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
Ingredients
- 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.
Hari Chandana P
Very flavorful and healthy curry.. looks great!
Manjula Bharath
wow thats an super aromatic labra 🙂 looks very very delicious and yummy dear 🙂
Harini-Jaya Rupanagudi
Very flavorful curry. Love those cute terra cotta bowls..
Priya Srinivasan
flavorful labra and comforting dal pavani!!! i personally loved the labra, i too was skeptical with adding the pumpkin, since it will turn the dish a bit sweet , but to my surprise,it turned out well and we enjoyed it good.
Sapana Behl
Mix veg curry looks delicious ! Lovely combination ......
Priya Suresh
Labra looks like a star recipe today, i can finish that bowl with some rice and papads.
Varadas Kitchen
The labra is perfect. Looks colorful and delicious. Very nicely done.
Gayathri's Cook Spot
As yesterday was thupka day, today is labra day. Labra is everywhere and your version looks so inviting...
Nivedhanams Sowmya
that bowl is so cute!!! love it!!
Srivalli
It's raining Labra today?..that bowl looks so good Pavani..
Nalini's Kitchen
Labra sounds interesting and inviting..love the color of the curry...
Sandhya Ramakrishnan
Lovely dish pavani! Where is your dal picture? Also those earthern pots look very cute and apt for the post 🙂
Saras
I dont know whether I commented you are not.. Labra looks delicious..
vaishali sabnani
love the way you presented it...the pots and glass....have the same matki glasses:))..and love that entire set up..
Global Tastes & Travels Inc.
labra seems to be the dish of the day for assam. yours looks too good
Global Tastes & Travels Inc.
labra seems to be the dish of the day for assam. yours looks too good
Archana Potdar
I thought I commented here. Sorry. Your labra looks awesome. I wish I can eat it now.
Sreevalli E
Looks so yum.. I will make it very soon..
PJ
Curry looks nice. I will be making this soon 🙂
Usha Rao
Labra looks like a flavorful curry.