Shukto is a traditional cuisine made with a medley of seasonal vegetables, including bitter gourd, simmered in a mild, milky, ghee-infused gravy cooked with mustard paste. The recipe may vary from household to household.
Ingredients:
Vegetables
Potato – 1 cup, sliced lengthwise
Arbi (taro Root) – 1 cup, sliced lengthwise
Sweet potato – 1 cup, sliced lengthwise
Raw banana – ½ cup, sliced lengthwise
Radish – ½ cup, sliced lengthwise
Long beans / barbati – 5–6 pieces, cut into medium lengths
Carrot – ¼ cup, cut into small cubes
Drumsticks – 2–3 pieces, each cut into 2–3 inch lengths
Bitter gourd – ½ cup, thinly sliced
Long thin eggplant – 1 cup, sliced lengthwise(optional)
For the Paste
Poppy seeds – 1 Tbsp
Mustard seeds – 2 Tbsp
Green chilies – 1–2
Other Ingredients
Mustard oil – ¼ cup
Panch puran (five-spice mix: fenugreek, black cumin, cumin, mustard, fennel) – 2 tsp
Bay leaves – 2
Hing (asafoetida) – ½ tsp
Grated ginger – 2 Tbsp
Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
Salt – to taste
Sugar (optional) – 1 tsp
Milk – ⅓ cup
For Garnishing
Ghee - 1 Tbsp
Fresh coriander leaves (optional)
Instruction:
Soak the mustard seeds and poppy seeds in water for about an hour, then grind them with green chillies and a pinch of salt to a fine paste, adding a little water only if needed.
Wash and slice all the vegetables lengthwise and keep them aside. Soak Eggplant and Raw banana in water after cutting so that they will not change color.
Heat oil in a kadhai or frying pan and sauté the vegetables one by one, saving the bitter gourd for last, then keep them aside.
Fry the vadis until brown and crisp and keep them aside as well.
In the same oil, add panch puran, hing, and bay leaves, sautéing for 30 seconds until the seeds splutter and release their aroma.
Add the fried vegetables—starting with potatoes, then sweet potato, arbi, radish, carrot, long beans, and drumstick—being careful not to break the drumsticks. Mix gently.
Add a little water to help the vegetables cook, then stir in about 2 tablespoons of the Mustard paste, followed by grated ginger, salt, turmeric, more water as needed, and about 1/3 cup of milk. Use only enough water to cook the vegetables without making the dish watery.
Cover and cook until the vegetables are tender and most of the liquid has evaporated. When they are nearly done, add the fried bitter gourd, cover again, and cook on low heat for 2–3 minutes.
Remove the lid, add a little sugar, and mix in the fried vadis. Heat a tablespoon of ghee in a small pan and pour it over the sukto; garnish with coriander leaves if you like.
*Note: One teaspoon Radhuni spices can be added to the final ghee tempering for extra flavour, though it is optional.