Peyaz Posto - Poppy cooked with Onion

It's freezing cold out here now. Going out, so much as dropping by a friend's place at stone's throw

 away distance has become a job of herculean affairs when piling on a few layers of clothing is the

 order of the day. Burying myself under thick jackets and warm clothes induces a feeling of

claustrophobia in me, which is absolutely disgusting. This is why I don't enjoy winter here. But

aesthetically, winter here offers a sight of profound beauty. The view of meadows, roads and

buildings carpeted in thick snows is completely riveting. Last weekend, when we were forced to

confine ourselves in home due to constant snow falling, I busied myself capturing the snow-capped

beauty in our camera. Here are some of the snapshots:

 

 

Over to the recipe, Peyaz Posto is one of the favourite posto preparations of mine cooked by my

 mother. I love it so much that I can polish off an entire plate of rice with Peyaz Posto. Despite

 painstaking efforts, my Peyaz Posto, however, does not come anywhere near in taste to the one

 cooked by maa. I don't know what special ingredient she adds, may be 'love' has something to do

 with it. My husband, on the other hand, is more fond of Alu Posto, not that I don't like it, but I guess

 I am more in love with Posto cooked with julienne onion than that of cooked with alu or potato.

 

 

Ingredients:                                                Cooking time: 20-25 minutes ü  100 gm poppy seeds ü  2 medium size onion (julienned) ü  4-5 green chillies (split) ü  1 tsp turmeric powder ü  1 tsp cumin powder ü  1 tsp coriander powder ü  Salt to taste ü  1/2 tsp kalo jeera or nigella seeds or kalonji ü  Mustard oil for cooking Method: 1) Boil the poppy seeds in microwave or stove top for 4-5 minutes. Then grind it into fine paste. 2) Heat mustard oil in a pan. When oil turns hot, add kalo jeera and allow it to sizzle. Next add the green chillies and allow them to turn one shade darker. 3) Add onion and fry till onion becomes golden brown in color. Add the poppy paste. 4) Add turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and salt. Mix in. If required, add 1/4 cup of water and cook covered on medium heat for 10-15 minutes till poppy is cooked through, stirring once in a while to prevent poppy paste burning at the bottom. 5) Serve hot with rice. It just tastes heavenly.