[Indonesian Recipes] Posto Murgi or Posto Chicken (Chicken Cooked in Poppy Seed Paste)

Posto Murgi or Posto Chicken is a delectable Bengali traditional dish. Bengalis love posto and it has been used in a wide range of our vegetarian and non vegetarian dishes. Posto Murgi has a mild taste and is a complete bliss if you have this with gorom bhat (steamed rice). It is always a hit in my home and I cook it often. Two chicken dishes my family can’t live without are Posto Murgi and Murgir Jhol and I cook both the dishes pretty well.

Posto or poppy seed has a special place in Bengali cuisine and a must have in my kitchen. Maa uses posto to cook mainly the vegetarian dishes and one of such dishes which is her specialty is Sheem Posto. However, I prefer to use posto in every possible way – I am a bid time fan of these seeds. Today’s dish is what I have childhood memories associated with. Pishimoni used to cook awesome Posto Murgi and I used to call it “shada shada murgir jhol” (white white chicken curry).

Growing up, this “shada shada murgir jhol” had been a part of my summer holiday meals as I used to spend the holidays at Pishimoni’s place. I remember Pishimonipushing me to take bath and get ready for lunch. I hardly listen to her and hide inside my doll house. Then Pishimoni throws the ultimate weapon to me – “snan korbi na? shada shada murgir jhol ranna korechi” (will you not take bath? I have cooked posto murgi?). The tremendously naughty me gets obedient in the blink of an eye and follows all the instructions given by Pishimoni just to have my favourite chicken curry as early as possible.

I have learned this dish from Pishimoni and often recreate her magic at my kitchen. Also, this is a completely hassle free dish and the taste is guaranteed. So, if guests are at home and you are not sure of what to cook that your guests are going to love – this is the dish for you. Let’s have a look at the recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 kg curry cut chicken
• 2 table-spoon mustard oil

For Marination:

• 3 table-spoon yogurt, whisked 
• a paste of 10 garlic cloves + 1 inch ginger + 3 green chillies
• 1/2 tea-spoon turmeric powder
• 1 tea-spoon coriander powder
• 1 tea-spoon cumin powder
• 1 tea-spoon Kashmiri red chilli powder
• 1 table-spoon mustard oil
• salt, according to taste

For Tempering:

• 1 cinnamon stick
• 5 green cardamom
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 star anise
• 2 dried red chillies (broken to half)
• 1/2 tea-spoon fennel seed

For Curry:

• 1 big sized onion, finely chopped
• 4 table-spoon poppy seed paste
• 1 cup warm water
• salt, according to taste (if required)
• a handful chopped coriander leaves

Method:

1. Wash the chicken and marinate with all the ingredients mentioned in “For Marination” section for 3 hours. If you want, you can marinate for long time than this, the longer the better.
2. Heat mustard oil in a pan and temper with the ingredients mentioned in “For Tempering” section. Allow them to splutter.
3. Now, add chopped onion and sautè until the onion turns golden brown.
4. Add the marinated chicken and give a quick mix. If the salt in the marination is not enough for you, this is the time when you can add extra salt.
5. Cover the lid and lower the flame. Allow the chicken to cook in its own moisture for 15 minutes.
6. Open the lid and add the poppy seed paste and mix very well.
7. Add water and again give a quick mix. Cover the lid and cook for another 10 minutes on medium flame.
8. Open the lid and add chopped coriander leaves. Turn off the flame.
9. Your Posto Murgi is ready to be served now.
10. Serve this dish hot with gorom bhat (steamed rice) and experience the bliss. This is a no fail recipe and will definitely make your meal delightful. Posto Murgi also goes very well with roti/chapatti/rumali roti.

This recipe and image sources are referred in website: Whenabongcooks.com. Thanks so much!