Shukto

Shukto is my husbands favorite and is a bengali speciality. As this dish calls for a variety of vegetables, I make this dish when my fridge is full of fresh vegetables just after my grocery shopping.

You can use any vegetable you like but bitter gourd (Karela) is essential. You can add fried  vadi(sun dried urad daal dumplings) which add a nice crunch to the dish. Below are the vegetables I used today.

                                                                    Final Dish

Shukto

Ingredients :

1 Big Aloo
Few florets of Gobi
1 small baingan
1/2 Plantain
4 Parwal
6 Green Beens
1/4 Lauki
3 Bhindi
1 Drumstick
1 Karela
4 Tbsp Oil
1 Bay leaf
a pinch of turmeric Powder
2 green chillies

1/4 Tbsp Jeera Powder

1/4 Tbsp Dhania Powder
1/4 Tbsp Red CHilli Powder
1 1/2 Tbsp black Mustard seeds

1 Tbsp khuskhus (Posto,Gasagasalu)

1/2 Tbsp PanchPhoran(Kalonji,Methi,Jeera,Mustard,Fennel seeds mix)

Salt to taste

2 1/2 Cups water

Mustrad & Khuskhus paste

Soak mustard seeds in warm water for about 2 hrs and grind it with little water to form a smooth paste. Add some more water and strain it to remove the husk.

Soak khuskhus in warm water  for about 2 hrs and grind it with little water to form a smooth paste. It is quite difficult to grind 1 Tbsp of Khuskhus, so I usually grind  2 Tbsp and use 1/2 of it here.

Preparation
Cut all the vegetables. Arrange them in a bake tray, sprinkle 1 TBSP of oil  and a pinch of turmeric on them and grill at 500 degree for 10 minutes. I had to do two batches. I used to fry the vegetables earlier but it took too much oil, so switched to grilling.

Now put  2Tbsp of oil in cooking dish , Add bay leaf,panchphoran, let it splutter for a sec or 2. Add Green chillies, Red chilli powder, Jeera Powder and Dhania powder. Saute it for 3,4 seconds. Add khushus and Mustard pastes and saute it for few more seconds. Add 2 1/2 cups of water and salt. Once it comes upto a boil add all vegetables except Gobi and Karela. Cover and let it simmer till all the vegetables are done.Add more water if needed. Now add Gobi flowrets and let it simmer for few more minutes. Add Karela ,turn off the stove. Add urad daal vadi if you have.

Serve hot with rice.