Sukto (Vegetable medley in Bengali style)

Sukto is a vegetable medley prepared in the Bengali household. It consists of an array of vegetables. Bitter gourd is the main ingredient of this dish, other vegetables are pumpkin, plantain, sweet potato, ridge gourd, drumsticks, eggplant, and raw papaya. Dried lentil dumplings(badi) are also important ingredients for making sukto. It tempers with a spice called radhuni, it can be substitute with dill seeds. If both are unavailable then methi seeds can be used. Poppyseed paste and mustard paste used along with milk and ghee, but in sukto we never used chilies. It is an authentic Bengali dish and it is served only at lunchtime as a first item in menu with hot steamed rice. 

Preparation time - 20 minutes

Cooking time - 35 minutes

Serve - 2

Ingredients:-

5 - 6 badi(dry lentils dumplings)

1 bitter gourd slices

1 sweet potato julienne

1 cup of eggplant diced

1 cup of  pumpkin diced

10 piece of drumstick

1/2 cup of raw papaya

1/2 cup ridge gourd

1 cup of plantain julienne

1/2 tbsp mustard seed paste

1 tbsp poppy seed paste

1 tbsp sugar

1/2 cup milk

2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp radhuni/dill seeds/methi seeds

1 dried red chili

1 bay leaf

1 tbsp ginger paste

1 tbsp ghee

Mustard oil

Salt for seasoning

Method:

In a frying pan heat mustard oil. Fry badi/dried lentil dumplings light brown. In the same oil fry bitter gourd slices until crispy. Drain in a paper towel and keep aside.

Add 1 tbsp more oil on frying pan and heat it up, then roast red chili and bay leaf and add radhuni. After it starts crackling add all vegetables. Fry a bit then add salt and turmeric powder. Cook for 5 minutes in low heat.

Add poppy seed paste and mustard seed paste and fry for 5 minutes. Add cumin powder and sugar. Add 1 cup of water, then covered and cook for 15 minutes or until vegetables are well cooked.

After 15 minutes add crispy bitter gourd slices and badi. Add ginger paste. Cook for 5 minutes then add ghee and milk. Let it boil, as it starts boiling switch off the gas. Sukto is ready, cool it before serving. It tastes best when it is cold and served with steamed rice.

Happy Cooking:)