Panch Mishali Shobji
Bengalis and their love affair with meat and fish is no strange fiction. But our cuisine is more than non-vegetarian and pescatarian delicacies. There is an abundance of plant-based dishes using seasonal and local Bangladeshi vegetables, which will give meat and fish dishes a run for their money. Bengali style cooking is usually simple, geared towards balancing nutrition and making extensive use of fresh produce.
Our feature today - the Panch Mishali Shobji which translates to Five Vegetable Medley, is an example of this exquisite and abundant culinary practice. This is an elaborate vegetarian curry that includes at least five different types of seasonal produce. It also uses a unique spice blend local to Bengali speaking regions called Panch Phoron and of course lots of fresh homemade ghee. A lot of special care is taken to prepare the ingredients so each vegetable tastes truly of itself. The end result is a riot of flavors and textures that is so comforting yet so majestic.
In Bengali, we call non-vegetarian food, “Amish” as in that which has flesh, whereas vegetarian food is called “Niramish”, as in fleshless. No elaborate Bengali spread is complete if it doesn’t include at least three Niramish dishes. You can see examples of this culinary practice in our previous Pohela Boishakh spreads as well - here and here. In essence, we treat our vegetables with the same amount of care and love, just as we do with meat and fish. There are so many culinary terms that denote specific preparations and styles of cooking vegetables in our culture - bhorta, bhaja, bhaji, torkari, labra, shukto, dalna, chorchori, chechki, ghonto just to name a few.
One may ask, where does this culinary repertoire of vegetarian food come from, in a land crisscrossed by numerous rivers where fish is crucial to the Bengali identity? How did Bengalis become experts in Niramish cooking where a whole subsection of our cuisine boasts of plant-based dishes only?
Influence from the Hindu Widows
It all began when Bengal was an undivided land, well before it splintered into what is known today as the Indian state of West Bengal and the country of Bangladesh. Just like the American culinary history has it’s share of racial disparity, Bengali cuisine also has a misogynist past. Until the early 19th century it was considered honorable in certain parts of India for a Hindu widow to immolate herself on her late husband's funeral pyre, a horrifically theatrical practice known as Sati. Even if they did not commit suicide, Hindu widows were traditionally prohibited from remarrying. The practice of sati, was banned during the Muslim Mughal period, it was again outlawed in 1827 in British India and again in 1987 in independent India. The Sati Prevention Act made it illegal to support, glorify or attempt to commit sati. The stigmas around widowhood did not die with these formal, legal mandates. They still flourished in private. Indirect measures were taken to socially exclude and ostracize the Hindu widows — imposing culinary limitations, banishing off to Varanasi, sending them into social oblivion in the name of religion, out of sight, out of mind.
A patriarchal practice that spanned across centuries, imposed on Hindu widows among the high caste Brahmin and Kayastha is considered to be one of the most significant reasons behind the rich and wide characteristic of the Bengali vegetarian fare. Hindu Bengali widows had very stringent dietary restrictions after their husband’s death. They were force to refrain from eating meat, fish, dairy, onion, garlic and strong spices, which were all believed to be aphrodisiacs and abstaining from these food would curb their libido. In some cases, it was even thought to induce malnutrition, prescribing an early death sentence.
Up on their husband’s death, these women were forced to make do with the meager ingredients, throwaway foods – ‘valueless’ vegetables and scraps. Here is an excerpt from Kakoli Sen “My memory of my grandmother’s wonderful Bengali vegetarian cuisine is entwined with the memory of the widow, clad in white, shunned from society, silently cooking in a separate corner kitchen, trying to transform the severe restrictions on her consumption into something desirable and appetizing.” Without ingredients like meat, fish, dairy and aromatics once used routinely at their disposal, these socially outcast women cultivated vegetarian cooking into an art form, full of sensory charge. But it was these very same culinary limitations which inadvertently contributed to what is now a rich vegetarian cuisine, built around dishes made from valueless vegetables and scraps of produce.
These women are Bengali cuisine's unsung architects, recognizing a spectrum of possibilities within their painful loss and the barbaric living condition that was imposed on them. Bengali literature is full of references to widows whose magic touch can transform the most mundane and bitter vegetables to nectar, whose subtlety with spices cannot be reproduced by other hands. If you are interested in Bengali literature about the mistreatment of Hindu widows, Chokher Bali by Rabindranath Tagore and Water by Deepa Mehta is a good place to start. If you want to learn more about the cruel and inhumane treatment of these widows that spanned across centuries, I recommend reading these articles - The Sad, Sexist Past of Bengali Cuisine by Mayukh Sen and Are We What We Eat? by Rukmini Bhaya Nair.
