Teetar shuktor Dal

Recipe by: Mala D


This dal is made during the hot summer months as it's supposed to cool the body. But it's great to have it any other time or when you wish to go easy on your stomach!



Ingredients:
Split moong dal: 125 gms
Bottle gourd (lauki): 1 medium size
Bitter gourd (karela): 1 nos
Ginger: 2 inches
Bay leaf: 2 nos
Mustard(rai)seeds: 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek(methi) seeds: 1/2 tsp
Ghee/refined oil: 1-1/2 tbsp
Salt: to taste
Sugar: 1tsp
Water
Refined oil: 3-4 tsp



Method:
Wash the moong dal once & pressure cook it with 1/2 tsp salt & one glass of water. Turn off the flame just when the pressure starts building up.cool it.
Peel the lauki & chop into big chunks. Wash it & keep aside.
Cut the karela into thin half-moon shapes, wash & dry it.
In a small pan, heat a little oil 3-4 tsp & fry the karela pieces. Drain oil & keep aside.
Now smoothen the dal with a whisk, add more water & lauki pieces.
Pressure cook till one whistle. Cool it.
Peel, wash & then finely grate the ginger.
Heat ghee/oil in a deep vessel, temper with mustard & fenugreek seeds & bay leaves. Add ginger & mix well. Increase flame & pour dal over the tempering. Now add the fried karela pieces. Mix well & add more salt. Add the sugar & bring the dal to boil. The lauki pieces can now be cut into small size. The consistency should be medium - neither thick nor thin. Serve hot with rice.

Shukto (mixed vegetable curry)

Posted by: Mala D


A traditional Bengali meal always begins with a serving of Shukto or fried bitter gourd (ucche, karela) as its slightly bitter taste cleanses the tongue & enables a better sensation of various flavours. A deceptively simple dish, it's nevertheless tricky to master as it's taste depends on fresh ingredients & subtlety of flavours.

Ingredients:
Drumsticks: 4 nos
Raw/green banana: 1
Seem/pappdi (flat beans):12
Brinjal:1 medium size,abt 150gms
Carrots: 2
Radish: 1 big size
Ribbed gourd: 1 medium size
Runner beans:10
Dried dal vadis:10 (spilt black gram/red lentil/split moong dal)
Mustard seeds: 2 tsp
Ginger: 3 inches
Desi ghee (clarified butter)/refined oil: 1-1/2 tbsp
1/4 tsp each of these: cumin seeds, nigella seeds (kalonji, kalo jeere), mustard seeds, fenugreek (methi) seeds
1/2 tsp of aniseed (mouri)
Bayleaf: 2 nos
Salt: to taste
Sugar: 1 tsp

Method:
Wash & soak the mustard seeds in water for atleast 20 minutes before grinding it into a paste with chopped ginger,a little salt & little water. Consistency should be thin.
Chop all vegetables into long, rectangle pieces, trying to keep them identical in size(3-4 inches). Wash & dry them properly. Take a wide & deep pan for cooking.
Heat ghee/oil & fry the vadis & keep aside. Temper the same oil with bay leaves & add all the vegetables except runner beans (add it later as it turns soft very fast). Add salt & sweat it for a while. After 6-8 minutes,add sugar & toss a bit. Now add two glasses of water, check the salt( it should be less than perfect as mustard paste will also have salt in it).


Add the vadis & the runner beans. Cover & cook till 3/4 done.
Dry roast all the whole seeds & roughly grind them with a pestle.
Add the mustard paste & mix well. The gravy should be neither thick nor thin, just right. If needed adjust the water. Now sprinkle the ground spice powder over the curry. Close the flame. Put the lid on, so the paanch phodhon (5 spices) flavours are absorbed. Serve at room temperature with hot rice.

Note: Shukto is an accquired taste. As it's low on oil & spices & has plenty of vegetables, it's a really healthy choice. While drumsticks & radish are a must for authentic taste, other vegetables like bottle gourd, pumpkin, bitter gourd can also be added/removed as per one's choice.