Potol posto

Bong Eats’ Potol Posto cooks pointed gourd and potato in a poppy-seed and coconut paste. Their version turns the gourd soft in a creamy, nutty sauce, with mustard oil, nigella and chillies.

Poppy seeds are soaked and ground finely with green chillies, then grated coconut is added and ground again. The pointed gourds are peeled and given shallow gashes, while the potatoes are cut lengthwise into wedges.

Mustard oil is heated and the gourds fry with part of the salt until golden, then are set aside. Dried red chilli and nigella temper the same oil, and the potato wedges fry until golden.

The poppy-and-coconut paste, remaining salt and sugar are added and cooked until the poppy seeds develop a nutty flavour. The fried pointed gourds return and continue cooking, with a little hot water added to form a thick gravy that barely coats the vegetables.

A slit green chilli and raw mustard oil finish the dish. The selected preparation combines softened pointed gourd and golden-fried potato with the poppy-and-coconut coating.