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Question 46 of 54 · Indian States & Union Territories
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'Aloo Posto', potatoes cooked in a paste of poppy seeds, is a traditional dish of:

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Answer: Option C — West Bengal

Detailed Solution

"Aloo Posto" is a traditional Bengali dish of West Bengal.

About Aloo Posto:

  • "Aloo" means potato and "posto" means poppy seeds in Bengali.
  • It is made by cooking potato cubes in a thick paste of ground white poppy seeds, mixed with green chillies and mustard oil, and flavoured with nigella seeds ("kalonji").
  • It has a mild, nutty taste and a creamy texture.
  • It is usually eaten with steamed rice and dal.
  • Poppy seeds are widely used in Bengali cuisine, especially in the western districts of Bengal, such as Bankura, Birbhum, Purulia and Bardhaman.
  • Other "posto" dishes include "Jhinge Posto" (ridge gourd with poppy seeds), "Posto Bata" (a poppy seed paste eaten with rice) and "Posto Bora" (poppy seed fritters).

Features of Bengali cuisine:

  • Mustard oil and mustard paste ("shorshe") are widely used.
  • Bengali "panch phoron" is a five-spice mix of fenugreek, nigella, cumin, black mustard and fennel seeds.
  • Fish and rice ("machh-bhaat") are central to Bengali food.
  • A traditional Bengali meal is served in courses, beginning with something bitter (such as "shukto") and ending with sweets.

Other famous dishes of West Bengal:

  • Shorshe Ilish: hilsa fish cooked in mustard sauce.
  • Machher Jhol: a light fish curry.
  • Chingri Malai Curry: prawns cooked in coconut milk.
  • Kosha Mangsho: spicy slow-cooked mutton.
  • Luchi: deep-fried puffed bread.
  • Sweets such as Rosogolla ("Banglar Rosogolla" received a GI tag in 2017), Sandesh, Mishti Doi (sweetened yoghurt), Chomchom and Pantua.
  • "Nolen Gur" (date palm jaggery) is used to make winter sweets.

Traditional dishes of other states in the options:

  • Gujarat: Dhokla, Khandvi, Undhiyu and Thepla.
  • Punjab: Sarson da Saag, Makki di Roti and Chole Bhature.
  • Tamil Nadu: Idli, Dosa, Pongal and Chettinad chicken.

Why not the other options?

  • ✗Gujarat is known for Dhokla and Undhiyu.
  • ✗Punjab is known for Sarson da Saag.
  • ✗Tamil Nadu is known for Idli, Dosa and Chettinad cuisine.

Quick tip

Remember: Aloo Posto = West Bengal (potatoes in poppy seed paste); Shorshe Ilish = hilsa in mustard; panch phoron = Bengali five-spice mix; Banglar Rosogolla = GI 2017.

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Indian States & Union Territories — Preparation

This question tests your understanding of Indian States & Union Territories, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.

This topic covers state-wise GK for India: capitals, formation dates, high courts, state animals, birds and flowers, famous places, and the culture, dances and festivals that identify each state and union territory. Questions commonly ask about the newest state or union territory, the state formed on a particular date, the capitals of states, and which high court serves more than one state. Keep a single table per state with its capital, formation year and key facts. Reorganisations such as that of Jammu and Kashmir in 2019 change the answers, so make sure your notes are up to date. Practise the Indian states and union territories questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.

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