Bengali Labra/ Labda

Have you ever wondered why aren’t the winter vegetables not preferred by many around the year. Some might say availability..but in metropolitan cities they are available year round..some might say because they are difficult to digest and produce lot of heat which is not suitable for summers. So all in all the onset of winters and with it comes the abundance of vegetables. Along with that comes a celebration of these vegetables…surprised..well you see unknowingly across India almost every state/ culture celebrates the fresh produce. Like in North India we celebrate Annkut or sagadd after Diwali..it includes all winter vegetables along with accompaniments. So does West Bengal..Pujo time Labra/Labda is served along with Khichudi. It is also a similar all vegetables preparation. Spices, preparation is different across states but essence remains same. So here I’ve made Labra/Labda, the very first time i heard about this dish ..while describing it my husband was drooling away with the mere thought of the combination of Khichdi on banana leave…hot ghee..hot piping labda and plastic chutney..I kept on wondering what
exactly is this dish all about. After so many attempts of trying to learn from many possible elderly ladies of in laws house i was finally able to get down to one proper recipe and after lots of patience managed to cook both his favorite dishes together.

Bhaja Moong Dal Khicudi and Labda

Preparation time- 5 min
Cooking time – 45 min
Serves – 4

Ingredients –

White Radish – 1, peeled, chopped
Brinjal- 4 small – Chopped
Parwal / pointed gourd- 4 peeled, deseeded, halved
Pumpkin- 1 cup, chopped
Beans- 1/2 cup chopped
Sem Phali / long bean- 1/2 cup chopped
Potato- 3 peeled, cut vertically into 6 pieces
Spinach- 2 cups- chopped and washed
Carrot- 1 peeled, chopped
Bodi – Moong dal/ urad dal- 1/2 cup
Bhaja Masala-
Bay leaves -2
dried red chilli- 1
cumin seeds- 1/2 tsp
cinnamon- 1/2″
Cloves- 4
Green Cardamom- 2
Normal Spices-
Salt
Turmeric’s paste / turmeric powder

Bhaja Masala

Method

Cut, wash all the vegetables, keep spinach aside.
Dry roast the bhaja masala spices, grind, keep aside. In a big kadhai/wok add mustard oil, deep fry Bodi, keep aside. Add bay leaves, red chili and panchphoron, sauté, add the chopped vegetables, saute for good 2-3 minutes till they are coated in oil, add spinach leaves at this stage, sauté for good 4-5 minutes, add turmeric paste/ powder, ginger paste. mix thoroughly, sauté for 2-3 minutes, add kashmiri red chilli powder, salt and sugar. Stir and by this time beans would be done, add bhaja masala, mix, add 1/2 cup water, cover a let it simmer for 3-4 minutes. Check if the potatoes and white radish is done. If all cooked, add ghee and cover. Turn off the flame and let the aroma and nuttiness of ghee get soaked in the vegetables. Enjoy with Moong Dal Khichudi.

Panchphoron, and spices