Sukto (Bengali dish of karela / bitter gourd)

Sukto is a bengali dish served with white rice. It is a must during summers as the bitter gourd or karela is said to cool down boby :)
This time my mom-in-law taught me the correct method of making sukto which i was unaware...ooops!
well, Sukto is not new to bengalis, it takes consuming recipe but the outcome is really healthy dish :)

what all vegetables can be added in this recipe :
1 Potato
1 White Radish
1 Jhinge / ridge Gourd,
1 KanchaKola or Raw green banana
1 Eggplant/baigan (the slender one),
1 Uchche/karela or Bitter Gourd,
a bunch(about 6-8) of long green beans or string beans
You can also add drumsticks, zucchini etc.


So now lets proceed. Below is what we call in bengali "Bodi". This can be purchased readymade from any bengali kirana store. This is basically sun dried vadis of dal (mostly masoor dal or mixed dal sometimes).


If you have it then fry it till crispy in a little oil and keep it aside, if you don't have it, skip it..

Now cut the vegetables (that is what all you have) in long strips..

Wash all veggies and keep aside.
Next step is Soak and grind 1 tbsp mustard seeds + 1 tsp poppy seeds + little salt, to a paste with little water

This is paste of poppy seeds and mustard

This is poppy seeds

                      

STEP !. In a fry pan, heat 2 spoons of oil and fry all the veggies for 4-5 min (this makes the aroma of all veggies to mix and make the gravy aromatic). Take out and keep it aside. My mom used to fry karela separately and other veggies separately, but i did it together..

STEP 2. Now heat a little more oil, and prepare for tempering (tadka)

1/4tsp Radhuni(optional),
1/4 tsp Methi(fenugreek) seeds,
2 bay leaves,
a pinch of Hing(asafoetida)

Put all the veggies, put salt and turmeric as per taste. 

Add the poppy seeds+mustard paste to the veggies and stir well.

Keep the flame low and close the lid for 5 min and let it cook.

STEP 3. Now grate 1 inch ginger and add it to the kadai. Add the fried vadis also (if you have).

Add 2 cups of water and again close the lid and let it cook for 10 min.

STEP 4. After 10-15 min, it is almost done, now add half cup of milk. Let it come to boil and put the flame off.

Add a pinch of sugar and stir.

NOTE : here one should take care not to boil the milk too much nor it will curdle up!

This is the final look of Sukto...i hope you will like it :)

The gravy tastes very creamy due to milk. It gives all the essential nutrients as many types of veggies are added in it...Bengalis are a fan of sukto, and me too..