Labra -a Bengali Delicacy [লাবড়া]

Labra [লাবড়া] is a typically Bengali delicacy, which is often an important item and accompaniment to khichuri, offered and served as Kojagori Lakshmi Puja prasad. This item is typically cooked in autumn, when fresh winter vegetables like radish, field beans and cauliflower are available in the market.Along with summer vegetables like pointed gourds, pumpkin and ridged gourds, and other vegetables, this is a simple recipe with an authentic Bengali flavor.

Ingredients

1. Radish
2. Pumpkin
3. Sweet Potato
4. Pointed Gourd
5. Ridged Gourd
6. Brinjal
7. Field beans
8. Potato
9. Cauliflower
   
10. Barbati [I am unable to find the English equivalent for this]
11. Salt
12. Sugar
13. Turmeric Powder
14. Mustard Oil
15. Ginger Paste
16. Ghee
    
17. Spices
    

• Dried Red chillies -2-3
• Bay leaves-2-3
• Five Spices

Procedure

1. Cut all the vegetables in equal amount into small pieces. This cooking is best done without adding any water. Therefore, if the vegetables are cut in small pieces, they will cook fast and mix well too.
2. Heat oil in a kadai/wok.
3. When heated, add the dry red chillies, bay leaves and five spices.
4. Fry until the aroma releases.
5. Add the vegetables one by one, starting with harder vegetables like potaotes and radish first, and adding the softer vegetables like ridged gourd and pumpkin at the end.
6. Stir continuously so that the vegetables do not stick to the bottom of the pan.
   
7. Add salt and turmeric powder and mix well.
8. Once water starts releasing, cover the wok with a lid and let cook in low flame until the vegetables are cooked and tender. If water does not release, you can sprinkle a bit in between, but generally try to avoid that.
9. The vegetables are cooked, when the smell of the spices along with that of fresh radish is released.
10. Sprinkle 1 tsp of sugar, 2 tsp of ghee and 1 tsp of ginger paste and mix well with the cooked vegetable.
11. Cover and allow some standing time.
12. Serve hot with rice or khichuri.