Sukto
Sukto or shuktoni is a Bengali traditional dish.
Mixed vegetables with less spices. Its taste mildly bitter and lightly sweet. In Bengali platter traditionally people start eating with a bitter dish, then main course in lunch. And the last course is sweet. Elderly people say that if you start your meal with a bitter dish then you feel other dishes more tasty 😀
Usually bitter gourd is used in sukto. But I heard from my mom that if it is preparing for marriage or any such auspicious occasion bitter gourd shouldn’t be used in it. That called misti sukto or sweet sukto. All the ingredients are same but it will be without bitter gourd.
Generally sukto is served with steamed rice.
Never thought of sharing sukto recipe on my blog. Because I thought its a very common recipe in Bengali household. But recently I was browsing through some Bengali traditional recipes. And noticed that every sukto recipe is different. So decided to share my both mother’s recipe. Yes my mother and mother in law both used to follow same recipe.
In Bengal radhuni is must in sukto. According to Wikipedia radhuni is known as wild celery in English. And known as ajmod in Hindi.
In Bengal radhuni in used in panch phoran or five spices mix. Panch phoran consists of fenugreek seeds or methi, Nigella seed or kalaunji, cumin seed or jeera, mustard seed or sarso and fennel seed or sounf.
But outside Bengal its not available so we (প্রবাসী বাঙালি) don’t use it.
But this time I have a packet of radhuni which I have bought from Kolkata. So I have used it. If you don’t have radhuni you can omit it. I have used whatever vegetables I have. You can use any vegetables of your choice like drumstick, raw papaya, sweet potato etc.
I like very mild bitter taste in sukto so used only 1/4 of bitter gourd but if you like you can use 1 small bitter gourd.
Recipe
Potato – 2
Raw banana – 2
Flat beans – 4 – 5
Radish or muli – 1 small
Eggplant or aubergine – 1 small
Bitter gourd or karela – 1/4
Mustard oil – 3 – 4 tablespoon
Panch phoran ( mixture of fenugreek, nigella, mustard, cumin and fennel seeds) – 2 teaspoon
Salt and sugar to taste
Turmeric powder – 1/4 teaspoon
Fennel seeds sounf – 1 tablespoon
Poppy seeds – 2 tablespoon
Ginger – 1 inch piece
Mustard powder – 2 teaspoon
Bari or dried lentil dumplings – 1/4 cup
Radhuni – 1/4 teaspoon
Flour or atta – 1 tablespoon
Milk – 1/2 cup
Ghee or clarified butter – 1 teaspoon
Method
1. Soak mustard powder in 2 tablespoon water, mix and keep aside.
2. Soak aniseed or sounf in water.
3. Soak poppy seeds in hot water for 15 – 20 minutes.
4. Peel and chop the potatoes and raw banana lengthwise.
5. Chop the radish, flat beans and eggplant or aubergine lengthwise.
6. Cut the bitter gourd in thin round pieces.
7. Wash and drain all the vegetables.
Keep the bitter gourd aside.
8. Grind the poppy seeds, fennel seeds and ginger with the help of little water. Make a smooth paste.
9. Dry roast 1 teaspoon panch phoran and grind. I have used my mortal pestle to make powder of these roasted spices.
9. Heat oil in a pan. Fry all the vegetables separately.
10. Fry the bari or dried lentil dumplings.
11. At last fry the bitter gourd pieces and keep aside.
12. Add 1 teaspoon Pancho phoran,1/4 teaspoon radhuni and bay leaf in hot oil. Let the panch phoran splutter.
13. Add all the fried vegetables except bitter gourd.
Add poppy seeds, aniseed and ginger paste. Saute till it dried up.
14. Add salt, sugar, turmeric powder and soaked mustard powder.
Mix well.
15. Saute for 1 – 2 minutes. Add water and cover. Cook till the vegetables become tender.
16. Mix flour in milk. Mix well to make it lump free.
17. Add dried lentil dumplings and flour milk mixture. Mix well and cook till you get your desired consistency.
18. At last add fried bitter gourd pieces and 1 teaspoon ghee or clarified butter.
19. Taste and adjust the salt if require.
Remove from heat. Add roasted and powdered panch phoran and mix.
20. Your sukto is ready to serve.
Serve with hot steamed rice.
Notes
1. You can use any vegetables of your choice like drumstick, raw papaya, sweet potato etc.
2. If you don’t have radhuni you can omit it.
3. If you want to make it in less oil fry the bitter gourd pieces first. And then saute all the vegetables altogether. But traditionally vegetables should be fried separately.
