Labra Recipe | Video

This Labra recipe is a mix vegetable curry popular in Bengal and Assam. It is a simple dish yet very scrumptious with the use of various veggies and spices. The combination of different tastes and textures make this every day curry extra special.

This easy vegetable curry is a great side dish for any Indian meal. Great to serve with either rice or roti and dal for a wholesome and filling meal.

About the Recipe

Simple vegetable curries are a part of every meal in Indian cuisine. They are great to serve with both rice and roti. Having a few curry recipes in the repertoire is always very helpful, like this bharli baingan or this green paneer curry.

Today's dish, labra is quite popular in Bengali and Assamese cuisine. It is a simple mix vegetable curry that is easy to make. All you need is a mix of vegetables and few simple spices.

The combination of ingredients was quite unusual and different from South Indian veggie curries. But the mix of sweet squash, pungent radish and mushy eggplant come together in a delicious way. Mustard oil which is typically used in Bengali & Assamese cuisines adds a subtle and earthy flavor to the dish.

All in all this is a very hearty & delicious curry, perfect to serve with rice or roti. Add in a dal and this Nepali tomato chutney for a wholesome and filling vegetarian meal.

Ingredients

For the details of the exact quantities of each ingredient and the list of ingredients needed, check the printable recipe card below.

Here are the ingredients you need to make labra recipe:

• Mix vegetables - the key to this recipe is the use of veggies with different tastes and textures. As a guideline, you will need a combination of sweet, pungent and mushy. Here are a few examples:
  • sweet - winter squash like butternut or pumpkin, sweet potato.
  • pungent - white or red radish
  • mushy - any variety of eggplant
  • potato
• Mustard oil
• Panch phoron, dry red chilies & bay leaf.
• Green chilies and ginger.
• Turmeric and salt

Instructions

For the detailed instructions on how to make the recipe with exact timings, check the printable recipe card below.

Here is how to make mix vegetable labra:

Heat mustard oil in a medium size sauté pan on medium heat. Once the oil starts to smoke, add panch phoron, bay leaf and dry red chili. Once the seeds start to splutter, then add grated ginger and cook stirring for about 1~2 minutes.

Next add the veggies one after the other, making sure to mix well after adding each of the veggie.  Add turmeric, salt and sugar; mix well. Lower the heat and cook covered until the veggies are half cooked.

Add ground cumin and mix well. Add water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer until the veggies are tender, eggplant should very mushy; squash, potatoes and radish should be cooked through.

Add garam masala and cook for 3~4 minutes. Curry should not be too dry. Add a little water if the curry looks too dry. Serve warm with rice or roti.

Expert Tips

• The key to this tasty recipe is the use of veggies with different tastes and textures. As a guideline, you will need a combination of sweet, pungent and mushy. Here are a few examples:
  • sweet - winter squash like butternut or pumpkin, sweet potato.
  • pungent - white or red radish
  • mushy - any variety of eggplant
  • potato or green beans.
• Panch phoron is a mix of 5 spices/ seeds - mustard, nigella, cumin, fennel and cumin seeds.
• If you do not have panch phoron, then use ¼ teaspoon each of mustard and cumin seeds.
• Store leftover labra in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge.

You might also like

Here are a few more vegetable dishes that you might like:

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Recipe Card

Assamese Labra

Labra is a scrumptious mix vegetable curry popular in Bengal and Assam. Serve with rice or roti and dal for a wholesome meal.

Author: Pavani

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Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 40 mins

Total Time: 1 hr

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: north east india

Servings: 5 Servings

Ingredients

1x2x3x

• 1 tablespoon Mustard Oil
• 1 teaspoon Panch phoron
• 1 Bay leaf
• 2~3 Dry Red Chilies
• 1" Ginger piece, grated
• 2 cups Pumpkin/ Butternut Squash, peeled and chopped (from about ½ of a small pumpkin/ squash)
• 1 Medium Radish, peeled and chopped
• 1 Medium Potato, peeled and chopped
• 6 Small Baby eggplants, chopped
• ¼ teaspoon Turmeric
• To taste Salt
• ½ teaspoon Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
• 1 cup Water, plus more as needed
• ½ teaspoon Garam Masala

Instructions

• Heat mustard oil in a medium size sauté pan on medium heat. Once the oil starts to smoke, add panch phoron, bay leaf and dry red chili. Once the seeds start to splutter, then add grated ginger and cook stirring for about 1~2 minutes.
  1 tablespoon Mustard Oil, 1 teaspoon Panch phoron, 1 Bay leaf, 2~3 Dry Red Chilies, 1" Ginger piece, grated
• Next add the veggies one after the other, making sure to mix well after adding each of the veggie.  Add turmeric, salt and sugar; mix well. Lower the heat and cook covered until the veggies are half cooked.
  2 cups Pumpkin/ Butternut Squash, peeled and chopped (from about ½ of a small pumpkin/ squash), 1 Medium Radish, peeled and chopped, 1 Medium Potato, peeled and chopped, 6 Small Baby eggplants, chopped, ¼ teaspoon Turmeric, To taste Salt, ½ teaspoon Sugar
• Add ground cumin and mix well. Add water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer until the veggies are tender, eggplant should very mushy; squash, potatoes and radish should be cooked through.

  Add garam masala and cook for 3~4 minutes. Curry should not be too dry.
  1 teaspoon Ground Cumin, 1 cup Water, plus more as needed, ½ teaspoon Garam Masala

Video

Notes

• The key to this tasty recipe is the use of veggies with different tastes and textures. As a guideline, you will need a combination of sweet, pungent and mushy. Here are a few examples:
  • sweet - winter squash like butternut or pumpkin, sweet potato.
  • pungent - white or red radish
  • mushy - any variety of eggplant
  • potato or green beans.
• Panch phoron is a mix of 5 spices/ seeds - mustard, nigella, cumin, fennel and cumin seeds.
• If you do not have panch phoron, then use ¼ teaspoon each of mustard and cumin seeds.
• Store leftover labra in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge.

Nutrition

Calories: 156kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 26mg | Potassium: 1131mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 4073IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 2mg

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