Bengal’s Abundance
The roots of food culture are not simple, and there is no one cause for a particular eating habit. This different styles of cooking with many vegetables can also be attributed to the lush abundance of undivided Bengal, where more than a hundred varieties of vegetables grow at any given season. Food historians call Bengal the land of greens and gourds. There is a stereotype that Bengali food is only “mach and bhat” (fish and rice), which we all jokingly play along with as well. But at any given time, during any extravagant feast or a simple weeknight dinner, majority of the dishes are plant-based. Even in my own personal diasporic experience, I talk about what it was like growing up in Canada with immigrant parents who have an abundance of Bengali vegetables in our garden. It’s also a bonus that my father is an agronomist and he loves experimenting with crops so I grew up eating not only native Bengali vegetables but also rare vegetables like Red Okra and Ornamental Eggplants, the likes of which you can only find in niche markets and small farmers. The exposure from my father’s botanical work and my mother’s culinary repertoire really helped develop my palate growing up and made me a vegetable lover. While most Bengali kids cringe at native vegetables like Bitter Melon, I salivate at the thought of having a plate of gorom bhat and korola bhaji (steamed rice and stir-fried Bitter Melon). A palate training tradition I would like to continue for our future generations to come.
Similar Dishes in Other Cuisines
You know this is my favorite part! Where I get to showcase to you all similar dishes and possible influences from other cultures and cuisines.
Ratatouille | France - Of course we have all seen the movie! It is a French Provençal stewed vegetable dish, with common ingredients like tomato, garlic, onion, courgette (zucchini), aubergine (eggplant), capsicum (bell pepper), and some combination of leafy green herbs common to the region.
Undhiyu | Gujrat, India - A mixed vegetable dish which is a regional specialty in the South Gujrat coastline. The dish is traditionally cooked upside down underground in earthen pots. It’s a winter dish that includes local vegetables like green beans, unripe bananas, eggplants, potatoes, purple yams and chickpea fritters.
Zaalouk | Morocco - This is a North African salad of cooked eggplants and tomatoes. The eggplant is first grilled and then mixed with the tomatoes and the mix is seasoned with garlic and spices.
Ajapsandali | Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan - A popular dish in the Caucasus, it consists of onion, eggplant, tomato and bell pepper grilled, stewed, or fried in vegetable oil and seasoned with garlic, basil, coriander leaves, parsley and other seasoning.
Türlü | Turkey, Greece, Albania, Macedonia - This dish is made of stewed vegetables, but may also contain stewed meat. The vegetables in dish usually includes potatoes, eggplants and okra. Green beans, bell peppers, carrots, courgette, tomatoes, onions and garlic.
Samafaina | Catalonia - A Spanish dish based on diced eggplant and zucchini, a sofrito of chopped garlic and onion and grated tomato, cooked in olive oil. Other ingredients like red and green peppers can be added, as well as herbs like thyme and rosemary.
Ciambotta | Italy - A southern vegetable stew featuring summer vegetables. Common ingredients include Italian eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers, potato, onion, tomatoes, garlic, basil, and olive oil.
There are so many similar dishes in other cultures, the list goes on. Can you think of any dish from your culture that is similar to the Bengali Panch Mishali Shobji?
Recipe — Panch Mishali Shobji
Serves: 4-6
What is it?
In essence, it’s a torkari — a spicy vegetable curry that’s neither too dry like roasted vegetable or too wet like a vegetable stew. In Bengali we use the word makha-makha to describe it which I suppose can be loosely translated to creamy and coated. There’s hardly any use of water, so the vegetables remain intact, they release their own juices and bits of their own texture during the cooking process which aids in a creamy and smooth consistency.
Earlier I mentioned the lack of aromatics like onions and garlic in Bengali cooking influenced by the widows, a technique that still remains in practice among the Bengalis of West Bengal in India. However, that style of cooking isn’t as consistent over on the other side which is Bangladesh, and also depends on religious restrictions and the culinary traditions of each family. The partition caused a number of changes in meal-prepping and meal-taking between Bangladesh and West Bengal. For example, we choose to include alliums and dairy products in certain vegetable and fish recipes, which would not be as common and most likely even refuted in West Bengal due to their culinary habits and religious factors. In my personal opinion, the use of aromatics like shallots, onions, garlic are so important in Bangladeshi cooking that it’s best to include them, which in turn enhances the flavor profile of the dish.
