Easy Shukto Recipe: Go Dil Se Indian With This Bengali Delicacy And Some Steamed Rice

Bengali food is more than just fish curry, fish fry, and sweets of different kinds. One of the most loved Bengali delicacies is shukto which is a mixed vegetable side dish that is relished with steamed rice. It is rich with subtle flavours of Indian spices and an added creaminess with milk. The dish offers a balance of flavours and textures with a combination of taste enhancers and vegetables used in it. 

Steps For Easy Shukto Recipe 

This Bengali-style mixed veg side dish can be prepared very easily and is perfect for even beginners. Here are some easy steps that you need to follow to make this recipe. 

1. Soak some bari and poppy seeds in water for 10 minutes.
2. Then take poppy seeds and mustard seeds to grind them into a fine paste in a mixer or Shil Nora (Shil Batta). Further, strain the mixture to get rid of the husk.
3. Dice your preferred vegetables into big pieces; big enough so that they don’t get mixed with the gravy but small enough to eat with ease. Further, wash them and set them aside to let the water drain.
4. Heat mustard oil in a wok then fry thinly sliced bitter gourd until crispy. Then fry the bari and keep it aside on a tissue. 
5. Next, prepare the tempering on the same oil with panch phoron (Bengali five spices). Further, fry other vegetables one by one in the tempering. 
6. Now add the ginger paste to the vegetables and let it cook for a minute followed by the mustard and poppy seeds paste which should be cooked for about 2 minutes.
7. Next, add turmeric powder, salt and sugar as per your taste and let it cook for 2-3 more minutes. 
8. Further, add the required amount of milk and water and let the vegetables boil. Now you need to add the raw drumsticks and cover the lid to let the dish cook for 8-10 minutes. 
9. Make sure to add enough water as shukto tastes best with loads of gravy. 
10. Next, add a generous amount of ghee to your shukto and let it boil for a minute.
11. Your shukto is ready! Serve it with a bowl of steamed rice to relish its subtle flavours.