Shukto Recipe|Bengali Appetizer of Stewed Vegetables—Bengali Special Lunch Recipe

bitter gourd

🥗Healthier: zucchini

💰Cheaper: cucumber

Zucchini offers a similar texture without the bitterness.

mustard oil

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: vegetable oil

Olive oil provides a healthier fat option.

coconut

🥗Healthier: almond flour

💰Cheaper: shredded unsweetened coconut

Almond flour reduces calories while maintaining flavor.

green chilies

🥗Healthier: bell peppers

💰Cheaper: jalapeños

Bell peppers add sweetness without heat.

Wash the drumsticks and potatoes, cutting them into thin slices.

In a pan, add water and the sliced drumsticks and potatoes with a little salt, and boil for 3-4 minutes on medium flame.

Strain the boiled vegetables and set aside.

Soak 1 tablespoon of poppy seeds in water for easier grinding.

In a mixer pot, combine soaked poppy seeds, 1 tablespoon black mustard seeds, 1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds, and 1 inch of ginger to make a fine paste.

In a tawa, roast 1 tablespoon of ajwain and fennel seeds on low flame until they change color, then grind them coarsely.

In a thick-bottomed kadhai, heat a little mustard oil and sauté the bitter gourd cut into thin pieces for 1-1.5 minutes until it changes color, then remove it.

Sauté the eggplant and raw banana in the same way for 1-2 minutes until cooked, then remove.

In the same kadhai, add the boiled drumsticks, potatoes, and raw banana, and sauté until golden brown on medium flame.

Prepare the spice paste by adding the mustard and ginger paste, salt, turmeric, and red chili powder, and sauté until oil releases from the mixture.

Add 2 cups of normal room temperature milk to the mixture and bring it to a boil while stirring continuously.

Add all the sautéed vegetables to the milk mixture and coat them well with the gravy.

Sprinkle the coarsely ground ajwain and fennel seeds on top before serving.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary