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

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 40

Total Time: 1

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: north east india

Servings: Servings

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

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

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.

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