Sukto

A traditional Bengali recipe without which a typical Bengali menu is incomplete. Generally sukto has a biter taste with the addition of bitter gourd / leaves of pointed gourd (parwal / potol) but again sukto can be of various types with assorted vegetables. It is served with steamed rice.

Ingredients:

• 10-12 badi / bori (small sundried cakes made from urad dal batter)

Vegetables:

• 2 medium sized potatoes
• 2 small eggplant / aubergine / brinjals
• 2 small radish
• 1 green (raw) banana / kachha kela / kanchkola
• 2 small sweet potatoes / rangaloo
• 2 pointed gourd /parwal / potol
• 3 long drumstick, cut into 1-1/2” pieces
• 2 bitter gourd / uchchhe, finely chopped

Others:

• 2 tbsp wheat flour / atta
• 1-1/2 cup milk
• 1 tbsp poppy seeds
• 1 tbsp mustard seeds
• 1 green chilli
• 4 tbsp mustard oil (as required)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1-1/2 tsp panchphoron
• 2 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp salt (to taste)
• 2 dried red chillies
• 2 tbsp ghee

Procedure:

1. Wash all the vegetables. Peel potatoes and raw banana. Peel radish, sweet potatoes, pointed gourd and drum sticks in strips (alternate - peel and keep skin).
2. Cut the vegetables in half, lengthwise and then sideways (lengthwise).
3. Dry roast the Panchphoron on a griddle / tawa. Cool and grind to a coarse powder. Keep aside.
4. Blend mustard seeds, poppy seeds with a green chilli (add a little water) to form a smooth paste. Keep aside.
5. Mix the wheat flour with the milk (ensure that there are no lumps). Keep aside.
6. Heat 2 tbsp mustard oil in a pan. Saute and fry the badi till light brown. Keep aside. Fry the bittergourd till cooked and keep aside.
7. Heat the rest of the mustard oil in the kadhai. Add the bay leaf, dry red chilli and panchphoron and let them splutter.
8. Saute and fry the rest of the vegetables (except bittergourd). Add salt and sugar and stir fry for 5-7 minutes. When the vegetables are tender, add badi and water and bring to a boil.
9. Add mustard – poppy seeds paste. Mix well. Cover the pan with a lid and, simmer and cook for 5-10 mins until all the vegetables are well cooked.
10. Add the fried bittergourd, milk-wheat flour mixture & ghee and adjust the seasoning, mix well, bring to a boil and remove from flame.
11. Transfer in a serving bowl. Sprinkle the ‘Panch phoron’ powder. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Tips
Cutting the vegetables is a key thing. Cut all the vegetables in 1 ½ inches long (sideways).
While frying the badis, don’t give too much oil as they tend to absorb the entire amount of oil.