Shukto

This is a very common vegetarian dish and you will get many recipes on-line. There can be a wide variety of shukto depending on the household. But fundamentally it is a bitter dish based on mustard paste. You can add almost any green vegetable and potatoes on top of that, and it will still be shukto. Here is one of my versions.

Ingredients:

1. Bitter gourd: 1
2. Brinjal: 1/2 (large)
3. Potato: 1 (medium)
4. Raw banana: 1

These  are the most common vegetables for shukto. You can use drum-sticks or any other bitter vegetable instead of bitter gourd. You can add almost any green vegetable: ridge gourd, patol (pointed gourd), etc. go well with shukto. On the spice side you need:

1. Mustard paste: 1 tsp
2. Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
3. Coriander powder: 1/2 tsp
4. Cumin powder: 1/2 tsp
5. Green chili: 2
6. Ginger paste: 1/2 tsp
7. Bay leaves: 2
8. Paanch phoron: 1 tsp
9. Poppy seed paste: 1 tsp (optional)
10. Salt: according to taste.

Procedure:

1. Chop all the vegetables into similar shape and size. I prefer 2" long, 1/2" thick pieces.
2. Heat oil in a wok.
3. Add paanch phoron and bay leaves.
4. As the seeds start popping, add green chili and ginger paste. Keep mixing for a minute.
5. Add the mustard paste (and poppy seed paste).
6. Add the vegetables in sequence of their cooking time (bitter gourd, pointed gourd take the longest to cook, potatoes, brinjal and raw banana are intermediate, ridge gourd gets done fastest).  If you want it perfect, a better way is to fry the vegetables separately: heat oil in a wok. First semi-fry the pointed gourd and bitter gourd - they use up most oil; then the potatoes, the brinjal and the raw banana. You don't really need to fry the ridge gourd.
7. Add enough water so that all the vegetables are submerged. Cover and bring it to simmer.
8. Add the powdered spices and cook until done.

Ridge gourd with poppy seeds (ঝিঙে পোস্ত)

This is one of the simplest yet tastiest vegetarian bengali dishes. It is best eaten with rice and moong daal.

Ingredients:

Poppy seeds (Hindi: khas khas, Bengali: posto) - 2 tbsp

Onion (optional) - 1 medium (chopped into long thin slices)

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Bay leaves - 2-3

Green chili - 3

Ridge gourd - 500 g

Potato - 200 g

Cooking oil - 4 tbsp

Procedure:

1. Soak the poppy seeds in water for 1/2-1 hour and grind into a fine paste.Adding a pinch of salt helps in grinding. You may also want to grind a green chili along with it for enhanced taste.
2. Peel the the potatoes and chop them into into 0.5" cubes. 
3. Peel the ridge gourds (you may leave some skin) and chop them into 1"-2" long and 1/2"-3/4" thick pieces.
4. Heat 2 tablespoonfuls of oil in a pan and fry the potatoes till golden brown and keep aside.
5. Heat 2 tablespoonfuls of oil (use the oil left over from frying the potatoes, add more if needed), and add the bay leaves followed by green chilies and onions. Fry until the onions turn golden.
6. Add the poppy seed paste and keep stirring in medium heat for a minute.
7. Add the potatoes and the ridge gourd and add the turmeric powder. Mix until the poppy seed paste is evenly distributed. 
8. Add two cups of water and and salt to taste (1 tsp should be enough).
9. Cover and cook in low flame until the potatoes and the ridge gourds are done.

Jhaal jhinge (Hot ridge-gourd)

Ingredients:
Ridge gourd - 300 g
Onion (medium) - 1  (long thick slices)
Green chili - 5-10 (whole or slit into two longitudinally)
Cumin powder - 1/2 teaspoonful
Coriander powder - 1/2 teaspoonful
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoonful
Oil - 1/4 cup
Salt - according to taste
Any hard drink (according to taste) with >= 45% alcohol v/v - 350 ml or more

Procedure:

1. Remove the outer hard part of the skin of the ridge gourd. Chop it into 2" long and 1/2" thick pieces (should come to the shape and size of the green chilies after cooking).
2. Heat the oil in a deep pan.
3. Add the onion and fry until soft.
4. Add the chilies.
5. When the chilies start to lose colour, add the ridge gourd.
6. Keep tossing and mixing with a spatula until the ridge gourd softens and loses colour.
7. The ridge gourd should release a lot of water. You can add 1/2 a cup of water if required. Add turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and salt. Mix well.
8. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes (until the ridge gourd is completely done)
   . The end result should have little gravy, but not completely dry either.
9. Serve the alcohol to your subject first.
10. Once you are convinced that the chap is drunk, serve the "jhaal jhinge" (preferably with some white rice).
11. The subject will get all shaken up (especially when chewing a green chili - which is now indiscernible from the gourd) and appreciate the food, while struggling to figure out if they are selling hot ridge gourd in the market these days. Keep ample ample amount of drinking water and/or sugar handy.
12. If the subject is bigger than you, make sure you have a life-insurance before starting any of this.
13. If you are not using alcohol, reduce the amount of chili to 1-2.