Labra (Mixed Vegetable Curry - Bengali Style)

          This is a simple and a traditional homemade style Bengali Mixed vegetable curry. You can add any veggies of your choice. I also added some fried vadi (dried lentil dumplings) to enhance the flavour and add a bit of a crunch to the dish. 

          This dish is very commonly cooked in many a Bengali home. For a non-veg. version, prawns or fish head is added. It is relished as a side dish with rice, khichdi, paratha, poori or chapati. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this simple delicacy.

• 1 cup each of mixed veggies, cubed (Raddish, french beans, cabbage, pumpkin, raw banana, eggplant and parwal (pointed gourd)
• 1/2 cup frozen / fresh green peas 
• 10-12 vadi (dried lentil dumplings)
• 2-3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp. panch phoron (equal quantities of fennel, cumin, mustard, fenugreek & nigella seeds)
• 1-2 green chilies, slit
• 1-2 whole red chilies
• 1 tsp. ginger, finely chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1 tsp. ghee

          Heat oil in a pan and fry the vadi till golden brown. Drain and keep aside. Temper the same oil with bay leaves, red chilies, green chilies and panch phoron. 

          After it stops spluttering, add the ginger and fry for a few seconds. Now add the raddish, beans and parwal first. Fry for 2-3 minutes on high flame. 

          Then add rest of the veggies, all the dry spices and the fried vadi and green peas. Mix everything well and cook, covered on a low flame. Sprinkle water and stir at intervals.

          When done, switch off the flame and add the ghee. Keep it covered for 5 minutes and then serve as a side dish with either rice or chapattis.

                                Chop all veggies into cubes.

                                Heat oil & fry vadi till golden brown. Drain & keep aside. 

                Temper same oil with bay leaves, red chilies, green chilies & panch phoron. 

                                After it stops spluttering, add ginger & fry for few seconds. 

                     Add raddish, beans & parwal first. Fry for 2-3 minutes on high flame. 

                               Then add rest of the veggies,

                                all dry spices and 

                  fried vadi & green peas. Mix well & cook, covered on a low flame. Sprinkle 
                  water & stir at intervals.

                  When done, switch off  flame & add ghee. Keep it covered for 5 minutes
                 

                                Serve with either rice, khichdi, poori, paratha or chapattis.