Thursday, February 05, 2009

Jhinge Chingri Posto

Ridge Gourd & Shrimp in Poppy Seed Paste


Jhinge Chingri Posto, Jhinge Posto, Aloo Jhinge Posto

Jhinge Aloo Posto | Ridgegourd and Potatoes in a Poppy seeds paste

The typical Jhinge Posto in the Bengali kitchen is a vegetarian or niramish dish with Jhinge(ridge gourd), potatoes and posto/poppy seeds paste. In this slightly different version I have added shrimp to make a non-vegetarian version Jhinge Chingri Posto which has onions and shrimp. Both the recipes are shared here. If you don't get ridge gourd or Jhinge, this recipe turns out great with Zucchini too


Jhinge or Ridge Gourd is not one of my favorite veggies, never was, in fact I hated it as a child and even when I was no longer a child. The dish I hated most with Jhinge was Jhinge Posto, I absolutely lurrrrved (that is some twisted form of love it seems) , really truly loved Posto and that includes Alu Posto, Posto Bora, Ka(n)cha Posto blah, blah except of course Jhinge Posto.

I felt Jhinge totally ruined Posto's personality and would become emotionally upset on days Ma made Jhinge Posto. Yeah, I was that attached to my food.



So when my Ma was here and she said "Why don't you get some Jhinge, I will make Jhinge Posto", you can well imagine my reaction.

I gasped, grunted and was about to faint when she said "Chingri debo" ("Shall add shrimp to it")

That helped because I lurrrv (BTW what is this "lurv", is it some different emotion altogether, I am hating it, makes me think up a larva) or rather really really love Shrimp, Prawns, Lobster, all crustaceans, blah, blah, blah. Anything with shrimp in it cannot be less than desirable for me.

So I got her those Ridge Gourds in their sharp armors, pretty defensive for a soft veggie like that I say. And she made Jhinge Chingri Posto, ahhhhhhh and it was absolutely, lip-smackingly delicious. I would give up a chocolate cheesecake for that Jhinge Chingri Posto and some Rice, I am telling you.



Jhinge Chingri Posto, Jhinge Posto, Aloo Jhinge Posto


I should tell Big Sis S "Be like a prawn, make the mundane desirable by your mere presence and if someone is allergic to you avoid them and move on". Isn't that a great life's lesson !!!

BTW do we still call Big Sis S that in this blog or do we have a different name for her ? From the comments I feel I am making her look too big and responsible for her age.What say all ye veteran readers who have seen Lil' S grow up right here?




The typical Jhinge Posto in the Bengali kitchen is a vegetarian or niramish dish with Jhinge(ridge gourd), potatoes and posto. In this slightly different version I have added shrimp to make a non-vegetarian version Jhinge Chingri Posto which has onions and shrimp. Both the recipes are shared here. If you don't get ridge gourd or Jhinge, this recipe turns out great with Zucchini too


Jhinge Chingri Posto


How I Did It

Prep: Peel skin of 3 ridgegourd and chop in small pieces. Cut 1 potato in cubes. Dry grind 2 tbsp of Poppy Seeds.
Defrost 12-15 frozen medium sized shrimp or if using fresh, clean and de-vein. Cut the shrimp in pieces and lightly fry with turmeric and salt.

Start Cooking:

Heat Mustard Oil or any other Oil in a Frying Pan

Add 1/4 cup of chopped red onion and 4-5 slit green chillies

Saute with a sprinkle of 1/4 tsp of sugar till the onion is pinkish brown and translucent

Add about 1 cup of cubed potato or 1 potato chopped in cubes

Fry with a little Turmeric till the potatoes are light golden in color

Add the chopped ridgegourd and fry for a couple more minutes

Add salt and 1/4 tsp of red chilli powder

The ridgegourd release water, so cover and let it cook in its own water

When the ridgegourd is still cooking in its own juice add the poppy seed powder. If you see there is not enough water add about 1-2 tbsp of water.

Give a good stir and cover and cook till the veggies are done and the water has all dried up

Add the fried shrimp and mix

Top with 1/2 tsp of Mustard Oil


Jhinge Posto


How I Did It

Prep: Peel skin of 1 long ridgegourd in strips and chop in small, long pieces, each piece about 1.5" long. Almost 2 Cups of chopped jhinge

Chop 1 potato in cubes. 
Make a paste of 1/4th Cup of Poppy Seeds. Dry grind the poppy seeds and mix the powdered posto with water to make a thick paste. Alternately you can also wet grind the poppy seeds with little splashes of water to make a thick paste.

