Neem Shukto (Mixed Vegetable Curry with Neem Leaves - Bengali Style)

           Shukto is a traditional Bengali cuisine and is considered as a delicacy. This is a mixed vegetable curry which has bitter gourd in it, but you can substitute it with few neem leaves. So this is the latter version. It is cooked in a mustard and milk based gravy. 

          It is mildly spiced and is tempered with Panch Phoron, the popular Bengali five spice. It is served with hot steamed rice at the beginning of a full course meal, as it is believed that the bitterness helps in purifying the blood. So do give it a try by following a step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 4 cups mixed veggies, cut lengthwise
• (carrot, beans, pointed gourd, raw banana, raw papaya & pumpkin)
• few neem leaves to cook
• few neem leaves to garnish
• 2-3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 10-12 bori (lentil dumplings / mangodi / vadi )
• 1 tsp. ginger, chopped
• 1-2 whole dry red chilies
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp. panch phoron (equal quantity of fennel, mustard, cumin, fenugreek & nigella seeds
• salt to taste
• 1-2 green chilies, slit
• 1 tsp. cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder (opt)
• 1 tbsp. mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp. radhuni (celery seeds)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp. sugar 
• 1 tsp. ghee

          Grind the mustard seeds and the radhuni (celery seeds) along with some water into a fine paste. Keep aside.

          Heat oil in a pan and fry the bori (till golden brown) and the neem leaves (meant to garnish) separately. Drain and keep aside.

          Temper the same oil with the dry red chilies, ginger, bay leaves and the panch phoron. Allow it to splutter.

          Add the chopped veggies, neem leaves (meant to cook) and all the dry spices. Sauté on low flame for 4-5 minutes. 

          Add 1&1/2 cups water and green chilies. Simmer, covered on a low flame till the veggies are cooked.

          When done, add the mustard paste, milk, ghee, fried vadi and sugar. Simmer for 2-3 minutes and then switch off the flame. Serve with hot steamed rice at the beginning of a full course meal.

                     Heat oil & fry bori (till golden brown) & neem leaves (meant to garnish) 
                     separately. Drain and keep aside.

                      Temper same oil with dry red chilies, ginger, bay leaves & panch phoron. 
                      Allow it to splutter.

                       Add the chopped veggies, all the dry spices and......

                      .....neem leaves (meant to cook). Sauté on low flame for 4-5 minutes. 

                      Add 1&1/2 cups water & green chilies. Simmer, covered on a low flame
                      till the veggies are cooked.

                       When done, add the mustard paste, milk, ghee, sugar and.....

                        ......fried vadi. Simmer for 2-3 minutes & then switch off the flame. 

                           Serve with hot steamed rice at the beginning of a full course meal.