Bong's Special Paanch Meshali Tarkari or Mixed Vegetable

Some delightful authentic Bengali dishes are made with only few no of spices. But the taste and the look always give us pleasure. One of a very famous veg preparation of West Bengal is Paanch Meshali Tarkari or Mixed Vegetable (no paneer). And this recipe is from my Grany’s kitchen. She was a vegetarian and she loved to have all kind of different vegetables. With all this different vegetables she used to prepare this Paanch Meshali Tarkari. I really love the smell of the dish.

This dish is specially made with all kind of vegetables like potato, cauliflower, pumpkin, beans, brinjal, carrots etc, and with very less spices. With Plain rice Roti this one is just the best. A very simple recipe but always a treat for ourselves.

Preparation time: 15 mints.

Cooking time: 40 mints.

Ingredients:

1.Potato: 1 big. (cut into cube size)

2.Half cup chopped beans in big size.

3.One small bowl of cauliflower in medium size.

4.Two medium size carrots cut into medium size.

5.Half Brinjal cut into medium cube size.

6.One small bowl of pumpkin pieces.

7.One small bowl of radish cut into cube size.

8.6 to 8 Pattols or Parwals .

9.split green chilies 5 to 6.

10.One small chopped tomato.

11.Daler bori half cup.

12.Half tea spoon of turmeric powder,

13.Half tes spoon of cumin powder.

14.Half tea spoon of bhaja masla (dry roasted and grinded cumin seeds and dry red chili).

15.Half tea spoon Paanch foron (cumin seeds, kalonji, sauf, fenugreek seeds. Mustard seeds), 1 Bay leave.

16.One tea spoon ginger paste.

17.Salt and sugar as per taste.

18.sunflower oil for cooking.

Process:

Cut and wash all the vegetables. Now add some oil in a vessel and fry the cauliflower pieces till it turn golden and keep it aside.

Now add some more oil and fry the brinjal pieces till it become golden brown and keep it aside.

Now add some oil and fry the Bori pieces till it golden brown and break them into small pieces.

Now add some more oil and add the Paanch foron and bay leave when they start crackle and all the other vegetables, tomatoes and green chilies with some salt and fry for some time.

Now add the turmeric powder, cumin powder and mix well with everything.

Now after 5 mints add the ginger paste and some sugar and stir well.

Now cook with a lid in low flame till the vegetables are 60 % done.

Now remove the lid and add the fried cauliflower and fried brinjal pieces and mix well with everything.

Again cook in low flame till the vegetables are cooked completely.

Now add the fried BOri and the bhaja masala. Mix well with everything.

Garnish with some bhaja bori. Serve hot with plain Rice or Roti