Shukto

Shukto (Bengali: শুক্তো) is a popular vegetable dish in Bengali cuisine usually served with rice in the West Bengal state of India and in the neighbouring country Bangladesh.[1] It has slightly bitter taste and is especially served in the banquets of Bengali social ceremonies like Annaprasana or Bengali Wedding as a part of traditional Bengali thali.

Shukto
Shukto
Alternative namesShuktoni
TypeVegetable curry
CourseMain course
Place of originIndia,
Bangladesh
Region or stateBengal
Associated national cuisineIndia, Bangladesh
Serving temperatureHot
Main ingredientsBitter Gourd, Drumstick, Plantain, Bori, Eggplant, Potato, Sweet Potato, Green Chili, Mustard paste, Ginger, Green Bean, Hyacinth Bean, Turmeric powder, Indian spices, Mustard oil, Milk, Ghee, Salt
Shukto at a food stall in a Bengali Food festival in Kolkata

Shukto has numerous different variations and can be prepared in different ways.[2]

History

Shukto is said to have been influenced by Portuguese cuisine when parts of coastal Bengal were colonized by the Portuguese Empire. The Portuguese settlers may have modified a similar dish by adding local ingredients like bitter gourd, and developed it into a mouth freshener, mixing it with other vegetables. Over time, the dish became a part of Bengali cuisine with some additional ingredients like milk, bori, mustard paste and oil.[2]

Pritha Sen, however, disagrees and states the origin to predate the 16th century Portuguese arrival in Bengal. According to Sen, the tradition of starting a meal by consuming bitters, considered to have a medicinal value, dates back to the ancient times and was promoted by the authors of Ayurveda. She also states that Shukto was consumed as a cooling agent in the hot and humid climates of the ancient kingdoms of undivided Bengal like Anga, Vanga and Kalinga. Shukto is also said to have mentions in Mangal-Kāvya, written during the medieval period and in the biographies of Sri Chaitanya.[2][1]

Variations

Dudh Shukto is a popular variant which is prepared with milk to alleviate the bitter taste of the dish.[2]

Some variants are made with fishes of different sizes. Such variants of Shukto typically use turmeric which is usually absent in the vegetarian variants. Some of the variants even exclude the bitter vegetables and are prepared with fenugreek seeds instead, to preserve the bitterness.[2]

See also

References
  1. >"Shukto: An Essential Bengali Cuisine not Influenced by the Portuguese Cooking – Different Truths". Retrieved 2020-08-14.
  2. >"Shukto: Why Can't Bengalis Start Their Meal Without This Bitter Medley Of Vegetables". NDTV Food. Retrieved 2020-08-14.
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