Panchmeshali Dalna - Bengali Mixed Vegetable Curry

Winter is in full swing and different vegetables are available fresh. The dietician inside me tells that this is time for making mixed vegetable preparation which provides enough nutrition and Dietary fibre or roughage. Here another old Bengali dish comes to my mind from my grandma’s kitchen. It is called Panchmeshali Dalna. In this 4~5 different vegetables are mixed to cook a healthy side dish. It is a yummy pure vegetarian dish without onion and garlic. At the same time it is Vegan too.

Preparation Time: - 15 min
 

Cooking Time: - 30~40 min

Servings: - 4 persons

Ingredients:- 

1. 100 gm Sweet Pumpkin
2. 2 medium Potatoes
3. ½ cup Peas
4. 4 big florets of Cauliflower (approx. 100 gm.)
5. ½ tsp Cumin seeds / Paanchforon (Bengali five spices)
6. 1 tsp Cumin powder
7. 2 Bay Leaves
8. 2 nos. Green Chili
9. 1 tsp Coriander powder
10. 1 tsp Turmeric powder
11. 5~6 tbsp of mustard oil
12. Salt and Sugar to taste. You can totally avoid sugar if you are not sweet lover as Bengalis.
13. 1 tsp Garam Masala
14. 1 tsp Ghee
15. ½ tsp Maida

Preparation:-

1. Peel and cut all the vegetables. Wash them thoroughly and dry it. 
2. Heat 3 tbsp mustard oil in kadai or non-stick pan in high heat. Authentic Bengali preparation use mustard oil but if you do not like the pungent smell of mustard oil then you can use any vegetable oil. Sometimes I use a 50:50 mixture of sunflower and mustard oil.
3. When oil starts smoking turn the burner to medium setting and shallow fry all vegetables except peas. Keep aside.
4. Add 3 tbsp oil with the remaining oil in the same kadai and heat again.
5. Now add the cumin seeds, bay leaves and one green chili. If you want it spicier you can add whole red chili.
6. When spices started spluttering then add the already fried vegetables.
7. Add salt and sugar (optional), peas and one green chili.
8. Stir and mix.
9. Add coriander, cumin and turmeric powder to the mixture. Mix thoroughly.
10. Add 1 cup of water and Maida.
11. Continue cooking till the vegetables are boiled properly. Occasionally stir.
12. Switch off the burner and add Ghee and Garam masala. 
    

Serve this side dish with hot steamed rice or Roti. You can eat it in breakfast with Luchi/Poori.

As always please feel free to comment, criticize and seek if any help is required. I am all ears.