Keema Labra: A Twist to a Bengali Vegetarian Dish

Sarika tells us how she innovated and made her son enjoy a typical vegetarian dish, labra, by adding minced chicken into it. An exclusive for Different Truths.

One March afternoon, I was pondering what to cook? The teen in the house refuses to eat most of the vegetables. I usually do not stress myself on that issue. He mostly enjoys homemade food, but very recently I noticed that he barely eats his vegetables.

I am vegetarian. I mostly eat all vegetables and greens. Over the period Mrinal, my husband also started eating almost all kinds of vegetables, then why not my son! I told Maa, she replied with amusement, “History repeats itself. You too hated vegetables during your school days, and gradually you adopted most of them.” Kids hate vegetables but later when they grow, they are inclined towards healthy habits.

I realised how true! I used to hate vegetables except few of them. She continued, “Time is the best teacher, it teaches us everything, just keep imbibed the importance of eating vegetables, it will work one day.”

Vegetables are indeed important because they contain different nutrients, essential for growth and development. But these vitamins and minerals are also available in a wide array of foods- including fruits, grains poultry. which means kids can still get essential fuels for their growth.

So, I did not bother much.

All the fresh vegetables are piled up on the kitchen counter, and the typical maa in me decided to feed him veggies today, but what to prepare. The goal is to feed him, on the other hand, I also want him to finish his plate happily. So keema labra came up.

Chicken Keema/mince with potato is a regular phenomenon in the house. Let’s try something new. Why labra? Simple! because it has different types of veggies.

What is Labra?

It’s a quintessential vegetarian dish typically made during pujas. It is quite mushy Bengali mix veg prepared in mustard oil.

I tried to give a twist to the vegetarian dish by adding chicken mince to it. The result is a clean plate of my son.

I smiled. My little trick worked.

Recipe

Labra with chicken keema (mix veg with chicken mince)

Ingredients

1.400 gm chicken mince

2. 1 potato (into cubes)

3. ½ carrots (cut into cubes)

4. 4/5 florets of cauliflower

5. around ½ cup cabbage (cut into cubes)

6. ¼ cup green peas

7. one medium size tomato (cut into small cubes)

8. 3 onion(large) finely chopped

9. 2 tsp ginger paste

10. 2 tsp green chilli paste

11. 3 green chilli slit (you can add more)

12. ½ coriander leaves finely chopped

13. 2 cardamom

14. 1 inch cinnamon

15. 2 bay leaves

16. 1 tsp turmeric powder

17. 2 tsp cumin power(roasted)

18. 3 tbsp mustard oil

19. salt (according to taste)

20. ½ pumpkin I did not add)

Method

Heat oil in a pan, add tomatoes, cauliflower, and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes over medium flames later carrot, pumpkin, and green peas. Continue until vegetables are cooked 80%. Keep them separate.

Now, in the remaining oil add cinnamon, cardamon, bay leaves and cloves, and allow them to splutter.

Add chopped onion and garlic, sauté them until it changes the colour to brown.

At this point add ginger and green chilli paste, chopped tomatoes, and cook further few more minutes.

Add turmeric powder, and roasted cumin powder, keep cooking on a medium flame until oil separate from the mix(masala)

Add the chicken mince sprinkle some salt and cook for about 10/15 mins

Throw in the pre sautéed vegetables along with the cabbage leaves, add green chilies and give it all a nice mix (at this point if it is bit dry splash of water will be fine)

Cook, until everything cooked perfectly on a medium flame.

Adjust the seasoning add chopped coriander leaves and the remaining cumin powder.

A stir is recommended here and serve hot.

Photos by the author