Shukto and PCOS: How a Traditional Bengali Dish Teaches Balance, Not Restriction

The authentic taste of Bengali tradition: Shukto, a creamy, complex stew of bitter gourd, vegetables, and Bori, served perfectly with steaming white rice.

Living with PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) often feels like walking through a maze of food rules. One day carbohydrates are the enemy. The next day, dairy is blamed. Social media turns every ingredient into either a miracle or a mistake. Slowly, food stops feeling joyful — it becomes something to fear.

But long before nutrition charts and calorie apps existed, Indian kitchens were quietly practicing balance.

In many Bengali homes, Shukto was never called “healthy food.” It was simply the first dish of a meal, served with respect. Slightly bitter. Mildly sweet. Soft, comforting, and complex — just like life itself.

Today, when we look at Shukto through a modern PCOS-friendly lifestyle lens, we begin to understand something beautiful:

Healing does not always arrive through restriction. Sometimes, it arrives through tradition.

This article is not about curing PCOS.

It is about supporting your body gently, culturally, and consistently.

Why Shukto Feels Different From “Diet Food”

Shukto is a Bengali mixed-vegetable stew traditionally made with bitter gourd, drumsticks, raw banana, sweet potato, eggplant, milk, and delicate spices. It is usually eaten at the beginning of a festive meal — not because it is light, but because it prepares the body.

Unlike modern diet recipes that isolate ingredients, Shukto celebrates combination.

And combination is exactly what many PCOS lifestyles require.

Instead of cutting food groups, Shukto teaches us how to balance them.

The Forgotten Taste: Why Bitterness Matters

Modern diets are built on sweetness and salt. Bitter flavors have almost disappeared from daily plates. Yet, in traditional food systems, bitterness was never avoided — it was respected.

Bitter vegetables were believed to:

• Awaken digestion

• Encourage mindful eating

• Prevent overeating

• Support internal balance

Bitter gourd (karela), the soul of Shukto, is not meant to be delicious on its own. It is meant to be understood.

When paired with milk, ginger, and mild sweetness, its sharpness softens. This is not just cooking — it is philosophy.

Life is not only sweet. Health is not only pleasant. Balance lives in contrast.

Shukto Through a PCOS-Friendly Lifestyle Lens

Instead of calling Shukto a “hormone treatment,” it is safer and wiser to see it as:

• A low-glycemic vegetable combination

• A fiber-rich traditional meal

• A gut-friendly comfort dish

• A mindful eating experience

1. Fiber and Fullness

Vegetables like raw banana, drumsticks, and eggplant naturally contain fiber that supports digestion and keeps meals satisfying without heaviness.

For many women managing PCOS, feeling full without feeling bloated is important.

2. Gentle Fats

A small amount of ghee at the end is not just cultural — it enhances flavor and helps the body appreciate the meal slowly.

3. Natural Diversity

Instead of one dominant vegetable, Shukto uses many. Diversity on the plate often means diversity in nutrients.

The Emotional Relationship With Food

PCOS is not only physical. It is emotional.

It affects confidence.

It affects patience.

It affects the way women see their own bodies.

That is why food must not feel like punishment.

Shukto does not shout flavor.

It whispers comfort.

It does not try to impress.

It tries to belong.

And sometimes, belonging is the most healing feeling of all.

Authentic Bengali Shukto Recipe (Traditional Style)

This recipe respects tradition while remaining gentle, simple, and mindful.

Serves: 4–5 people

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Difficulty: Moderate

Ingredients

Vegetables

• 2 Bitter gourds (thin slices)

• 1 Sweet potato (long wedges)

• 1 Raw banana (batons)

• 5–6 Drumsticks

• 1 Eggplant (medium cubes)

Protein Element

• 10–12 Bori (sun-dried lentil dumplings)

Aromatics

• 1 tbsp Ginger paste

• 1 tbsp Mustard seed paste

Spices

• 1 tsp Radhuni (wild celery seeds)

• 1 tsp Panch Phoron

Liquid

• 1 cup warm milk

• 1.5 cups water

Finishing

• Mustard oil for cooking

• 1 tbsp Ghee

• Salt to taste

• A pinch of sugar (optional and minimal)

Step-by-Step Method

1. Prepare the Spice Powder

Dry roast Panch Phoron lightly and grind it. Keep aside for finishing.

2. Fry the Elements Separately

Heat mustard oil. Fry bori until golden. Remove.

In the same oil, fry bitter gourd slices until lightly crisp. This step softens bitterness.

3. Build the Base

Temper oil with radhuni and bay leaf. Add sweet potato, raw banana, drumsticks, then eggplant.

Add ginger paste and stir until aroma softens.

4. Simmer Gently

Add water and salt. Cover and cook until vegetables are tender but not mushy.

Mix mustard paste carefully.

5. Bring Everything Together

Add fried bitter gourd and bori. Pour warm milk slowly.

Add a very small pinch of sugar only if needed.

6. Finish With Love

Turn off heat. Add ghee and roasted spice powder.

Cover and rest for 10 minutes.

How to Eat Shukto Mindfully

Shukto is not rushed food.

Eat it:

• Slowly

• With plain rice

• Without phone distractions

• With gratitude

It is not just food.

It is a pause.

Why Traditional Meals Still Matter

In modern wellness culture, we often search for foreign superfoods while ignoring what our ancestors already trusted.

Shukto does not come in capsules.

It does not promise miracles.

It does not trend on reels.

But it stays.

And sometimes, staying is more powerful than trending.

PCOS-Friendly Food Is Not About Fear

PCOS does not demand perfection.

It asks for:

• Kindness

• Consistency

• Awareness

• Patience

Traditional food supports this better than extreme diets.

A Gentle Reminder

This article does not replace medical advice.

PCOS is personal.

Every body is different.

Food is support — not treatment.

Final Thoughts: Eating With Peace

Shukto teaches us something modern nutrition often forgets:

Healing does not have to be loud.

Sometimes it arrives quietly, in a bowl that smells like home.

When you cook Shukto, you are not just preparing vegetables.

You are choosing:

• Cultural memory

• Emotional grounding

• Gentle nourishment

• Respect for your body

And most importantly — you are choosing peace over pressure.

Anondo kore khan. Eat with joy.

Disclaimer:

State that blog content is for general information and not professional advice (e.g., medical, legal, financial).