Sukto is an authentic Bengali recipe, which is a part of full course Bengali meal. Sukto should be served at the beginning of the menu. It is a combination of sweet snd bitter in taste. It consists of an array of vegetables. The main ingredients of this recipe are bitter gourd and dried lentil dumplings ( badi ), other vegetable are like pumpkin, raw papaya, bottle gourd, ash gourd,ridge gourd, plaintain, sweet potato, drumsticks for making sukto. The spice called " radhuni " is use for temper. You can substitute this spice with dill seeds or fenugreek seeds ( methi ).
Today, I cooked sukto which I learnt from my best friend's mom, she is a great cook and since my childhood I have been relished so many authentic bengali recipes. Try out my easiest version of making sukto. This is a pure delicious vegeterian recipe with no garlic, no onion.
INGREDIENTS :
1 Bitter gourd, sliced
1 cup Bottle gourd, small pieces
1 cup Ash gourd, small pieces
1 Sweet potato, small pieces
10 - 12 pieces dried lentil dumplings (badi)
1 teaspoon mustard seeds paste
2 tablespoons Cashew nut paste
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds ( methi ) / radhuni masala
1 teaspoon cumin powder
2 tablespoons ginger paste
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons Ghee
Mustard oil as required
Salt as required
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup Milk
DIRECTIONS :
In a frying pan, heat mustard oil fry badi / dried lentil dumplings till light brown. Keep aside. Again fry slices of bitter gourd in the same pan till light brown and keep aside.
In the same pan, add one more tablespoon oil and heat it up. Now add bay leaf, radhuni masala/ meethi seeds, 1 tablespoon ginger paste. Fry for a minute, then add all vegetables, salt and sugar. Stir it well, cover and cook in low heat for sometime.
Add mustard seeds paste, cashew nut paste, cumin powder and stir it well. Add water and cover it. Cook until all vegetables becomes tender.
Now add badi / dried lentil dumplings, fried slices of bitter gourd, ginger paste. Cook for few minutes. Now add milk and ghee, stir it and let it boil, as it starts boiling switch off the gas.
Sukto is ready now to serve with hot steamed rice.