Start Cooking:

Heat Mustard Oil in a Frying Pan

temper the oil with 1/4th tsp of kalonji/Kalo jeera/Nigella seeds and 4slit green chillies

Add the potato chopped in cubes

Fry with a little Turmeric till the potatoes are light golden in color

Add the chopped ridgegourd/jhinge and saute for a couple more minutes

Add salt to taste

The ridgegourd/jhinge releases water, so cover and let it cook in its own water. Add little more water if necessary. Cook covered for about 4 minutes.

When the ridgegourd is still cooking in its own juice add the poppy seed paste. If you see there is not enough water add about 1/4th Cup water.

Give a good stir and cover and cook till the veggies are done . Dry off the excess water if like me you don't like soupy posto.

Drizzle with 1/2 tsp of Mustard Oil and server with rice and dal.


More Posto Recipes:

Alu Posto -- potatoes in poppy seeds paste

Kalai'r Dal with Alu Posto







Trivia: The fruit of L. aegyptiaca commonly known as Ridge Gourd may also be allowed to mature and used as a bath or kitchen sponge after being processed to remove everything but the network of xylem. This version is called Lifah in Arabic, bholor jaal in Assamese, dhundul in Bengali, ghiya tori or nerua in Hindi.(from Wiki)



34 comments:

  1. Ahaa!!! chotobelar kotha mone pore gelo jokhon prottek robibar alu-poshto r machch-er jhol hoto :)

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  2. Oh my did u say Larva? Oh no u remind my husb who instantly throw the same word even worm seeing seafood, yuck! I stopped eating all seafood :( We make gourd and shrimp curry but posto sure something I would love it!

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  3. Ohmigod! Can't agree more on how jhinge and posto combo is like oil and water. Since I gave up non-veg, can't try this. But great blog. Keep it up

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  4. I saw this post last night but I think you were editing. couldn't get in.

    After we had Shrimp snack for Super Bowl, we are interested in experimenting more with Shrimps now! :D

    Posto looks yum. You can use the Shrimp without gourd too, right? Love Posto masala! :)

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  5. I should tell Big Sis S "Be like a prawn, make the mundane desirable by your mere presence and if someone is allergic to you avoid them and move on". Isn't that a great life's lesson !!!

    what a life lesson!!:) yes i must admit, u re absoluuuutely right:)we also have many dishes where prawn act as the energizerr ...

    ANd i prefer lil S and baby A :P

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  6. L
    :)

    Cham

    Oh, no I love seafood. Would love to try gourd & shrimp curry

    Kuheli
    You can without the shrimp

    Asha
    We eat shrimp in a variety of dishes, addition of shrimp to any dish makes it so much more better. Of course you can make shrimp without the gourd

    Shn
    You are so right Shrimp is a great addition
    And thanks for the vote :)

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  7. Time to poll all didaas, thummies, jethimas, kakimas and mashis!!

    I am looking for a recipe for "Gota-seddho masala". Gota, literally meaning uncut, is a marvelous medley of winter greens and vegatables, eaten traditionally the day after Saraswati Puja when the ladies enjoy a no-cooking day (I can get used to this!!). It is very typical Bengali, please help resurrect this oft-forgotten spice mix!!

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  8. Do you co sleep with your baby:
    My daughter H was an independent girl. I had P when she was 3.5, but she had been sleeping alone from the time she was 3yrs on her own. But P still doesn't - he tries to squeeze in most of the time or joins us in the wee hours of the morning, and he is nine!! When my husband is not here, P, H and I sleep in the same room, and my neck goes through severe strain. Each one insists I look at him or her while lying down!!! So howz that for future visuals?:)))

    I can imagine your plight, and good na! Not becoming a third one's mother - imagining:) I have a friend who became and she manages beautifully - hats off!

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  9. Sandeepa, amake post e pathiye dao:-) I has been years since I ate this.. one of favorites..ma kore dito.

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  10. "Be like a prawn.." or so said the TRUE BongMom! :) Bestest advice ever!
    I hate jhinge too. Kintu kalkeyi banabo chingri mach diye :) kono phoron dite hoye na? I though pnanch phoron daye eta te?

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  11. hey just noticed. Eta ki type er rice? And what`s the other dish on the plate? looks yum!

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  12. Jhinge posto ekhono bhalo lage na .. earlier there would be a small pile of green in one corner of my plate while the aloo and the posto would be wiped clean .. not now as I am the cook. :-)
    Could almost visualise you stopping in your tracks as your ma added " chingri debo". :-)

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  13. I love ridge gourd thogayal (a kind of very dry chutney) and that is all that I think it's fit for - so can well imaging your aversion to be added into a posto dish! Brings down the standard sort of ;) well the shrimp certainly ups the standard on this dish! :)

    BTW, couldn't comment on your co-sleeping post, but just wanted to add - my daughter was quite happy to move to her bed when she turned 2 and 1/2 last year and now comes into our bed about once in two weeks....best of both worlds! I'm sure you will cherish this co sleeping for some more time before it's gone!

