By Rajlakshmi
May 25, 2026
This Bengali special summer delicacy is generally served before you dive into your lunch to increase your appetite and conclude the nosh-up with a sweet in order to balance the palate.
160gm shojne data 100gm flat beans 120gm sweet potato, chopped into wedges 100gm chopped brinjal 100gm potatoes, cut into wedges 50gm sliced bitter gourd 150gm deseeded unripe papaya 150gm chopped unripe bananas 35gm ginger paste 25gm finely ground mustard and water paste 15gm grated coconut
10 pieces of sun-dried lentil dumplings 4 bay leaves ½ tsp panch phoron ¼ tsp all-purpose-flour 100gm milk 20gm salt 22gm sugar ½ tsp finely crushed radhuni 10gm ghee
Cover and parboil drumsticks, papaya, sweet potatoes, potatoes and flat beans on low heat for 15 minutes. Keep stirring.
Strain the excess water. Keep aside the vegetables and vegetable stock. In another pot, heat the oil and fry the sun-dried lentil dumplings.
Now, fry the vegetables such as brinjal, raw bananas, and bitter gourd, one at a time, on medium heat.
First, add the bitter gourd and fry until golden. Now, add the raw banana along with a pinch of salt and fry for 4 minutes.
Add brinjal and fry for 4 minutes or until golden. Set aside the fried ingredients. In the remaining oil, add bay leaves, panch phoron, and ginger paste.
Mix and fry on low heat for a minute. Add in the shorshe bata and sauté well. Add the potatoes first, cover and cook on low heat.
Add the other boiled and fried vegetables to the pot. Add a pinch of salt and sugar, grated coconut, vegetable stock, bitter gourd and brinjal.
Add the milk and all-purpose flour mixture to the stew. Simmer and radhuni powder at last. Stir well. Add ghee on top. Serve!