Shukto

Shukto is a typical Bengali dish. This traditional Bengali recipe usually has a bit bitter taste. It is prepared with several vegetables and pinch of sugar to adjust the bitterness.

Ingredients:

• Drumstick – 50 gm (cut the drumstick into 2” long strips)
• Radish- sliced one piece
• Bitter gourd-100 gm, nicely sliced
• Mustard seed- two tablespoon
• Whole mustard seeds-1/2 tablespoon
• Five spices-1/2 tablespoon
• Raw banana or plantain- one piece sliced
• Flat beans -50 gm cut out into two end points
• Barbatti or yard long beans : 100 gm
• Ginger paste: 1 tablespoon
• Turmeric powder : ½ tablespoon
• Sugar: ½ tablespoon
• Clarified butter or Ghee- 1 tablespoon
• Eggplant/Brinjal: One piece (sliced)
• Bori-50 gm
• Dry Red chili- one piece
• Salt to taste
• Bay Leaf-one piece
• Oil: 9 table spoon

Procedure:

Take a wok. Heat four tablespoon of oil Add bori to the oil Fry bori till brown Take out the bori and keep it aside Add 4 tablespoon of oil Add in the bitter gourd and then fry till brown Take out and keep it aside. Add in potato, raw banana, brinjal, radish, long yard beans, flat beans, drumstick and rest vegetables in the oil. Stir for three minutes. Add sugar, salt, ginger paste and turmeric powder. Stir well for about two minutes or so. Pour four cups of water. Cover and cook for five minutes Remove the vegetable mixture from the heat and keep aside. Heat one table spoon of oil and ghee in a separate wok. Now add in dry red chilli, bay leaf and whole mustard seeds and stir the aroma releases. Add the mustard seed paste and vegetable mixture Add fried bori and bitter gourd Boil the mixture till it thickens. Remove from the heat and serve the shukto with steamed rice.