Undhiyu /Oondhiya is a classic Gujarati vegetable, which is prepared from fresh winter veggies. This recipe is from the city of Surat and hence also called Surti undhiyu. This recipe for Surti Undhiyu has long been overdue which is also one of our favorite winter veggie dishes, here I have a simple method which you can easily make it. I have broken this process in three parts which is not stressing one out in making this delicious dish. This has a perfect balance of sweet, tangy and right balance of spice, try it and you will love it too.
To make things even simpler I made the besan/gram flour dumplings (muthiya) a day before, steamed, fried what was required for the recipe and refrigerated, remaining I, freezed.
These muthiyas can be enjoyed as a snack too, when I fried them we couldn't stop enjoying them. To make this dish a lot of oil is used and makes it tasty, please do not try to reduce the oil the first time you make this dish, which is base and give that original taste to the dish.Undhiyu literally means upside down, a method in which vegetables and tubers are cooked in a green chutney in an earthen pot, once ready, it’s turned upside down on a platter, the name Undhiyu (Undhu in Gujarati means upside down).
Ingredients
5 Baby Eggplant - slit in into cross but intact with the head on
100 Grams Suran/Yam - cut into pieces
3 Medium Potatoes - cut into cubes
1 Raw Bananas - peeled and cut into 4 pieces
100 Grams Purple Yam /Khand - cut into pieces
200 Grams Lilva Beans/Pigeon Peas/Fresh Tur
100 Grams Surati Broad Beans/Surati/Vaal Papdi
100 Grams Valor Papdi
1 Large Sweet Potato - cut into thick roundels
100 Grams Shelled Fresh Green Gram
100 Grams Shelled Fresh Green Peas
2 Green Tomatoes - chopped
For The Undhiyu Masala2 Cups Packed Chopped Coriander Leaves
3/4 Cup Fresh Grated Coconut
10 Fresh Green Garlic - finely chop white& green separately
Salt to taste
2 Tablespoons Sugar
A Juice Two Big Limes
2 Tablespoons Roasted Groundnut's Powder
1 Tablespoon Ajwain/Carom Seeds
2 Tablespoon Sesame Seeds
¼ Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
¼ Teaspoon Asafoetida
1Tablespoons Garlic Paste
2 Tablespoons Ginger Chilly Paste*see notes
¼ Teaspoon Garam Masala
2 Tablespoons Sugar powder
1¼ Teaspoon Heaped Salt
2 Tablespoons Groundnut Oil
1 Tablespoon Coriander Powder
1 Teaspoon Heaped Cumin Powder
½ Teaspoon Gujarati Masala - Homemade - optional For The Tadka
½ to ¾ Cup Oil
1 Tablespoons Heaped White Sesame Seeds
1 Tablespoons Ajwain/Carom seeds
½ Teaspoon Asafoetida/Hing
For The Muthiya
2 Cups Besan/Gram Flour
1 Tablespoon Semolina/Rava/Sooji
½ Cup Packed Methi Leaves/Fenugreek -chopped
2 Tablespoons Wheat Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
Salt to taste
1 Tablespoon Sugar
A Juice of One Lime
2 Tablespoon Yogurt
2 Tablespoons Groundnut Oil
¼ Cup Chopped Coriander leaves
1 Tablespoon Heaped Ginger Green Chili Paste
Method
For The MuthiyasMix all the ingredients together. I didn’t use water but used whey from the yoghurt to make a smooth dough. Do not add water if necessary add more oil ( oil makes the muthiyas soft and tasty). Oil your hands and knead to a stiff dough. Make oblong or round dumplings(whatever shape you prefer) and let them sit for about 5 minutes.
I boiled a liter of water in a large pot and when the water comes to a rolling boil add the muthiyas in batches and drop them into the boiling water. They will surface when cooked, fish them out with a slotted spoon and keep them a side, like wise cook all the muthiyas. Remove these into a colander and let them drain and cool completely. You can fry, then all directly, I prefer, not to fry them, this since you can fry them whenever needed ( if you freeze them raw i.e. without boiling them then the leafy veggies will release water and they will be soggy and the color of the veggies will change). Arrange them in a large tray in a single layer when cooled and freeze them till they harden , I kept them overnight. Once frozen store them in a airtight container, they will never stick to each other. Whenever required fry them and enjoy or use them in any vegetable, these taste so good.
Heat lots of groundnut oil in a deep frying pan/kadai and deep fry the muthiyas on medium high flame till golden brown. In a large bowl, assemble all the ingredients for the Undhiyu Masala, mix all of it very well. Taste to make sure it tastes right - it should be a perfect blend of salt, sugar and lime (khatto meetho thikko as they say in Gujarati). Now fill the brinjals with this masala. Keep them aside.
These are all the veggies to be fried.In the same oil that the muthiyas were fried, fry all the veggies one by one and the stuffed brinjals too. These should be half cooked. Remove and keep them aside. .
Now to Make the Surti Undhiyu
In a big bowl add all the bean, piegon peas, green gram, peas etc., in lots of water. When ready to used drain all the water. In a pressure cooker heat 4 tablespoons oil( the oil used in this dish is in which we fried the muthiyas and veggies, use the same oil since all the flavor of the muthiyas and vegges is present in the same). Add the white part of the chopped garlic, 1 teaspoon of ajwain and ¼ teaspoon each asafoetida, turmeric powder, salt and a tablespoon heaped of the undhiyu masala and give it a good stir till it release a nice aroma.
Then add all the drained bean, peas, green gram, chopped green tomato. mix all of these well in the oil then add 2 tablespoons of the undhiyu masala, 350 Ml water and close the cooker with the lid and take one whistle on high flame, then switch off the flame. When the cooker is completely cooled open the lid.
Divide the remaining prepared undhiyu masala into four parts.In the fried veggies mix on part of the masala well and keep aside. I also filled 2 big non spicy green chillies with the masala ( just give a slit to the green chilly in the center and fill it with this masala).
In a large thick bottom pan ( in the same pan you will serve this ) add ½ to ¾ cup oil ( the same oil that the muthiyas and veggies were fried ) and let it get nice and hot. To that add all the tadka ingredients, stir until the oil gets aromatic, the mixture of sesame and carom gives an aroma. Frist add the boiled veggies and sprinkle on part of the masala on top, add the fried veggies which are also mixed with the masala, arrange them well, then arrange the muthiyas on top, then the brinjals and green chillies sprinkle ¼ teaspoon salt and then the remaining masala. Cover with a tight lid keep it on high flame for 5 -6 minutes. Then reduce the flame to low and let is cook for a good 40 to 45 minutes by end of the cooking s time, this should have divine aroma that is so typical of Gujarati homes and of a special meal that is being cooked.
Undhiyu should always sit for a while so the veggies marinate/marry in all the spices and the green chutney. Just before serving , sprinkle some fresh grated coconut and chopped coriander leaves on top. We enjoyed this with Puris and a katori of yogurt!! This is a fantastic hearty get-your-fix-of-veggies dish... superb with its balance of spicy, sour, sweet and oh my goodness yumminess and finger licking ! Served a large bowl of this to my daughter's friends for them to enjoy for dinner.My Notes
I ground 12 Big Long green chillies - that a not very spicy and 4 Inch big piece of Ginger and used this paste for the muthiyas and remaining for the masala.
The muthiya dough needs to be a firm one, so only add water if you need to, one small spoon at a time.
I freezed the extra muthiyas after frying them and they stayed good for a month.
Labels: Potluck Party, Gujarat, Vegetarian, Mixed Vegetable, Main course, Sabzi
Welcome to Potluck Party #2 (February 2022)
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