Panch Mesali (Bengali recipe: Mixed Vegetables)

I made my first attempt at making Panch Mesali a few months back and it turned out very good. Then I totally forgot about this amazing recipe. Yeah this happens with me! Yesterday, I got a lot of different types of vegetables and I used some of them for making Sambar. Today, as I opened my fridge and saw the vegetables, it occurred to me that I can make panch mesali again!

This recipe is super easy to make and so delicious! You start by first stir frying the vegetables and then you just let them cook in their own juices, just like any bengali dish. 

I love the flavor medley of our Bengali cuisine. Everything is perfectly balanced. Sweet, Tart, Bitter and Spicy, you will find all the flavors perfectly complementing each other in every dish.

I grew up in a North Indian city with lots of friends who were strictly vegetarian. Lucky for me, there was never a shortage of vegetarian dishes in our home. In fact, my friends insisted on eating bengali dishes when they were coming over for a study date or to hang out. My mom would cook regular lunch and my friends would eat their hearts out. It always surprised me that the things we take for granted are so amazing for others. Cooking this dish after all these years made me relive all those happy funny moments. 

The beauty of this dish is, several veggies all packed up deliciously. Panch means five so there have to be at least five vegetables in this dish. I added Potato, Red Pumpkin, Eggplant, Drumstick, Bottle Gourd and Carrot. You can mix and match and substitute the veggies to your liking.

Try this super easy recipe and enjoy it with Paratha, Roti or Khichuri.

Ingredients:

• Potato - ½ cup, peeled and cut in medium sized cubes, washed
• Red Pumpkin - ½ cup, peeled, cut in medium sized cubes, washed
• Eggplant - ½ cup, cut in medium sized cubes, washed
• Drumstick - peeled and cut in 3 cm long segments or use frozen
• Bottle Gourd - ½ cup, peeled and cut in medium sized cubes, washed
• Carrot - ½ cup, peeled and cut in medium sized cubes, washed
• Mustard Oil - 3-4 tablespoons
• Panch Fhoron - 1 teaspoon
• Dried Red Chili - 2-3
• Turmeric Powder - ½ teaspoon
• Ginger - 1 inch
• Ghee - 1 tablespoon
• Sugar - 1 teaspoon
• Salt - ½ teaspoon (or to taste)
• Bay Leaf - 1
• Bori - 1 cup
• Coriander Powder - 2 teaspoons
• Cumin Powder - 1 teaspoon

Directions:

• Heat a big pan or wok on medium-high heat.
• Add the 1 tablespoon of Mustard oil and once it heats up a bit, add the Potatoes and Bori.
• Fry till they are golden red in color then transfer to a container.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of Mustard Oil now and temper it with the Panch Fhoron, Dried Red Chili and Bay Leaf. 
• Once they start to sputter, add the vegetables (Red Pumpkin, Eggplant, Drumstick, Bottle Gourd and Carrot), make sure the vegetables are dry otherwise they will make the oil jump. Fry them till they are golden red in color.
• Make a paste of Ginger, Salt, Turmeric, Sugar, Cumin Powder and Coriander Powder. I use my Nutribullet (Extractor blade) for this.
• Add the paste to the fried vegetables along with 1 cup of water. Mix.
• Add the potatoes and Bori.
• Cover and cook till all the vegetables are cooked (10-15 minutes) over medium heat.
• You will find lots of extra water oozed by the vegetables, increase the heat to medium and let the extra water dry out. Keep stirring occasionally.
• Turn off the heat and add the Ghee in the vegetables and mix well.
• Panch Mesali is ready. Serve it with Dal Bhat, Paratha, Roti or Khichuri. 

Love Bengali Mixed Vegetables recipes? Try these as well:

• My Non-Traditional Sukhto (Bengali recipe: Mixed Vegetables)

• Chochchori (Bengali style mixed vegetables)

• Pui Saag er Chochchori (Bengali recipe: Mixed vegetables with Shrimp and Malabar Spinach)