Labra / Mixed Vegetable Curry, Bengali Style

Diced Mixed Vegetables- 4 cups
(a combination of sweet potatoes, eggplant, radish, cabbage, carrots, butternut squash, hyacinth beans)
A handful of baby spinach leaves or turnip greens
Mustard Oil - 2 tbsp
Paanch Phoron (a mix of cumin, mustard, nigella, fenugreek, fennel seeds) - 1 tsp
Whole Dried Red Chili - 3
Ginger - 2 inch, grated
Hing / Asafoetida - 2 pinches
Salt
Raw Sugar - 1 tsp

Heat mustard oil in a big skillet. Add the paanch phoron and dried red chili. Once they begin to sizzle, add the hing and ginger paste. Saute for a few seconds and add all the diced vegetables.

Add a pinch of turmeric and salt and mix well. Lower the flame, cover and let the vegetables cook slowly in the liquid they release. Stir in between. If required, sprinkle a little water in between.

Once the vegetables are almost cooked, add the spinach / turnip leaves and a little sugar. Cook till the greens are wilted. Add a tsp of mustard oil on top and serve hot.

Sometimes, as a variation, I also add Lentil Fritters to the curry along with the greens.