[2] The tradition of starting a meal by consuming bitters, considered to have a medicinal value, dates back to the ancient times and was promoted by the authors of Ayurveda.

Shukto was consumed as a cooling agent in the hot and humid climates of the ancient kingdoms of undivided Bengal like Anga, Vanga.

In Kalinga aka present day Odisha, a similar vegetable stew called Santuḷa is very popular.

Shukto is also mentioned in Mangal-Kāvya, written during the medieval period and in the biographies of Sri Chaitanya.

[2][1] Dudh Shukto is a popular variant which is prepared with milk to alleviate the bitter taste of the dish.