Undhiyu is a Gujarati mixed vegetable dish that is a regional specialty of Gujarat. Undhiyu with "Puri" and "Aamras" or "Shrikhand" are often eaten in Gujarati houses during winter season. The name of this dish "Undhiyu" is so called as it is derived from the Gujarati word "undhu" which means upside down. Traditionally the entire dish is cooked in earthen pots. The pots are sealed and placed upside down in a fire pit dug in the ground. The slow cooking in the earthen pot gives the dish a rustic flavor and taste.
Preparation of Undhiyu
The dish is a seasonal one, comprising the vegetables that are available on the South Gujarat coastline during the winter season, including green beans or new peas, small eggplants, muthia (dumplings/fritters made with fenugreek leaves and spiced chickpea flour), potatoes and purple yam, and sometimes plantain. These are spiced with a dry curry paste that typically includes coriander leaves, ginger, garlic, green chili pepper, sugar and sometimes includes freshly grated coconut. The mixture is slow cooked for a long time, with some vegetable oil and a very small amount of water sufficient to steam the root vegetables.
Ingredients for Undhiyu:
•Green Leaf Garlic - 6 to 8
•Baby Brinjal - 3 to 4
•Tuvar Dal - 50 gms
•Lilva Dal - 50 gms
•Small Potatoes - 6 to 8
•Sweet Potatoes - 100 gms
•Yam - 100 gms
•Broad Beans - 25 to 30
•Raw Bananas - 2
•Sugar - 3 tbsp
•Tamarind Pulp - 1 tbsp
•Oil - 5 tbsp
•Coconut - 2 tbsp, scraped
•Green Chillies - 4
•A pinch of Asafoetida
•Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
•Coriander leaves - 1 cup
•Ginger - 2 inch
•Mustard - 1 tsp
•Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
•Ajwain - 1 tsp
•Salt as per taste
Ingredients for Muthiyia:
•Gram Flour (Besan) - 1/4 cup
•Wheat Four - 1 cup
•Salt to taste
•Fenugreek Leaves - 1/2 cup
•Ginger - 1/2 inch
•Green Chilies - 2
•Coriander Seeds - 1/2 tsp
•Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
•Water - 1 cup
•Oil to deep fry
Ingredients for Chutney:
•Wood Apple - 1
•Salt to taste
•Green chillies - 2, finely chopped
Method for Muthiya:
1. Mix all the Muthiya ingredients except oil and prepare a firm dough.
2. Divide into small portions and shape each into 1 inch long and 1/2 inch thick rolls.
3. Deep fry in hot oil.
4. Remove and keep aside to cool.
Method for Undhiyu:
1. Wash, peel off and dice potatoes, yam, sweet potatoes and raw bananas.
2. Wash Brinjal and slit them into four without cutting the stem.
3. Make a paste of garlic, green chillies and ginger and mix chopped coriander.
4. Stuff this mixture in potatoes and brinjal.
5. String beans and cut into 1 inch long pieces.
6. Heat up oil in a thick-bottomed vessel.
7. Add in asafoetida and mustard seeds.
8. When mustard seeds crackle, add the rest ground masala and broad beans.
9. Put the rest of the vegetables and dals in layers one on top of the other.
10. Sprinkle salt and turmeric powder.
11. Stir fry for 5 minutes on high flame.
12. Pour in 1 cup of water, cover and simmer on a very low heat up for 10-15 minutes.
13. Now add the fried Muthiyas and again simmer for 15 minutes.
14. Shake the vegetables occasionally but do not use a spoon to stir.
15. Serve hot decorated with scraped coconut, coriander leaves, wood apple chutney, bajra roti or puri.
Method for Chutney:
1. Mix all ingredients in a mixer to make a fine paste.
2. Serve with the Undhiyu.
