Paanch Mishali Torkari Recipe

A mixed vegetables recipe hailing from West Bengal. Prepared with light spices and dried bay leaf, this juicy mixed vegetables preparation can contain your vegetables of choice and is usually mildly sweet because it almost always contains pumpkin.
Paanch Mishali Torkari picture

Summary

Cooking Time40 MinDifficulty LevelMedium
Health IndexHealthyCuisineIndian
CourseSide DishFeelJuicy
SpecialityPart of MenuVegetarianVegetarian
Main IngredientVegetableInterest GroupEveryday

Recipe Story

An old recipe from my mom and one of the best known Bengali dishes.Sorry about the 3rd veggie. I do not think potol or parwal grows in western countries. You can add a quick cooking vegetable of choice, cubed or chopped... This recipe needs a bit more oil than your regular recipes as the vegetables are lightly sauteed before stewing them.

Ingredients

 
A pinch of each white and black cumin (shaada ar kalo jeere)
 
1/2 tsp white jeera paste (diluted with water)
 
1 dried bay leaf, torn in 3-4 pieces
 
Mixed vegetables:
 
2 handfuls each of-
 
cubed pumpkin
 
cubed potato
 
potol, slit lengthwise and halved (dunno the English for this)
 
jhinge (snake gourd), slit lengthwise and cut in small pieces
 
mulo (radish), julienned
 
shaager daata (soft stems from leafy greens - optional)
 
2 green chilies, slit lengthwise
 
turmeric
 
salt
 
water
 
A liberal amount of oil

Directions

Heat oil in a wok.
Add the white and black cumin.
Saute for 2 mins and add the bay leaf.
Saute for another 2 mins.
Add in the veggies. (you may add the vegetables that cook slowly before and the quick ccoking ones later)
Mix and stir well for 15 minutes after all the vegetables are in the wok.
Add the salt and turmeric while mixing the vegetables together
Add the green chilies and the cumin paste now.
Mix well for another 5 mins.
Add the water.
Set heat to high and let the preparation reduce a bit. (I make mine a little watery. you can reduce it to a more dry prepration too.)
Check the taste after the water has reduced after 15 mins. Check the vegetables to see if they are fork tender.
Cook further if required or take off the heat and serve with rice.
The secret to the taste for this lies in the sauteing. The more you stir and mix it, the more delicious it will be :)

Comments

tanya3286 says :

yes, it sure is! I hope you try it sometime... its a classic bengali preparation made with minimal spices, yet its fresh, juicy and great with rice :)
Posted on: 27 August 2009 - 8:07am

Mrs.Jyotsna Solanki says :

A healthy dish
Posted on: 26 August 2009 - 2:25am

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