Shukto

What to get ready

• Bitter gourd 1.3 lb
• Sweet potato 1.1 lb
• Okra 11.3 oz
• Large round aubergine 1.1 lb
• Green bananas 14.1 oz
• Fresh milk 2 ½ cups
• Mustard seeds 1.4 oz
• Ginger 2.8 oz
• Mustard oil ⅔ cup
• Rice flour 2.1 oz

Method

1. 1 Fry sliced bitter melon in mustard oil for 5 minutes, then remove and set aside to preserve the shape of the slices.
2. 2 Fry the sweet potatoes, eggplant, and green bananas for 4 minutes each, then set them aside separately.
3. 3 Frying each ingredient separately and adding them to the pot in the order they cook is the principle of shukto; mixing them up will turn the dish into a vegetable porridge.
4. 4 Grind mustard seeds and ginger together until a paste forms, then sauté in oil for 2 minutes.
5. 5 Pour in the milk and rice flour mixture and simmer for 8 minutes until the sauce thickens and turns white.
6. 6 Add the vegetables in order of hardness first, then softness, and cook for 10 minutes; add the bitter melon last to retain its fresh bitterness.

With an appliance

• Air fryer 42 min

  Replace steps 1–2: lightly brush mustard oil onto bitter melon, potatoes, tomatoes, and green bananas, divide into two batches in a 190°C steamer for 10 minutes each, shaking at the 5th minute; this reduces cooking time by about 5 minutes compared to frying each item separately, resulting in less oil and firmer edges for the vegetables. Steps 5–6 continue cooking on the stovetop until the milk sauce thickens before adding the vegetables.