Shukto is a traditional Bengali dish where vegetables are cooked with poppy seeds and mustard. One can add many vegetables but Bitter Gourd or Karela is a must for Shukto. Bengali's also add a very special spice called Radhuni in this dish,which enhance its taste and flavor.
As a Child I was never fond of this dish and always wanted to avoid it at lunch table,and specially my dad used to get annoyed with me for doing this. So finally one day my mom came up with this dish which almost have the same spices and nutritional value as that of Shukto,but taste better then the original one. When I first tasted it I was clueless about the ingredients,all I knew was I got something really yummy in place of Shukto. Years later when I wanted to make the same dish for my husband,I called up my mom to know the recipe,only then I came to know that it is made of grated cucumber and to make it more delicious my mom used to add fritters made of lentils. Amazing, isn't it a simple housewife without the help of google or any other web based search engine came up with such instant recipes for her family,and this was not the first time,she keeps surprising us with such out of the book recipes.
Today I thought of sharing this simple dish called Shohar Shukto,which also makes a very soothing summer dish for lunch particularly.
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| Recipe of Shoshar Shukto |
Ingredients:
- 3 to 4 Cucumbers, Grated
- 2 Dry red chilli
- Mustard Seeds 1/3 Tbs
- Milk 1/2 Cup
- Ghee 2 Tbs
- Salt according to taste
For Lentil Fritters:
- You need to soak the cholar dal (yellow split peas) overnight. Next day morning,make a paste of the soaked dal and add salt and a pinch of sugar,you can also add small amount of red chilli powder.
- Now heat a pan and add 4 tbs oil ,instantly drop small dumplings of this lentil paste and fry them.
- keep them aside in a bowl.
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| Recipe of Shoshar Shukto |
Method For The Shukto:
- Heat a pan and add the mustard seeds and the dry red chillies,once fried add the grated cucumber.Stir for a while and then cover the pan with a lid. Don't add water as cucumber will release enough water to cook.Open the lid after 2 mints and stir well.Add the salt.
- Now add the lentil fritters and milk,stir for a while and cover the lid for another 2 mints, in low flame.
- Remove the lid and you will find that the cucumber has absorbed the milk,leaving behind a creamy gravy.
- Your dish is ready, now just before switching off the flame add two tbs of ghee and stir once, ladle the dish in a bowl.Serve it with steam rice.
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| Recipe of Shoshar Shukto |
