Shukto
AI-drafted · awaiting admin review
A mildly bitter and gently sweet mixed-vegetable stew with bitter gourd, raw banana, drumsticks and sweet potato in a milk and mustard base, served at the start of a Bengali meal.
Region: West BengalOccasion: First course of lunch; weddings and shraddha mealsTime: 50 minServes: 4Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 small bitter gourd (karela), sliced
- 1 raw banana, 1 sweet potato and 1 potato, cut in batons
- 1 small brinjal and 2 drumsticks, cut in pieces
- A handful of broad beans (sheem)
- 10–12 lentil dumplings (bori), fried
- 1 tsp radhuni seeds or panch phoron
- 1 tbsp mustard paste and 1 tsp ginger paste
- ½ cup milk
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp mustard oil and 1 tbsp ghee
- Salt to taste
Method
- Fry the bitter gourd slices in mustard oil until crisp; set aside. Fry the bori lightly and set aside.
- In the same oil add radhuni or panch phoron, then all the other vegetables. Fry for 4–5 minutes.
- Add mustard paste, ginger paste, salt and 1 cup water. Cover and cook until the vegetables are tender.
- Add the milk, sugar, fried bitter gourd and bori. Simmer for 3–4 minutes.
- Finish with ghee and a pinch of roasted ground panch phoron. Serve warm with rice as the first course.
History
Shukto belongs to the old order of a Bengali meal, which begins with something bitter to wake the appetite and ends with something sweet.
Significance
It is cooked at weddings and family feasts and is valued as a cooling, digestive dish in summer.