Palong Shaker Ghonto is a traditional Bengali dish that features a medley of spinach (palong shak) and other vegetables cooked together with spices.
It is a flavorful and nutritious vegetarian dish commonly prepared in Bengali households. However, you can prepare the dish with fish head as well
The term “ghonto” refers to a mixed vegetable dish in which various ingredients are combined to create a harmonious blend of flavors. Here is the quick recipe to follow.
Key Takeaways:
- Palong Shaker Ghonto is a traditional Bengali dish made with spinach and an assortment of vegetables cooked together with spices.
- It can be prepared as a vegetarian dish or with the addition of fish head.
- The term “ghonto” refers to a mixed vegetable dish that combines various ingredients to create a harmonious blend of flavors.
- The dish is seasoned with a combination of spices like turmeric, panch foron, ginger, and sometimes garam masala.
- Palong Shaker Ghonto is commonly served as a side dish with rice or roti as part of a traditional Bengali meal.
The Ingredients:
- A bunch of spinach (Chopped and washed properly)
- Flat green beans cut into cubes
- 2 medium sized potatoes cut into cubes
- 3 small-sized radishes cut longitudinally
- 2 small eggplants cut in small cubes
- Panchforon: 1/2 tbl spoon
- Dry red chillies 2 pcs
- Turmeric powder: 1 and ½ tbl spoon
- A mix of coriander powder and cumin powder: 1 tbl spoon
- Colour Red Chilli Powder:1 tsp
- Ginger paste: 1 tbl spoon
- Green Chillies: 8-10
- Sun-dried lentil dumpling: 15-20
- Mustard Oil 3 tablespoon
- Salt to taste
How to Cook Palong Shaker Ghonto (Step by Step Images)?
1. Heat oil in a pan.
2. Fry the lentil dumplings on a low flame till golden brown. Take them out in a bowl.
3. Add eggplants, salt and turmeric powder to the oil. Give them a good stir. Sauté for a few minutes. Take them out.
4. Add more oil. Add dry red chilies and panch phoron.
5. After the foron (Panchforon) starts spluttering, add other vegetables.
6. Sauté well. Add all the spices. Stir well. Add salt.
7. Add turmeric, coriander powder, cumin powder and red chilli powder to the veggies.
8. Add a little bit of water. After it comes to a boil, add more water.
9. Make a thick gravy, Crush the fried dumplings and add them to the gravy.
10. Add green chilies. Cover the pan with a lid.
11. After a few minutes, add the spinach and some salt.
12. Mix well. Cover the pan with a lid. At this point, you can add some sugar. Cover the pan with the lid. Spinach will release water and get boiled in it. You don’t need to add any water.
13. Add sautéed eggplants after 5-6 minutes.
14. Add some salt. Cook for a few minutes with the lid on.
15. Palong Shaker Ghonto is ready and serve it with steamed rice, roti or paratha..
Recipe Card
Palong Shaker Ghonto (Spinach Ghonto)
Ingredients
- 500 grams Spinach (chopped and washed properly)
- 200 grams Flat green beans (cut and washed properly)
- 2 pieces Potatoes (cut into cubes and washed properly)
- 2 pieces Radishes (cut longitudinally and washed properly)
- 2 pieces Eggplants (cut intro small cubes and washed properly)
- 0.5 tablespoon Panchforon
- 2 pieces Dry red chillies
- 1.5 pieces Turmeric powder
- 0.5 tablespoon Coriander powder
- 0.5 tablespoon Cumin powder
- 1 tablespoon Colour Red Chili Powder
- 1 tablespoon Ginger paste
- 8 pieces Green Chilies
- 15 pieces Sun-dried lentil dumpling
- 3 tablespoon Mustard Oil
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat oil in a pan.
- Fry the lentil dumplings on a low flame till golden brown. Take them out in a bowl.
- Add eggplants, salt and turmeric powder to the oil. Give them a good stir. Sauté for a few minutes. Take them out.
- Add more oil. Add dry red chilies and panch phoron.
- After the foron (Panchforon) starts spluttering, add other vegetables.
- Sauté well. Add all the spices. Stir well. Add salt.
- Add turmeric, coriander powder, cumin powder and red chilli powder to the veggies.
- Add a little bit of water. After it comes to a boil, add more water.
- Make a thick gravy, Crush the fried dumplings and add them to the gravy.
- Add green chilies. Cover the pan with a lid.
- After a few minutes, add the spinach and some salt.
- Mix well. Cover the pan with a lid. At this point, you can add some sugar. Cover the pan with the lid. Spinach will release water and get boiled in it. You don’t need to add any water.
- Add sautéed eggplants after 5-6 minutes.
- Add some salt. Cook for a few minutes with the lid on.
- Palong Shaker Ghonto is ready and serve it with steamed rice, roti or paratha.
Video
Notes
- I use fresh and tender spinach leaves. Avoid those bunches with yellow or wilted leaves. These mature leaves will affect the flavor and appearance of the eventual dish.
- Wash the leaves thoroughly under running water. Make sure there are no dirt or impurities. Remove the yellow leaves, if any. Pick only the fresh and green leaves from the stems and chop them. Make sure that you do not chop them finely. Typically, bite-sized pieces are recommended for easy cooking.
- If you want to add more variety and nutritional value to your Palong Shaker Ghonto, you can use other vegetables of your choice from eggplant to pumpkin, radish to ridge gourd, potatoes to cauliflower florets.
- Adjust the ratio of spices to perfection if you add more vegetables so that one does not overpower the taste and flavor of the other.
- Take time to cook this dish but do not overcook the vegetables, Pay close attention to their doneness so that the eventual dish does not turn out to be extremely mushy. The vegetables should be cooked perfectly to be tender but must retain their shape.
