the level of “hotness” desired))
- Turmeric powder ((1/2 teaspoonful ,it’s for the yellow pop of color, and therefore optional))
- Poppy seeds (1/2 cup)
- White sesame seeds (1/2 cup)
- Leeks (2 big bunches)
- Mustard oil (2 teaspoonful)
- Salt to taste
Directions
| 1. | Recipe: |
| 2. | Dry roast the sesame seeds and poppy seeds till the poppy seeds sputter and the sesame turns a nice shade of brown. Once done roasting, use a small amount of water to grind them into a fine paste (Rheology 101: a fine paste is what we are shooting for, not a slushy liquid with half ground seeds) |
| 3. | Heat the mustard oil, add the onion seeds and when they generate that heavenly fizz, add the dry red chillies and saute them well. |
| 4. | Add the leeks. Cover and let them soften/cook for 5 minutes |
| 5. | Add the poppy-sesame seed paste. Mix well, add some water and salt. Cover the pan and allow the leeks to cook till almost all the water evaporates |
| 6. | Drizzle with some mustard oil and remove from fire. Serve hot with white rice |
A word on the ingredients
Except the leeks and sesame (that you can get in any grocery store), some or most of the ingredients might be unfamiliar in a non-Indian kitchen. So, in order to get some serious Indian cooking started, drop everything else which pales in comparison and run to the nearest Indian grocery store (anything with a prefix or suffix “Patel” in it is a good starting point and pretty reliable) and get these buggers! Caution on the mustard oil- due to its pungency, it might ward off first timers. But this is exactly the reason why it is used in Eastern India to elevate the status of several dishes. However, if your nostrils and tongue seem to call for mutiny, then go for the regular (read pansy/bland) vegetable oil.
Thank me later for an amazing night’s sleep, courtesy the poppy seeds
