Bengali Labra: Farmers-Market Vegetable Medley with Rice and Lime

Heat the mustard oil in a wide heavy pot over medium-high heat until it just begins to shimmer and lose its raw bite, about 1 minute.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 cups peeled and cubed pumpkin or butternut squash
• 1 small eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 cup green beans, cut into 2-inch lengths
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 cup shredded green cabbage
• 3 tablespoons mustard oil or vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon panch phoron (Bengali five-spice)
• 2 dried red chilies
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Salt, to taste
• Steamed rice and lime wedges, to serve

Instructions

1. Heat the mustard oil in a wide heavy pot over medium-high heat until it just begins to shimmer and lose its raw bite, about 1 minute.
2. Add the panch phoron and dried red chilies and fry for 30 seconds until the seeds pop and the kitchen fills with their toasty aroma.
3. Stir in the grated ginger, turmeric and ground cumin and cook for another 30 seconds, keeping everything moving so the spices bloom without scorching.
4. Add the potatoes and pumpkin first, since they take longest, and toss to coat in the spiced oil. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Add the eggplant, green beans and cabbage along with the sugar and a generous pinch of salt. Stir well, then pour in a half cup of water.
6. Cover the pot, lower the heat and simmer gently for 18 to 20 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the vegetables are tender and the pumpkin has broken down into a thick golden sauce that clings to everything.
7. Uncover and cook for a final 3 minutes to drive off excess moisture. Taste and adjust salt, then rest off the heat for 5 minutes.
8. Serve warm or at room temperature over steamed rice with lime wedges for squeezing at the table.
9. Labra is the Bengali kitchen's answer to a market haul: a forgiving, deeply savory medley that uses whatever the season delivers, bound together by the pumpkin melting into its own sauce. It appears at temple feasts and everyday family lunches alike across Bangladesh and West Bengal, and it tastes noticeably better the day after it is made, when the panch phoron has had time to perfume the whole pot.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 310 kcal
• Protein: 7g
• Fat: 12g
• Carbohydrates: 46g
• Fiber: 8g
• Sugar: 10g
• Sodium: 420mg