Vegetable Gravy with bittergourd and other vegetables with poppy seed paste

  

A dish steeped in Bengali tradition, Shukto is an elegant, mildly bitter-sweet vegetable stew that serves as the perfect start to an elaborate meal. Made with a mix of seasonal vegetables like bitter gourd and other vegetables like potatoes, eggplant, and drumsticks, it is enriched with a subtle poppy seed or mustard paste.

Ingredients:

1 medium bitter gourd (karela), sliced thinly 

1 small potato, cubed

1 small eggplant/ brinjal cubed

1 drumstick (moringa), cut into pieces

1/2 cup green beans chopped

1/2 cup pointed gourd (parwal)

1 tbsp mustard oil

1/2 tsp nigella seeds (kalonji)

1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi)

1-2 dried red chilies

1 bay leaf

1 tbsp grated ginger

1/2 tsp turmeric pdr

1 tsp sugar

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp garam masala

1/2 tsp ghee

1/2 cup milk (or coconut milk for variation)

1 tbsp poppy seeds/ khas khas

1 tbsp mustard paste

2 cups water or vegetable stock

Method:

Slice the bitter gourd thin. Sprinkle salt on the slices and let them sit for 10-15 minutes to release the bitterness. Afterwards, rinse them thoroughly to remove the bitterness. Peel and cube the potato, and eggplant, and cut the drumsticks into pieces.

Soak the poppy seeds in a little water for 10-15 minutes, then grind them into a smooth paste. Set it aside.

Heat mustard oil in a large pan or wok. Once hot, add the nigella seeds (kalonji), fenugreek seeds, dried red chilies, and bay leaf. Let them splutter for a few seconds. Add the grated ginger and sauté for a minute until fragrant. Add the cubed vegetables (bitter gourd, potato, eggplant, drumsticks, and green beans) to the pan. Stir well. Sprinkle in turmeric powder and salt to taste. Cook the vegetables for 5-7 minutes on medium heat.

Add water or vegetable stock to the pan, and let the vegetables cook for another 10-12 minutes, or until they are tender. Add the sugar and the poppy seed paste (if using), and stir to combine. Add milk (or coconut milk) and simmer for a few minutes. If you prefer a thicker gravy, you can add a bit more milk or stock to reach the desired consistency.

Once the vegetables are cooked and the flavours have melded together, check the seasoning and adjust the salt if needed. Sprinkle garam masala for extra flavour and finish off with a dollop of ghee

Serve hot with steamed rice or luchi (Bengali puri which is made with maida instead of wheat flour for normal puri. This is the only difference)

 

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