Lau Shukto - A Bitter preperation with Bottle gourd and Bitter gourd

Shukto is a traditional Bengali dish served as the first item in a main meal with an emphasis to the Bitterness, made with Bitter gourd and loads of other vegetables, like eggplant, raw banana, ridge gourd, radish, string beans, Potato, etc. Bengalis start their meal with any kind of bitter preperation or green leafy vegetable preperation, as it' said that these preperations cleans one's palate and any food you eat after this, would taste better. And no doubt, bitter gourd has loads of health benefits and the juice of bitter gourd is very helpful in Diabetes and digestive disorders.
Today I'm sharing a different type of Shukto preperation which is also bitter in taste but it's only with White gourd/bottle gourd(Lau), which we call, "Lau Shukto". It tastes little less bitter than regular shukto, but tastes very delicious with hot rice. Shukto is always served cold or in room temperature.

Ingredients :

Bitter Gourd(Uchche/karela) : 2 (cut into rings)
White Gourd(lau/lauki/bottle gourd) : 2 cups (cut into thin long strips)
Mustard seed : 1 tsp.
Bori/ wari/ Dry lentl palatte : 7-8
Milk : 1/4 cup
Salt to taste
Sugar : 1/2 tsp.
oil : 2 tblsp.

Method :

• Heat oil in a pan, fry karela or bitter gourd rings with a pinch of salt until brown and crisp. Set aside. In the same oil, fry bori or dry lentil palattes until brown and crunchy. Set aside.
• In the same oil, add mustard seeds, when they start to splutter, add chopped bottle gourd. Cover and cook it in medium-low heat. Don't add any water as water will come out from the vegetable. If water doesn't release, then add about 1/3 cup water and let it cook covered. 
• When water dries up and vegetable is cooked, add salt, sugar and milk. Add half of the fried bitter gourds and crushed fried boris. Mix with the gourd. Cook in slow fire for 2 minutes. Mix them well. There should be little gravy left, not totally dry as shukto is not a dry preperation.
• Remove from fire. Garnish with rest of the fried karela and crushed fried boris. 

Serve cold or in room temperature with rice for lunch.
Sending this side dish to Charitha's "C for Colorful Currys"