Chachchari ( Mixed Vegetables - Bengali)

Submitted by The Desserter

"It is a very tasty and nutritious dish that is served with steamed rice, usually for lunch. It is a well balanced dish that can have many variation - vegetarian - bland or rich, non vegetarian with fish head."

 

• Ready In: 50mins
• Ingredients: 17
• Serves: 2-3

ingredients

• 2 medium size potatoes
• 1 medium size brinjal
• 200 g red pumpkins
• 50 g flat beans
• 1 medium size radish
• 1 bunch spinach
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 dried red chilies
• 3 fresh green chilies
• 1⁄2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 big onion
• 1 tablespoon ginger paste
• salt
• 2 tablespoons refined oil
• 1 tablespoon mustard oil
• panch phoron (1 pinch each cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, onion seeds, mustard seeds and 1/2 tsp aniseeds)
• 1 teaspoon sugar

directions

1. Chop the vegetables to even and equal size and clean them.Keep them separately so that they can be added one by one while cooking.
2. Heat Oil.
3. Add bay leaves, red chilies, green chilies, panch phoron. When they sputter, put onions – brown lightly, add turmeric powder and salt.
4. Add vegetables in this order stirring each time – Potato – radish – beans – pumpkin – brinjal – leafy vegetable – ginger paste salt and turmeric powder. Stir and mix well. Add ginger paste.Partially cover the utensil and leave to cook on low flame. The vegetables will give out water. When vegetables look almost cooked, increased heat to dry out fluid till oil separates. Add mustard oil and sugar. Stir and dry out. Adjust seasonings. Ensure all vegetables are well done.
5. Variation: To add fish head. Smear a little turmeric and salt on the fish head(river or pond fish at least 1.5 to 2 kg size like Rahu,Katla, Hilsa). Let stand for 10 minutes Fry the fish head crisp and add just before the vegetables. Can add mustard paste after the vegetables are added.
6. (Mustard paste: 1tbspn mustard, pinch of salt and 2 green chilies ground fine together).