Shukto

 

Shukto is a popular vegetable dish in Bengali cuisine usually served with rice.It has a slightly bitter taste.The tradition of starting a meal by consuming bitters, is considered to have a medicinal value as per Ayurveda.This dish is full of vitamins as it is loaded with veggies.Please try out this authentic and very healthy Bengali dish for yourself :)

Ingredients -
bitter gourd/karela
lady finger/okra/bhendi
plaintain/kachha kela
carrot/gajar
potato/alu
brinjal/egg plant/baigan
arbi/colocasia/kochu,bori
drum sticks
freshly made ginger paste
salt
green chillies
coriander/dhaniya powder
cumin/jeera powder
sugar
milk - 2tspn

shukto dry masala -
Dry roast and make powder of the following :-
cumin/whole jeera
panch foran
whole red chilly
poppy seeds/posto

Method -
Heat mustard oil in a kadhai/pan.
Fry all veggies separately except for drum stick pieces.Fry them with less oil by covering with lid on low flame and not deep fry.
Once done, remove the veggies out and keep them aside.Add panch foran to the oil.
After adding pach foran, add all veggies except bhendi,baigan and karela.
Once all the veggies have been sauted, add the drum sticks pieces,ginger paste,salt, green chillies, dhaniya jeera powder,sugar.
Add water and let all the veggies boil properly.
Once done,add the bhendi,baigan and karela.
Let it cook for another 2min, then switch off the flame.
Add 2tspn of milk to the shukto.The gravy will be of medium consistency.
Heat ghee in a separate tadka pan,add shukto masala to it.
Now pour this over the shukto.
Shukto is ready to serve with steamed rice :)