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  14. Even in AP, we make this curry, but not sure if we use the posto in the same quantities as you do!

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  15. I've never tried any posto dishes before! Gotta rectify that soon! The dish sounds delicious!
    And I like Little S and Littler A :)
    Hey it looks like you've been posting more these days, that too with 2 kids!! How are you managing that?! Kudos, San!

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  16. I should try more shrimp... it does look really delicious Sandeepa! Moms do have that way of turning our minds around... I guess as you will one day change your daughters' minds to liking their own beds! ;) They're only small for a short time; I am remembering fondly the same quandry now that m has turned 17 :)

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  17. I've never had seafood...and I don't intend to, what I will try is this recipe with the ridgegourd and poppy seeds. I'm a fan of the Aloo Posto so this should be good!

    regarding the names....hmmm....Big sis and L'l sis is good!
    hope all's well.

    trupti
    the spice who loved me

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  18. Posto and that too with chingri, the combination is just irrestible

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  19. This is a very different type of recipe. Looks so good. YUM!....

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  20. ok this is how it goes....i dont like posto, arka does not like anything to do with any gourd (if i ever cook any, he avoids even looking at it, calling it "goulag" food) but we both lurrrrrrrrrrrrv :D prawns......so do you think this is worth trying ?? :) for all you know we may finally agree upon something that we like ......kinda like that song "when love and hate collide" :DDDD

    and i loved your potential advice to Big Sis S :)

    and hey i love those white plates too......ceramic???

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  21. I am with Mishmash on this one....let is be lil s and baby a...both are lil...and btw. loved ur previous post....funny yet true...happened to my sis too :D..and she has 2 kids..lol

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  22. Thanks everyone for your comments and for your vote on names. This week I will be busy and so no posting. Hopefully see you all next week

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  23. hey San, so good to see u blog regularly :)
    and regarding calling big S and little S, why not sr.S and jr.S? oops, they sound same isn't it? !!!

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  24. Sandeepa, posted those photos there. I was waiting for the rooms to get cleaned up a bit first before taking the pics! :D

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  26. chingri diye jhinge posto..jibe jol ese gelo...btw have u collected all the awards from my blog

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  27. Can't see the comment link in your new V day post!

    HeHe!! We don't care much either about V day. Arvind asked me day before "am I supposed buy you anything?" and I said "no, but come home everyday a bit earlier than 8.30pm!!" ;D

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  28. Sandeepa, not sure how I missed this post, I have resorted to calling them DD and DD2. I kind of like big sis for S.

    I am not fond of ridge gourd either but last summer when I got rained with ridge gourd I wanted to try this shrimp, ridge gourd combo and never got around to it (how could I have not, no idea) So the next time I get some decent ridge gourd I am going to give this a whirl. looks super tasty.

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  29. Jhinge posto is my favorite, but I do not use turmeric or onions. Try it without them and it tastes better too.

    Btw, to do you know or can point me to a blog for a good promfret recipe?

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  30. Sandeepa,
    tumaar er agay post e comment korte parlaam na ,
    Rock On ami dekhi ni , kinto shune chi khob bhalo hoyeche ..
    Gajani dekhecho ki na?
    jhinge chingri posto khob bhalo hoyeche..
    jhinge ke jano amaar meye ki bole Jhingalala ...green vegetables aamra jodi na khayi to amaader kids ki kore shikhebe bolo?
    ami eyi bhebhe aaj kaal try kori green vegetables shaak/torkari ranna kore khabaar..
    hugs and smiles

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  31. Nice recipe... brings a bit of variation to the same old jhinge posto...

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  32. Hi. I am the founder of a chain of cosmetic treatments clinics in Mumbai. Don't let the surname fool you. I am Punjabi married to a Bong but divorced. I tried making the recipe as mentioned above but used a steamer. I also replaced the hilsa with the Kingfish Mackerel (surmai) readily available in Mumbai's fish markets. It tasted great. I had a question. Is a two-tiered steamer (with boiling water below and the fish placed in the compartment above) good for cooking this or should I stick to a pressure cooker for greater taste? Since the upper compartment had perforations for the steam to enter, I wrapped the fish and the accompanying sauce in banana leaf. When it was ready, the yellow fish pieces and sauce over the green leaf added a great visual accompaniment.

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  33. Sorry. Actually I had two pages open of your blog on my browsers. I posted the query on the wrong page! The comment above was for the shorshe ilish page! Sorry!

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  34. Hello,
    This is a wonderful recipe. I made this minus the shrimp and the onions.But the oombo of ridge gourd and potato rocks!!Thanks for sharing.

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