Preparing the Vegetables
Each vegetable will need to be par-cooked individually to maintain their structural integrity. Then they will be combined and cooked slowly together until they meld their flavors and attain a slight softer consistency. In essence, this is similar to the French Ratatouille where a lot of special care is taken to prepare the vegetables so each vegetable will taste truly of itself. Depending on the vegetable, we will be using two different parcooking methods - dry frying and blanching. By employing these two parcooking techniques, it will ensure all the vegetables finish cooking at the same time and one isn’t overcooked while the other is undercooked.
Dry Frying - Although this technique is recognized in Chinese cuisine, it exists in Bengali cuisine as well. The idea is to cook the main ingredients in moderately hot oil which will drive off internal moisture and concentrate its flavor. The release in moisture also helps to maintain the shape and structure of the protein or vegetables.
Blanching - A cooking technique in which a vegetable or fruit is scalded in boiling water, removed after a brief, timed interval and then plunged into iced water/cold running water. Blanching helps in preserving the color, flavor and nutritional value.
This recipe is very adaptable to whichever seasonal and local vegetables are available to you. The general idea is to include five or more kinds of vegetables. I used a combination of traditional Bangladeshi vegetables as well as vegetables that happened to be available in my fridge (and local markets). I will be listing the vegetables I used but I will also list alternate/additional vegetables for each type. We will need a cup of each vegetable. Of course, keep in mind you don’t have to use all the vegetables from this ingredient list. I used ten different types of vegetables but this recipe requires only five. I will say though, the more the merrier, each vegetable adds it’s unique flavor profile and texture. If you are hosting a lot of people, it’s a beautiful platter of rainbow from so many colorful vegetables. If you are not hosting, cooking a whole bunch will help you meal prep for the rest of the week!
Prepare the vegetables first - wash and pat dry to remove any moisture. Try to to cut them all in to uniform size, about 3-4 inches (see picture for reference). Brace yourself because this part requires a lot of time and patience. Like I said before, Bengalis treat their vegetables with as much care and love like we do when it comes to fish and meat. This vegetable curry gives any fish or meat dish a run for their money because it’s so good! And it’s that extra love you give which will result in a total wholesome and exquisite dish.
Dry-Frying
Oil - ¼ cup
Salt - 1 tsp
Turmeric - 1 tsp
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the salt and turmeric and stir for a quick 10-20 seconds. Do not let the turmeric burn. The idea is to change the color of the oil so it imparts a yellow hue onto each vegetables as you dry-fry them.
I like to dry-fry vegetables in the order of hardest to softest. Make sure to have small prep bowls or a giant platter to rest the vegetables as you dry-fry them and move on to the next one. You are going to fry each vegetable type individually and the cooking time will also vary depending on the vegetables. It’s going to go like this - you are going to fry the potatoes until they are parcooked, set it aside, then fry the carrots until they are parcooked, set it aside, then fry the kabocha squash…you get the gist!
Potato - 1 cup | Cooking Time: 5-6 mins
Alternate/Additional - Sweet Potato, Plantain, Yam, Eddoe
Carrots - 1 cup | Cooking Time: 5-6 mins
Alternate/Additional - Daikon Radish, Turnip, Parsnip, Beetroot
Kabocha Squash - 1 cup | Cooking Time: 4-5 mins
Alternate/Additional - Butternut Squash, Pumpkin, Papaya
Cauliflower - 1 cup | Cooking Time: 4-5 mins
Alternate/Additional - Broccoli
Pointed Gourd - 1 cup | Cooking Time: 4-5 mins
Alternate/Additional - Ridge Gourd, Bitter Melon, Bottle Gourd
Zucchini - 1 cup | Cooking Time: 4-5 mins
Alternate/Additional - Summer Squash, Okra, Eggplants
Eggplant - 1 cup | Cooking Time: 4-5 mins
Alternate/Additional - Summer Squash, Zucchini, Okra
Note: You may need to add more oil here because eggplants are like dang sponges and they absorb everything! *smh*
Once you have dry-fried all the vegetables, it’s time to move on to blanching the rest of the vegetables.
The reason we dry-fried the above vegetables individually was so they can quickly release their moisture. This way when we cook them the second time, they won’t release as much water so we get more of a creamy vegetable stir-fry as opposed to a disintegrated vegetable stew. On the other hand, we blanched the more green and crunchier vegetables so they soften a bit and retain their vivid green hue.
Blanching
Bring a pot of water with 1 tsp of salt to boil. Once it starts to vigorously bubble, add the okra and hyacinth bean. Turn off the heat and close the lid. About 5 minutes later, remove the vegetables from water and toss them straight into an ice water bath. Once the vegetables have completely cooled, drain and set aside.
