Authentic Bengali Shukto
A traditional Bengali bitter-sweet vegetarian medley featuring assorted vegetables simmered in a delicate ginger-milk gravy. This iconic dish is famously served at the beginning of traditional feasts to cleanse the palate.
55min
Total Time
4
Servings
Bengali
Cuisine
Recipe
1
Lightly fry the bori in a teaspoon of mustard oil until golden brown; remove and set aside.
2
In the same pan, lightly fry the bitter gourd slices with a pinch of salt until golden; remove and set aside.
3
Add remaining mustard oil to the kadhai, temper with bay leaves and panhor phoron until fragrant.
4
Add the harder vegetables (raw banana, sweet potato, radish) and sauté for 3-4 minutes.
5
Stir in the ginger paste, flat beans, and drumsticks along with a splash of water, covering to cook until half tender.
6
Pour in the milk and bring to a gentle simmer, ensuring it does not curdle.
7
Mix in the mustard paste and sugar, then add back the fried bitter gourd and bori.
8
Stir in the rice flour slurry to thicken the gravy slightly and simmer for another 5 minutes.
9
Drizzle with ghee, check seasoning, and remove from heat before serving hot with steamed white rice.
Ingredients
1 medium bitter gourd (korola), sliced into rings with seeds removed
1 cup raw banana, peeled and cubed
1 cup sweet potato, peeled and cubed
1 cup drumstick pieces (approx. 2-inch lengths)
1 cup radishes, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup flat beans (seam), strings removed
1/2 cup bori (sun-dried lentil dumplings)
2 tablespoons mustard oil
1 teaspoon panhor phoron (equal mix of mustard, cumin, fennel, fenugreek, and black cumin seeds)
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon ginger paste
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon radhuni or white mustard paste
1 tablespoon ghee
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon rice flour mixed in 2 tablespoons water
*This AI-generated recipe may contain inaccuracies.