Shukto - Low Spiced Bitter Bengali Vegetable Dish - Healthy - cooking recipe

Ingredients

50 g bitter melons (melon)
100 g raw papayas, peeled
2 pieces raw bananas, peeled
100 g pumpkin, peeled
100 g eggplants (aubergine)
1 piece medium sized potato, peeled
1 tablespoon ginger paste
1 teaspoon panch phoron (equal part of Black mustard, fennel, fenugreek, nigella seeds & cumin)
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 tablespoon poppy seed paste (optional)
1 tablespoon rice bran or 1 tablespoon refined oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional)
salt
500 ml water

Preparation

Dice all vegetables in inch long pieces. wash & keep aside in water as raw banana turns black when in direct contact with air.
Heat Oil in wok/pan. Add panch phoron. As soon as it splutters, add ginger paste. After a minute, add cumin powder. Add all vegetables, stir for 5 minutes. Add salt to taste & poppy seed paste. Stir and pour water. Bring to boil, sim and cover the pan slightly.
Keep stirring & checking in between for vegetables to be cooked completely. As soon as the vegetables are done(test by taking a piece each and mash/slice with spoon wihtout any difficulty), add sugar. The gravy should not be very thick. Remove from gas oven and serve with rice(brown).