Hyacinth Bean - 1 cup | Cooking Time: 4-5 mins
Alternate/Additional - Green Beans, Snow Peas, Sugar Snap Peas, Chinese Long Beans
Okra - 1 cup | Cooking Time: 4-5 mins
Alternate/Additional - Asparagus, Celery, Peas
Note: You can blanch the Hyacinth Beans and Okra together.
Additionally, the following vegetables do not require to be parcooked ahead of time.
Chinese Broccoli Leaves - 1 cup
Alternate/Additional - Cabbage, Broccolini, Spinach, Malabar Spinach
Last but not Least, this is entirely an optional step.
Daaler Bori | Sun-dried Lentil Dumplings
If you don’t have this at home or can’t get hold of it at your South Asian or Bengali grocery store, that’s fine! This is completely optional. If you really want to add something similar to the lentil dumplings for an extra crunch, in theory, ingredients like falafel, soy chunks, extra firm tofu or paneer may work. I haven’t personally tried them but I have seen them all in similar vegetable curries before. Just make sure to fry them beforehand.
If you do have daaler bori at home, managed to steal some off your mum’s pantry like me, here is how you need to prepare them. First, you have to rehydrate them - soak them in warm water that’s been mixed with a pinch of turmeric and a pinch of salt for 20 mins. Then in the same skillet, where you dry-fried the vegetables, add a little bit of oil over medium-low heat and lightly sear them. Try not to burn the lentil dumplings to dark brown, they should change color from beige to a light brown color.
Now you should have all the ingredients prepped and ready. Next up, we move on to assembling them all together and cook the vegetable curry.
Bringing it all Together
Oil - ¼ cup
Bay leaf - 2
Dry Red Chillies - 2
Panch Phoron - 1-2 tsp
In the same skillet we used to dry-fry the vegetables earlier, heat up oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, bloom the whole spices - bay leaf, dry red chilies, and panch phoron.
Onion - 2 tbsp, finely chopped
Cane Sugar or Brown Sugar - 1 tsp
Green Chilies - 2
Ginger Paste - 1 tbsp
Add the chopped onion and sugar, then stir fry until the onion turns to a translucent color, about 3-4 minutes. The sugar enhances the flavor of the onion as well as helps it caramelize. Add the ginger paste and continue to sauté for another 2-3 minutes, until the raw smell or onion and ginger has dissipated.
Hing | Asafoetida - 1 tsp
Turmeric - ½ tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1 tsp
Cumin - 1 tsp
Salt - 2 tsp
Add the ground spices along with salt. If it looks dry, you may add couple teaspoons of water. Continue sautéing the aromatics and the spices until the water has evaporated and everything looks well combined.
Time to add all the vegetables in the order they were cooked. Make sure to stir in between as you add each vegetables. Be careful when mixing the vegetables because we want them to be intact and not completely disintegrate. Use a good rubber spatula.
Potato
Carrots
Kabocha Squash
Cauliflower
Pointed Gourd
Zucchini
Eggplant
Hyacinth Bean
Okra
Once all the vegetables are added and combined, check to see if they are releasing a bit of moisture. If they do then that’s okay and a good thing. If they don’t, add just a splash of hot water, mix them again. Turn the heat down to low and cover the lid.
Chinese Broccoli | Gai Lan Leaves
Lentil Dumplings
After 10 minutes, add the gai lan leaves and fried lentil dumplings, then give everything a light mix. Cover the lid again and let it steam-cook in it’s own moisture in low heat.
Check back every 5 minutes and mix the vegetables until you get them to the right consistency. You may have to add a splash of water 1 or 2 more times. Keep hot water ready and add only a little splash at a time so the vegetables don’t completely dry out and burn in the bottom, but also make sure not to turn it into a watery stew. Remember we want this to be makha-makha — a smooth and creamy consistency.
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Roasted Cumin Powder 1-2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Sugar - 1/2 tsp (optional)
Once it has reached the right creamy consistency to your liking, top it off with ghee and roasted cumin powder. This is where you also taste test for salt and add more if needed. If the vegetable tastes slightly bitter, add a dash of sugar. Fats and sweetness can help smooth the bitter corners of a dish, hence the addition of ghee and sugar. Give everything a gentle mix, one last time. Turn off the heat, close the lid and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Note: You may garnish with some coriander leaves, but I chose not to because it would add a distinct flavor of the coriander. I want the vegetables to taste of themselves, in their perfect true form.
Serve it with steamed rice, daal, more ghee and totally optional — a piece of crispy fried fish. Enjoy!
