SHUKTO

SHUKTO is the minimally spiced Bengali mixed vegetable light curry we have grown up eating. A regular Bengali course meal comprises of "shukto, dal, bhaja, tarkari, maacher jhol and chutney". Now a days we do not have time for such elaborate cooking everyday, but we do at least 2-3 of them in turns. Shukto has become an once in a while affair considering the amount of veggies we need to cut. Yet its absolutely worth it. It is all of the nourishment in one bowl, health loaded. I remember, I hated veggies as a teen. Mom used to mash all of the vegetables, mixed them with rice and force fed me. Perhaps that is the reason I feel mom's Shukto tasted heavenly, being fed with love. But that was a simpler and regular version of Shukto, this might be the Bengali Caterers' version, also may be of the Bengalis of West Bengal origin. Our families would do it occasionally. I enjoy having both the versions of it. I also mash SHUKTO and other vegetable preparations to force fed the son. The man eats vegetables but dislikes mixed veggies. A bowl of steamed rice topped with SHUKTO with some lemon juice squeezed on it seems perfect for me. I visit the Indian market / the Bengali shops to get the veggies required for it which are quite a number. Authentically, we do not use turmeric powder in this dish but I added a little to give a touch of colour to it. Let us start with it.

Click the link / heading below for the recipe of "Bori"...

BEULIR DALER BORI / DAL VADI / SUN DRIED LENTIL BALL

INGREDIENTS :[The Vegetables]

Drumsticks : 2
Long Beans : 2
Raw Banana : 1
Ridge Gourd : 1
Bitter Gourd : 2 
Egg Plants : 2-3[small]
Sweet Potato : 2-3[small]

Raw Papaya : 1/2 of a small sized [I used a squash / chow chow instead]

INGREDIENTS :[The Spices]

Ajmod[Radhuni] : 2-3 pinches [WIKI says radhuni is dried fruit of Trachyspermum Roxburghianum, a flowering plant; smells like parsley, tastes like celery. Honestly, until I had a blog, I did not require to know what radhuni is called outside my family; some called it wild celery seed, I took it, now WIKI says it is this]
Mustard Seeds Paste : 1tbsp
Panchphoron Guro[powder] : 1/2tsp [ A powder made from equal amount of fennel, cumin, nigella, fenugreek, ajmod]
Bayleaf : 1

INGREDIENTS :[The Final Cooking]

Beulir Daler Bori / Dal Vadi : 7-8 [sundried urad dal balls]
Salt : As Required
Turmeric Powder : 1/2 pinches [optional]
Coconut Milk : 1/2 small cup
Sugar : 1tsp [optional]
Oil : 1tbsp
Use 1 tbsp Ghee for garnish if you are not a vegan, I skipped and used lemon leaves. But cow milk +ghee is essential for the rich caterer version's flavour.

METHOD :

All vegetables are required to be cut and kept in separate bowls as we would fry each separately, add to the curry at different stages.

Cut the drumsticks and long beans lengthwise.

Peel the raw banana, squash or raw papaya, ,sweet potato and ridge gourd. Cut them lengthwise after being halved.

Cut the egg plants into halves and the bitter gourds small.

Wash them and rub with salt. Heat oil in a pan, fry all the vegetables separately except for the drumsticks, long beans and ridge gourd pieces. Fry the sun-dried lentil balls separately and keep aside.

Temper the oil with radhuni / ajmod seeds and bayleaf. Add the drumsticks, and long beans pieces, stir and cover cook for 3-4 minutes. 

Add the fried raw bananas, squash or raw papaya and sweet potato pieces, stir and cover cook for 3-4 minutes.

Add the ridge gourd pieces, salt, turmeric and the mustard paste. Stir carefully and cover cook at low heat for 2 minutes.

Remove the cover and add 1 medium sized tea cup of water and the fried dal vadi. Let boil for 2-3 minutes. 

Add the powdered "panchphoron" / Bengali five spices, coconut milk and sugar. Let boil for 3-4 minutes.

Add the fried bitter gourd and egg plant pieces, stir carefully. 

We are done, garnish with ghee at this stage, I did not.

Enjoy with steamed hot rice.