Healthy

Shukto

Name: Shukto
Cook time: 40 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes

Time to cook

40 minutes

Difficulty

Easy

Serves

A traditional Bengali dish consisting of veggies like bitter gourd, drumsticks, raw bananas, potatoes, cooked in a mildly spiced mustard-based gravy.

Ingredients

Bitter Gourd

0.5 bitter gourd

Raw Banana

0.5 banana

Carrots

1 small

Potatoes

0.5 medium

Ridge Gourd

0.5 medium

Drumstick Pods

1 pod

Panch Phoran

1 pinch

Mustard Seeds

0.5 tsp

Poppy Seeds

1 tsp

Whole Cow Milk

0.25 cup

Salt

1 pinch

Mustard Oil

1 tsp

Turmeric

1 pinch

Bay Leaf

0.5 leaf

Fresh Ginger

0.5 inch

Green Chillies

1 chilli

Red Chilli Pepper

1 chilli

Water

0.25 cup

Step-by-step instructions to cook

Prep

Wash and cut all the vegetables into small pieces and set them aside.

Make a paste of mustard seeds and poppy seeds along with water.

Cooking

Add karela, raw banana, carrot, potato, ridge gourd, and drumstick in the pressure cooker, sprinkle a little salt, and water and cook for 3 to 4 whistles. After 3 to 4 whistles, turn off the heat and let the pressure release immediately by placing the cooker under running cold water. Open the lid and keep it aside.

Heat mustard oil in a pan, add the ginger, bay leaf, green chilies, red chilies, and stir fry for a few seconds.

Next, add the turmeric powder, the poppy seed and mustard seed paste, the cooked vegetables, milk, salt, and sugar.

Stir well, add water. The Shukto will thicken as it is boiling and you can adjust the consistency by adding water or milk. Check the taste and adjust the salt accordingly.

Once done, turn off the heat and serve immediately.