Sukto

SG loves sukto. And I,  being an North-Eastern Bengali (from the Bangal clan), consider it a typical West Bengali (Ghoti) dish, somewhat foreign. Hence, I had some trepidation about making my first sukto, but love makes you do crazy things. So, it was no brainer that I'd eventually try making it. My MIL is a Bangal too, but she makes awesome sukto. That gave me hope.

Traditionally, you need the following vegetables
Potatoes
Radish
Eggplant
Ridged Gourd
Drumsticks
Green Banana
Bitter gourd

I added Carrot and Peas too.

1. Cut the vegetables into bite-sized pieces and heat mustard oil in wok/dutch oven.
2. Most people use Panch  phoron for tempering, I was whimsical and picked nigella seeds instead. 
3. Add the vegetables that take longer time to cook eg potatoes, radish etc first. Save the bitter gourd for the last. Adding it in the beginning will make the sukto too bitter.
4. Add freshly grated ginger.
5. Add enough milk and water, cover and cook in medium-low flame. Pay attention, milk burns easily.
6. I dry ground mustard and poppy seeds and added them in the end. Don't boil mustard powder too long- heat turns it bitter. You can add sugar too.