Some bitter and sweet veggie thought.....made shukto this week. Mom, dad and grandma paid me a visit, so thought of making some authentic bengali food for them. Wanted to show off my culinary skills to my grandma - and something that she is best at.
For the ones who are wondering what is shukto, its a kind of avial/mixed veg cooked in a bengali way. take a look. It can even be considered a jaini dish minus the potato.
Ingredients:
Vegetables: raw banana, pumpkin, raw papaya, potato, carrot, radish, brinjal, jhinge/ridge gourd, drumsticks,beans - 50 gms each and cut into small cubes, washed and drained
Bitter gourd/karela - 1 medium size cut into ring pieces
Vadi - 10-12 pieces (made of dal and then dried in sunlight)
Fennel seeds - 1 tbsp
Asofoetida - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tbsp
khaskhas /poppy seeds- 2 tbsp
kaju paste - 1 tbsp
radhuni - 2 tsp (optional) ( a bengali spice)
sugar - 1 tsp
salt as per taste
Bay leaves - 2
Ginger paste - 1 tbsp
Green chilli paste - 1tbsp
milk - 150ml
water - 1 small cup
Methi or fenugreek seeds for tempering
Ghee - 2 tbsp (you can choose refined oil too if you are health conscious and omit the kaju paste)
Method:
Heat ghee in a kadai. Fry the vadis first and keep it aside. Fry the karela and keep it aside.
Now in the same oil add methi seeds, tejpata and asafoetida. Add the vegetables and fry for 10 mins with continuous stirring. Add ginger paster, green chilli paster salt, very little water and milk and let the vegetable cook for another 10 mins or until they are done.
make a paste of fennel seeds, mustard, khaskhas, kaju, radhuni and add to the vegetable. Add vadis and karela and cook as per your preference - dry or gravy or semi ( i usually prefer the latter). add sugar and serve. Shukto is ready
Tips:
1. One can choose other vegetables too like cauliflower etc and omit a few as per preference. Try not omitting too many as it may cut down the taste
2. You can even choose to omit karela if you do not like bitter taste however for authentic bengali shukto, bittergourd is the prime ingredient
3. To make a paste of mustard and khaskhas, soak the seed in water for 10-15mins and then grind it in a grinder. Grandmoms used the stone which enhanced the flavor altogether! if you have one try it too.
4. Add more milk if you like it gravy based.
For the ones who are wondering what is shukto, its a kind of avial/mixed veg cooked in a bengali way. take a look. It can even be considered a jaini dish minus the potato.
Ingredients:
Vegetables: raw banana, pumpkin, raw papaya, potato, carrot, radish, brinjal, jhinge/ridge gourd, drumsticks,beans - 50 gms each and cut into small cubes, washed and drained
Bitter gourd/karela - 1 medium size cut into ring pieces
Vadi - 10-12 pieces (made of dal and then dried in sunlight)
Fennel seeds - 1 tbsp
Asofoetida - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tbsp
khaskhas /poppy seeds- 2 tbsp
kaju paste - 1 tbsp
radhuni - 2 tsp (optional) ( a bengali spice)
sugar - 1 tsp
salt as per taste
Bay leaves - 2
Ginger paste - 1 tbsp
Green chilli paste - 1tbsp
milk - 150ml
water - 1 small cup
Methi or fenugreek seeds for tempering
Ghee - 2 tbsp (you can choose refined oil too if you are health conscious and omit the kaju paste)
Method:
Heat ghee in a kadai. Fry the vadis first and keep it aside. Fry the karela and keep it aside.
Now in the same oil add methi seeds, tejpata and asafoetida. Add the vegetables and fry for 10 mins with continuous stirring. Add ginger paster, green chilli paster salt, very little water and milk and let the vegetable cook for another 10 mins or until they are done.
make a paste of fennel seeds, mustard, khaskhas, kaju, radhuni and add to the vegetable. Add vadis and karela and cook as per your preference - dry or gravy or semi ( i usually prefer the latter). add sugar and serve. Shukto is ready
Tips:
1. One can choose other vegetables too like cauliflower etc and omit a few as per preference. Try not omitting too many as it may cut down the taste
2. You can even choose to omit karela if you do not like bitter taste however for authentic bengali shukto, bittergourd is the prime ingredient
3. To make a paste of mustard and khaskhas, soak the seed in water for 10-15mins and then grind it in a grinder. Grandmoms used the stone which enhanced the flavor altogether! if you have one try it too.
4. Add more milk if you like it gravy based.
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