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.
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.
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