The Quintessential Bengali Shukto

Day 45 of Lock down

This morning I was having a discussion with mom over breakfast where we were discussing how about if officially every year the world decides to completely shut itself for 10 days? Amidst all the problems of global warming, pollution levels and carbon footprints, wont it be a good thing to do to give mother earth some time to recuperate, ensuring we don’t destroy the nature completely? Probably something all the nations need to really think together and decided. 

Today the weather forecast was to have another thundershower around the afternoon. But it didn’t happen. I am a bit sad, as somehow, I was getting very used to this afternoon storm. It reminds me of the Kalbaishakhi we have in Bengal during the summer months. All day there will be heat and towards the afternoon the clouds start to accumulate and finally a stormy downpour to result in a cool evening. Reminds me of so many childhood memories. That veranda, that garden, playing with my cats, sitting outside and studying under the stars by the light of the lantern, hearing stories from mom, yes phones were not there, nor was Netflix or internet. So, when we needed info we banked on our elders to tell us their experiences and life stories. There was so much time in our hands even after finishing all the daily chores. We had time to draw, write, play, talk, most importantly talk and ya daydream. I used to daydream a lot. My pens were my character. The pilot pen was always a pilot or an officer. Reynolds was the common guy. Red capped Reynolds was the heroine. And pencils were the riff raffs. There were innumerous afternoons and evenings when I would drift into daydreaming while at study. I think that’s where my story telling skills were honed. I had a very creative mind right form my childhood days. I remember I used to wear moms discarded saree and pretend to be a teacher. Dad had got me a leather blackboard which I had hung on the back of my study room door. While I pretended to teach my imaginary students, I used to actually revise my own studies. Such a fun way to study I remember.

I think we need to thank this quarantine period of 21 days. It is giving us all an opportunity to re-acquaint with our forgotten selves. We are a generation who saw a big wave of change from our childhood to our present time. We had witnessed the period before internet when we still behaved like community animals. We still cared about people. We still helped without first trying to gauge what was in return for us. And we still believed in miracles.  We need to reinvent that innocence, that innate quality to believe in good things. Its time we appreciate all the beautiful things we have around us.

Today it was time for the quintessential Bengali Shukto which is like a supreme comfort food for me now. This preparation was not very frequently made at my home when I was a kid. It was only when I started to make it my home I started to fall more and more in love with it. My mom never had any issues while feeding me vegetables I remember. I was a very good girl when it came to eating my vegetables. I loved all the vegetables in general. In fact till date I appreciate a nicely made Bengali vegetarian recipe over any non-vegetarian preparation anyday. I mentioned 'Bengali' vegetarian dish, because somehow I love the variations in vegetarian options in the Bengali cuisine. Also maybe because I'm more in tuned to my home state cuisine. 

This bitter-sweet medley of vegetables, is prepared using many type of nutritious summer vegetables, most of which has preventive and curative properties. Bitter gourd is kind of the star of the dish, but it more often than not takes the supporting role and is never too overpowering. Shukto is a rich stew of stir-fry vegetables, cooked in mustard oil and tempered with paanch phoron, ginger paste and  chillies. Milk is added to the bitter dish to help alleviate the taste and make it more palatable.  

Preparation Time: 20 minutes  

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Makes For : 5 people

Cuisine: Bengali

Ingredients:

• Drumsticks (Sojne Data) - 2/ 3 (diced in 2 inch pieces)
• Bitter Gourd (Karela) - 2 medium (cut into roundlets)
• Potato (Aloo) - 2 medium (cubed)
• Brinjal (Begun)- 4-5 small or 1 large (cubed)
• Red Pumpkin (Kumro) - 300 gm (cubed)
• Broad Beans (Shim) - 10 (remove the tip and the tail)
• Raw Papaya (Pepe) - 250 gm (cubed)
• Raw Banana (Kacha Kola) - 2 (cubed) 
• Mustard Whole (Sorshe) - 1 tsp (coarsely ground) 
• Dried Red Chilli - 3 
• Ginger - 1 inch grated
• Five Spices (5 Phoran) - 1 tsp
• Milk - 1 cup
• Mustard Oil
• Salt and Sugar as per taste

Procedure: 

1.  Wash all the vegetables and cut it as mentioned above.

2. Fry all the vegetables and keep aside. All the vegetables must be cooked till 3/4th done.

3. Fry the roundels of Karela and the bori separately and keep aside

4. Grind the mustard seeds with a mortar pestle.

5. Take mustard oil in a deep bottomed wok and when oil is smoking temper it with bay leaves, dry red chilli, panch foron and ground mustard seeds. Give it a good toss to fry everything. Make sure not to burn the spices.

Note : Pach foron is a mixture of five spices. Typically it consists of Methi dana (fenugreek seeds), Kalonji (nigella seeds), radhuni (celery seeds), sauf (fennel seeds) and jeera (cumin). Radhuni is many a times substituted with mustard seeds. It is a very versatile spice mix and in Bengal it is extensively used to add flavour to different Dals and Vegetarian preparations.

6. When the spices are fragrant toss in the fried vegetables apart from karela into the wok and fold in. Adjust the salt and sugar at this stage. 

Tip: Try not to cover and cook, then the color of the vegetables with remain as it is. Which in turn means you have to take care the vegetables do not burn,because water will evaporate fast when cooked uncovered.

Note: Turmeric is not added to shukto, that is one of the ground rule of this preparation. The preparation will have all the natural flavours of the vegetables in tact as turmeric is not added.

7. Add the grated ginger at this stage. Mix well and cook for 3-4 minutes.

8. Add the fried karela and give it a good toss to mix everything.

9. Add the milk and water and stir in. 

Note: At this stage many people add poppy seed paste to make the consistency thicker. I personally don't like or dislike it. But if I am running short on time I omit the poppy seed paste part.

10. Break the fried boris coarsely and add it to the wok.

Serve it with steamed rice. Usually Shukto is had directly with rice without any other accompaniment like dal. So that each flavour of the seasonal vegetables can be relished fully.

Do try this out and tag me (@curriesnstories07) on Instagram on your photos whenever you try the recipe and I will give a shout out to you.