AI-generated image
Labra
লাবড়া · Durga Puja mixed-vegetable bhog with panch phoron
Labra is the vegetable dish of Durga Puja bhog: in community pandals across Bengal it is ladled out beside khichuri and a sweet tomato chutney to hundreds of people sitting in rows. It is a loose jumble of pumpkin, potato, aubergine, radish, sweet potato, raw banana and spinach stalks, cooked with panch phoron and ginger until some pieces melt and others hold. No onion or garlic goes in, because it is temple food. Chef's tip: add the vegetables in order of hardness, so the pumpkin goes soft and sweet while the radish and banana keep their shape.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the vegetables
For the seasoning
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Heat 3 tbsp mustard oil in a large kadai over a high heat until it smokes. Lower to medium and fry 10 dried lentil dumplings (bori), if using, for 1 minute until golden; lift out. Fry 2 medium potato and 1 raw green banana for 4 minutes until lightly golden; lift out too.
5 minStep 2: Add 1 ½ tsp panch phoron, 2 dried red chillies and 2 bay leaves to the oil. Wait until the seeds crackle and the fenugreek in the mix turns reddish-brown, about 15 seconds. Common mistake: letting the fenugreek go black, which makes the whole pot bitter.
Step 3: Add 1 tbsp ginger paste, 1 tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp ground cumin and ½ tsp chilli powder with a splash of water and stir for 1 minute.
1 minStep 4: Add 5 ½ oz white radish (mooli), 1 medium sweet potato and 3 ½ oz flat beans or green beans and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Then add 10 ½ oz red pumpkin, 1 small aubergine, the fried potato and banana, 1 ½ tsp salt and 1 tsp sugar.
3 minStep 5: Pour in ¾ cup water, cover and cook over a low-medium heat for 12–15 minutes, stirring gently twice, until the potato is soft and the pumpkin has begun to collapse and thicken the juices.
15 minStep 6: Add 3 ½ oz spinach or amaranth stems and the bori and cook uncovered for 4–5 minutes until the stems are tender and the labra is moist but not soupy. Pandal cooks often stir in a teaspoon of ghee at the end; leave it out to keep it vegan. Serve with khichuri.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 200 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does labra take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of potato?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
- What can I use instead of sweet potato?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Sayur lodeh
Sayur lodeh is everyday cooking in Central Java, made in big pots in Solo and Semarang kitchens and ladled over rice, with lontong rice cakes at Lebaran, or alongside opor and sambal goreng on festive tables. It's soupy rather than thick: a fragrant broth of coconut milk, galangal, lemongrass and lime leaf that carries chunks of aubergine, long beans, chayote and sweetcorn, plus tempeh and tofu to make it a meal. The flavour is mellow and slightly sweet, so the heat comes from sambal on the side. Chef's tip: keep the pot at a gentle simmer once the coconut milk goes in and stir now and then — a rolling boil splits the coconut milk into oily curds.
Masala khakhra
Khakhra are thin chapaties roasted slowly on a griddle until they turn crisp, like a cracker. This masala version adds gram flour, fresh fenugreek, turmeric and chilli to the wheat dough. They are a light Gujarati breakfast or tea-time snack, and lovely with pickle, chutney or a smear of butter. You can also make them in a roti maker.
Potato chakri
Potato chakri are crisp, light spirals made with rice flour and boiled potato, flavoured with ginger, chilli, lemon, sesame and coriander. The potato makes them extra tender-crisp. They keep for about 3 weeks in an air-tight container, so make them ahead for Diwali or guests.