Posto Pabda (Bengali Fish Curry In Poppy Seeds Paste)
Posto Pabda is a very popular fish curry from Bengal, in which the fish named Pabda is cooked in poppy seeds paste making a thick curry. The fish here is cooked whole and the dish goes well with plain rice. The recipe here is adapted from my mother's diary and trust me, it tastes amazing.
For those who have tasted Aloo Posto, this fish curry has a similar curry taste with fish along as a bonus. The curry is cooked in Mustard oil that gives a super aroma and a rustic flavor to the dish. The consistency of the gravy can be regulated as per one's choice. To all the fish lovers here, Posto Pabda is a highly recommended dish and is a must try dish.
Serve Posto Pabda with Steamed Rice and Kachumber Salad for a weekday meal.
Look at the other seafood-based recipes here –
15 M
30 M
45 M
4 Servings
Ingredients
- 4 Pabda fish
- 250 grams Poppy seeds
- 1 teaspoon Kalonji (Onion Nigella Seeds)
- 4 Green Chillies , slit
- 1 cup Mustard oil
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Haldi)
- Salt , to taste
How to make Posto Pabda (Bengali Fish Curry In Poppy Seeds Paste)
To prepare Posto Pabda Recipe, soak khus khus overnight or for minimum 2-3 hours in water. Prepare with all the other ingredients as well.
Drain the water and collect the khus khus in a Mixer jar and grind to make a fine paste. Keep aside.
Clean and wash the fishes well. Drain water nicely and coat the fishes with turmeric powder and keep aside. The fish is cooked whole, hence do not make pieces.
Heat 1/2 cup of mustard oil in a Wok/Kadai, add kalonji and allow it to crackle for a few seconds.
Now add the fishes gently and fry till golden in color.
If the oil reduces, you can add more from sides.
When the fishes are golden in color, add the khus khus paste in the wok and gently stir in.
You may add a little water from the sides if the paste is too thick.
Season the curry with salt and add green chillies as well.
Allow the curry to come to boil, and then cook for 7-8 minutes on a low flame and lid closed. Do not stir much at this stage.
Turn off the gas and pour in a tablespoon of raw mustard oil on top of Posto Pabda Curry Recipe for a rustic flavor and serve hot with plain steamed rice.
Shaheen Ali
Born and raised in a gastronomic family where cooking is most relied on approximation and eyeballing the ingredients or ratios and proportions for measurements. A physiotherapist by profession who came into blogging almost a year back with a motive to pen down my experience of learning and refining in the journey with food from home and the world beyond, from street food to the fine dining. I live with a motto in life that is 'Life is beautiful if you have good food around'
