Well, this is not a bengali dish. Maa learnt it from one of the aunties and we loved it at home, so she made it for dinner once in a while or when we had some guests over.

Cauliflower – 1 small 

Onion – 1 medium size & ginger – ¼ inch — make into a paste 

Tomato – 1 large or 2 small – cut into small pieces 

Haldi powder – ½ tsp 

Jeera powder – 1 tsp 

Dhania powder – 1 tsp 

Sugar – 1 tsp 

Salt to taste 

Small elaichi – 3-4 

Ghee – 2 tbsp 

Oil – 3 tbsp 

Procedure 

Cut the bottom of the cauliflower (not too close to the flower as the stem has to remain). Put oil in a pan. Once it is hot, add the cauliflower – the flower should be facing the oil. The flower side has to turn brown slightly. Fry the stem side lightly. Remove from pan and keep aside. 

Add a little more oil to the same pan if required and add the onion-ginger paste, haldi, tomato, jeera & Dhania powder and salt & sugar. Add a little water to the masala and fry well till the oil separates from the masala. Now, add the cauliflower to it, the flower side facing the masala. Add a little water, cover and cook on slow flame. The cauliflower will take some take some time to soften. Before removing from fire, add 1 tsp of ghee and the elaichi.  

This dish goes well with roti and pulao. 

4. Aloo posto with Chingri 

Learnt this dish from my mom-in-law who is a great cook. Aloo posto, at our household, was always “nirameesh” — as in, it was pure vegetarian — with no garlic or onion. However, at my in-laws, prawns with onion and garlic was added — it tasted awesome.

Aloo (potatoes) – 500 gms 

Posto (poppy seeds) – 100 gms. Soak this in water for 30 minutes and then grind to a coarse paste. 

Onion – 1 large – chopped 

Prawns – 250 gms, cleaned. Marinate it with salt and haldi for 15 minutes, fry lightly in oil and keep aside 

Sugar – 1 tsp 

Red chilli powder – 1 tsp 

Salt – to taste 

Haldi – 1 tsp 

Panch phoron – 1 tsp 

Oil – 3 tbsp 

Green chillies – 3, break each chilli in two pieces 

Procedure 

Put oil in a kadai. Once the oil heats up, add the panch phoron and chillies. When the chilli splutters, add the onion. Fry till the onion till it turns pink and add the potatoes. Fry the potatoes till they begin to change colour. Add the haldi, salt, sugar and red chilli powder. Fry for a few minutes and then add the posto. Stir well so that it does not stick to the bottom. Add very little water (1 tpsp) so that you can stir easily. Keep stirring till the posto begins to change colour. Add the prawns now. Stir once and then add ½ – ¾ cup water. Cover and cook till the potatoes soften. Remove from fire and serve immediately with hot plain rice.  Goes well with roti or paratha too.