Biuli Dal and Aloo Posto (Lentil Soup and Potato cooked in Poppy Seeds Paste)

If it is a Thursday or any given day we are not eating fish or any kind of meat we prefer to have one of our favorite yet simple dinner Biuli Dal, Aloo Posto with white Rice. Biuli Dal (Lentil Soup) as we call in Bengali is Urad Dal and Posto is Poppy Seeds, so we make Aloo Posto(Potato cooked in Poppy Seeds Paste) and serve with Rice.

Ingredients: (Biuli Dal)

• 1/2 cup Biuli Dal (Urad Dal)
• 1 tsp Ginger Paste
• 1 tsp Fennel Seeds (Mouri/Saunf)
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder (optional)
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 1 Whole Dried Red Chilli

Wash and soak the Lentil (Biuli Dal) for about 1 hour and then boil it and keep it aside. Make a paste of Ginger and the Fennel Seeds (Mouri/Saunf). For tempering, heat oil in a pan, add the Bay Leaf, Whole Red Chilli and the ginger fennel paste. Stir fry them and add the Turmeric powder and salt. If you want you can also avoid the Turmeric Powder. Pour the dal over it and add water and cook till your desired consistency.

Ingredients: (Aloo Posto)

• 2 Medium Sized Potato
• 1/2 Cup Poppy Seed Paste
• 1/2 Medium Sized Onion (optional)
• 2-3 Green Chillies
• 1 tsp Panch Phoron
• 1 Whole Red Chilli
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder

Cut the Potato into bite sized pieces and chop the onions. Wash and soak the Poppy Seeds for about an hour. Grind the Poppy Seeds coarsely,using a Coffee Grinder, you can add green chillies when making the paste. Heat oil in a wok, temper with Panch Phoron and the Whole Red Chilli and then add the chopped onions. Fry for a minute and add the cut Potatoes and start frying them. Add salt and turmeric powder and give them a stir. 

When the Potatoes are almost half done, add the Poppy Seed Paste, cover and cook for sometime. Add some water if needed and cook. When the Potatoes get cooked, and the water dries up, its ready to serve. Serve this Aloo Posto and Biuli Dal with Plain Basmati Rice.