Methi-begun(Methi green with eggplant n potato)-nutrition in 15mins

What You Need

Methi shaak( Methi green)- 3 cups
Eggplant- 1 big or few small
Potato -1 medium
Methi seeds-1/2 tsp(Methi green and seeds both are little bitter so instead of seeds you can add Black jeera/kalonji/nigella seed-1/2 tsp.)
Turmeric-1tsp
Salt
Musturd oil - 3 tbsp

How I Did It 
1- Wash and chop Methi leaves nicely . Green leafy vegetables are best to wash first and then chop because it retains nutrition and wastage is less too.
2- Also chop 1 eggplant and 1 medium potato into cubes.Wash all together throughly.
3- Take a pan and heat 3 tbsp musturd oil. Add methi seeds-1/2 tsp and let it splutter.
4- Methi green and seeds both are little bitter so instead of seeds you can add Black jeera/kalonji/nigella seed-1/2 tsp.
5- Add eggplant and potato cubes. Give a good stir and add turmetic,salt.
6- Keep flame on high for 1 min and then low .Let vegetable cook half .Check few times so that it does not burn.
7- Add methi green to it and mix well.Cover with lid .Keep for 5-10 mins and check few times and give a stir .   
8-Taste and adjust salt  to get balanced taste.

Posto bata diye lau / Bottle gourd in Poppy seed paste

Ohh its always summer at my place. Though I am about leave this place in 2 days. Yeah, I am shifting from one city to another . Mind is full of joy, tension, hope and emotions. I can not bother summer at all. I feel that's why I am here in this city near sea where its always summer...even when it pours or at December. We cannot stand a minute under sun any season.

Though I am not at all fond of summer, but I like summer for its special foods. Bottle gourd is one of them. Its a vegetable which I have seen that many people does not like. But its good and contains lots of water . Cools body and specially its a regular thing for household in summer days.

The Posto diye lau which means I used Postobata aka Poppy seed paste to cook along with the gourd while my Mother makes it this way. My Ma makes this very often and we like the simple Lauki sabji also at home.

What You Need
 Lau/lauki/bottlegourd. Chop in thin cubes. How fine you can cut it, the soft will be vegetable.
 Kalonji /Kalo jeera
1/2 tsp of turmeric powder
Salt to taste. 
A couple of green chili slit through.
Posto bata / Poppy seed paste
Oil

How I Did It

Heat Oil in a Kadai/ frying pan.
Add some kaloni/ Kalo JeeraAdd the chopped lau aka bottlegourd. 
Add about 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder and mix well .
Add salt to taste. 
Add a couple of green chili slit through. 
Let the bottle gourd cook. It will release a lot of water but don't panic, let it cook with some quick stirs in between.
When the bottle gourd is almost done add posto bata/ poppy seed paste. Mix well and let it cook together. 
Check and adjust for salt. Add about 1/2 tsp of sugar.Mix well.
DO not cook for long time after adding Poppyseed paste, it will loose its flavor

Simply Side dish: Jhinge Posto and Alu Posto

It was work, work and work . It was August and yet as far as the eyes could see it was BUSY.

Today was different though.Sunday and a leisure Sunday ensures I can take off from work. Dusting, cook for lunch,  argue with husband.

This post is specially for my bachelor friends who love cooking and like fast simple tips for cooking.These dishes' main attraction is Poppy seeds (Khaskhas/Posto).

And potato.This round shaped vegetable,Ahh,It is not simple vegetable..It is life saver at times.An awesome gift with which I can do anything.If I boil it, it just mesmerizes me with help of salt and ghee,if I tamper it with dry red chilli it stands by with rice/roti.I can handle it anyway.

 

Jinge Posto

What You need

Jhinge/ ridge gourd  ~ fresh  chopped about 2 cups. Can be substituted by veggies like cauliflower, beans etc
Potatoes ~ 1 large sized cut in cubes
Green Chillies ~ 2-3 slit
1.2 tsp kalonji
Poppy seeds (Khaskhas/Posto)- 5-6 tbsp of the Poppy seeds paste or posto bata.
Salt
Oil

How I Do It
Heat Oil in a Kadhai/Frying pan
Add Kalonji. Wait for the seeds to pop.
Add the green chilies and the potato.
Sprinkle a little turmeric powder and saute
Add the chopped green gourd and saute
It will release water, do not panic, let it be cooked covered.
Open over, if you want let it dry a little.
Add Posto bata.
Cover and cook by stirring off and on. Do not add water, you may sprinkle a little only. 
Taste and add salt.Remember to stir and mix frequently.Cook till done.Enjoy this dry dish with Roti or Rice. 

Alu-Posto 

What You need
Potato chopped in cubes -3 medium sized potatoes, peeled and cubed
Poppy seeds (Khaskhas/Posto)- 5-6 heaped tbsp of the Poppy seeds paste or posto bata
Green Chillies – 2-3
kalo Jeera
Salt
Turmeric Powder
Sugar -1/2 tsp
Oil
Mustard Oi

How I do it
Grind the posto/poppy seeds to a fine powder. The consistency of the paste should not be too watery. If you are wet grinding make a paste at one go.
Cut the potato in cubes and soak in water , else they develop black spots.
Chop or slit the green chillies.
Heat oil in a Kadai/Pan. Mustard Oil is preferred.
Add the Jeera/Cumin seeds and wait till they sputter.
Add the potato cubes in the oil with a pinch of haldi/turmeric powder.
Saute the potato lightly till they develop a golden tinge.
Add the posto/poppy seeds paste
Fold potatoes uniformly with paste
Add little water , salt, and the chopped green chillies.
Cover and cook till the potatoes are done.

Take care that the potatoes don't get mashed up though.

Potol Post / Pointed gourd/Parwal in poppy seed

Summer summer...
Hooh Haah
Pit Pat with sweat
I am bored with summer this year. Though I have no leave from kitchen. Its like a resort. Even in hot of oven. Summer is for bottle Gourd and Pointed gourd. Now in days of globalization though we get every vegetable all over year, still there is some special in mind always that this one is of summer, this one is for winter.
Every other day now I cook Potol for us. Lets share quickly potol posto with rice . Make it and serve it with love.What You Need
Potol/Pointed gourd/Parwal – 8 pieces large
Turmeric Powder ~ ½ tsp
Green Chillies ~ 8 cut in slits
1/4 cup of posto aka poppy seeds
1/2 tsp of Kalo Jeera/Kalonji 
Salt
Oil

How I Did It

Peel off Potol/Pointed gourd/Parwal and chop each potol in 4 along the length.
Paste Poppy seed with little water, little salt, 1 green chilli.


Heat Oil in a Kadai/ frying pan.
Add some kaloni/ Kalo Jeera.
Add the chopped Parwal Add about 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder and mix well . Add salt to taste.  Add 4 of green chili slit through.  Fry the potol till they develop brown . let it cook with some quick stirs in between. When the Potol is almost done add posto bata/ poppy seed paste. Mix well and let it cook together.  Give sprinkle of water. Its just by your measure, choice of gravy in curry.
  Check and adjust for salt. Add about 1/2 tsp of sugar.Mix well.
DO not cook for long time after adding Poppy seed paste, it will loose its flavor.