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I love to have Shukto with hot rice like every Bengali..😄😄
Thanks 🙏🙏
I think I have not used sauf.. Now I will definitely try this.
Thank you so much Smriti 😍
Wow sounds so flavorful.. never tasted but definately would love to try
Thanks a lot Ruchi dear 😍
My favourite recipe 🙂
Mine too. Thanks 😊 😊
I have heard this many times about sukto but never taste it and never tried it. Yours sukto looks very delicious, I love this kind of veggies in my meal like not so dry or not so curries, I love to eat with roti or paratha, yumm 🙂
Thanks a lot Jolly. Sukto is normally served with steamed rice 😍😍
I’m yet to dive into Bengali cuisine and I’m sure your blog could be a great help. Sukto seems quite flavorful and rich with all those spices.
Thank you so much Ritu 😍
Wow sounds so delicious. I’hv never tasted. I would love to give this a try. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks a lot dear. Do try and let me know how it turns out 😍
Wow, such a flavoursome rich delicious Sukto, i can have this ultimate dish without any fuss with some rice rite now.
Thanks a lot Priya 😍
This recipe is on my list .. been wanting to make it since a long time. Looks so tasty.
Thank you so much 😍
I have heard a lot about this dish but never really tasted it. Loved the mix vegetables used esp the bitter gourd, which is my favourite. Panch Phoran dal is my favourite and I make it sometimes at home. I think the next attempt should be at making this. Thank you for the recipe and the information shared about the ingredients.
Thank you so much Vidya. Please do try and let me know how it turns out 😍
sure dear
Anything with bari or vadi as Gujaratis call it is my favorite. However, I’d probably give bitter gourd a skip. Healthy and filling sabji and since I used panch phoron for the Odia cuisine, I’ve fallen in love with the unique flavor of this spice mixture.
Thanks Mayuri. Yes you can skip bitter gourd. I often do that. Because I love it without bitter taste. Its said that if it is preparing for marriage or any such auspicious ceremony it should be without bitter gourd. And that taste more delicious 😊😊
Lovely mix of vegetables; healthy dish 🙂
Thank you so much 😍
My family and I have grown to love Sukhto since I made it for the first time a couple of years ago. I love the creaminess of the gravy/masala. Thank you for reminding me of this again.
Thank you so much Aruna. Please try again and let me know how it turns out 😍
I love bitter gourd but never tried cooking it with mixed vegetables. This recipe sounds amazing – a keeper for quick weekday meals.
Also thoroughly enjoyed reading about the Bengali tradition of starting a meal with bitter and ending on a sweet note. That must make each meal a complete culinary experience!
Thanks a lot dear. Yes elderly people say that if you start your meal with bitter dish then you feel other dishes more tasty 😀
Adding it too in the post. Thanks again 😍
Shukto was my Babas favourite dish and mom used to frequently make it in summers , your recipe sounds so similar to my moms version, but my mother in law has her different version of the same dish, loved your detailed recipe, awsome share.
Thanks a lot Soma. Yes dear recipe is different in every household. Very few family use Aniseed paste 😊😊
That’s a very interesting recipe. Addition of milk in this recipe is quite new to me. Love the way you have used a variety of veggies along with bari. I always thought bari was a Rajasthani thing!
Thank you so much Jyoti. Bari is used in many Bengali dishes. Happy to know each other 😍
Sounds interesting and flavourful. I have never tasted this but love to try it.
Mixed vegetables in one dish, such a delicious and healthy dish. We make similar sabji called ‘Patrali’ but without milk.
Thanks a lot Jagruti 😍
Had heard of sukto but never tried or tasted it. Do need to make it sometime, healthy one.
Thanks a lot Jayashree. Do try I am sure you will love the taste 😍
Mom’s recipe is always best. This looks so delicious with spices and vegetables.
Thank you so much Uma 😍
Interesting recipe. I wish you had a pic of the wild celery as it is new to me.
Thanks Seema. OK dear I am adding it 😍
Picture added please check
Just scrumptious…this looks wholesome and delicious… would love to pair with rotis
Thanks a lot dear 😍
Thank you so much Sapana 😍😍
Sukhto is one of my Bengali mix veg curry and yours look so rich and delicious. I just need some luchi to finish it.
Looks so delicious and loved the detailed recipe.. I have read about radhuni will love to try it to taste the flavours.
Thank you so much Swaty. Please do try and let me know how it turns out!
Mere beti ne khaya!!!!! I love the recipe!! Thanks a lot.
Wow you made my day. Thanks for trying Archana.
Wonderful post! We are linking to this great content on our website. Keep up the great writing.