SHUKTO

Hi all🙋🏻‍♀️,

Shukto is very famous in Bengal and as I am born and brought up in Kolkata so I am actually fortunate relishing this since my childhood. My mom used to cook this at least a month… especially on weekends.

Bongs just actually make this mixed veg at any special occasion or you can say they make their day special by cooking this veggie.

FEW IMPORTANT POINTS TO CLARIFY —

Have used paanchphoran.. it is mixture of 5 spice seeds in equal ratio. Those are fennel seeds, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, caraway seeds and nigella seeds.

Have used Radhuni too which is very close too caraway seeds but they are different. They are actually celery seeds.

Have used tomatoes which is not used traditionally for Shukto but my red love for red tomatoes has compelled me to use so😆.

I have not strained the poppy and mustard paste because I soaked them for 12 hours and finely pasted so straining was not required.

Apart from the veggies used in Shukto in this recipe, sweet potatoes are must which I didn’t use because we don’t like that.

Ghee is must so use it.

Health conscious people .. get ready for adrenaline rush😂.

Now finally the recipe which can be served to a nuclear family of 3-4.

RECIPE:

INGREDIENTS:

2 tbsp poppy seeds

1 tbsp black mustard seeds

4 red chillies

1” ginger

1 sponge gourd… roughly scrubbed with knife and divide in 3 portions and cut into strips

1 bitter gourd.. divided into 3-4 portions and cut into strips

2 raw bananas.. peeled, divided into halves and cut into strips

1 drumstick… peeled and divided into 6-7 portions

2 green brinjals… divided and cut into strips

1 large potato.. peeled and cut into large cubes

1 large tomato.. sliced roughly into thick vertical portions

1/2 tsp paanchphoran

1/2 tsp radhuni seeds… if you don’t have.. opt it out

Salt

Turmeric

1 cup milk

1/2 cup water

2 tbsp ghee

Mustard oil.. as required

METHOD:

Soak poppy seeds, mustard seeds, red chillies and ginger in 1/2 cup water for 10-12 hrs before making Shukto.

Heat enough oil in a deep iron skillet. Add 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp turmeric powder. Let it get brown slightly. Deep fry all the vegetables separately until slightly golden brown. Deep fry tomatoes too znd keep it aside.

In the meantime make a very very fine paste of poppy seeds mix. Add water if required for grinding.

As the vegetables gets fried, in the same skillet add more oil. Let it gets heated. Add paanchphoran and radhuni seeds. Let it splutter. Add 1/2 tsp turmeric powder. Gently brown it.

Add the poppy paste and fry for 2-3 minutes.

Now add milk and water and let it boil.

Add the fried vegetables and keep the flame at minimum for 8-10 mints or until the vegetables get cooked completely. Do cover the skillet and then cook.

As done, add fried tomatoes and ghee. Give a boil for a minute and now switch off the flame.

Serve hot with roti or steamed rice.

KEEP COOKING👍🏻