Lactose Free Vegan Bengali Aloo Posto

Total time1 hr 15 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time25 min

4.6

(21)

This classic Bengali potato dish is pure comfort — tender Yukon Gold cubes coated in a thick, fragrant poppy seed paste that clings to every piece. The posto paste is the heart of it all, made by soaking and grinding white poppy seeds with green chilies into a dense, opaque mixture that transforms the potatoes into something deeply savory and subtly nutty. Mustard oil does the heavy lifting here, bloomed with nigella seeds and a dried red chili until the kitchen smells incredible, and then finished with a final drizzle of raw mustard oil that adds a pungent, grassy kick. Every ingredient in this dish is naturally plant-based and completely free of dairy, so there is no swapping or substituting required — it is simply built that way from the ground up. For anyone navigating lactose intolerance, Bengali cooking like this is a genuine gift, since the cuisine leans heavily on seeds, spices, and bold oils rather than cream or butter. The technique is straightforward — sauté, coat, cover, and let the paste do its work — and the result is a dish that tastes far more complex than the ingredient list suggests. Serve it with steamed rice and a slit green chili on top for the full experience.

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the posto paste

½ cup white poppy seeds (posto)
2 green chilies, roughly chopped
¼ tsp salt
3 tbsp water, plus more as needed

For the aloo

1.5 lb (about 4 medium) yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes
3 tbsp mustard oil
½ tsp nigella seeds (kalonji)
1 dried red chili
½ tsp turmeric
¾ tsp salt, or to taste
¼ cup water
1 tsp raw mustard oil, for finishing

For serving

1 green chili, slit lengthwise (optional)

Instructions

1
Place the white poppy seeds in a small bowl, cover with cold water, and soak for 30 minutes. Drain well.
2
Transfer the drained poppy seeds to a spice grinder or blender along with the 2 roughly chopped green chilies, 1/4 tsp salt, and 3 tbsp water. Grind to a smooth, thick paste, scraping down the sides as needed and adding water 1 tsp at a time only if the blades stall. The paste should be dense and opaque, not watery.

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