Undhiyu, a very popular Gujarati dish made with seasonal mixed vegetables. People in different regions of Gujarat use different vegetables depending on the availability and also personal preference. Most families will have a certain way of making this unique to them.
The recipe here comes from my parents neighbour and good friend Chetna Shah, whom they have known for 40 years. She makes this every winter season and I was lucky that she shared her recipe with me. This dish is great on its own or with some papad or rice. Even a roti would be great but is not a must.
This recipe starts with making the muthiya, which is a fenugreek gram flour balls and forms the basis of the Undhiyu.
Serves 4-6 people
For the Muthiya
(makes 12)
- 70 gms fresh fenugreek leaves, finely chopped
- 150 gms gram flour (besan)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp chilli powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- pinch of asafoetida (hing)
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
For the Undhiyu
- 6 tbsp sunflower oil
- 4 onions
- 2 green chillies
- 2 inch ginger
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)
- 1 large potato, cut into 1 cm cubes
- 1 sweet potato, cut into 1 cm cubes
- 2 small carrots, cut into 1 cm pieces
- 100 gms frozen peas (fresh will work too)
- 100 gms green beans, cut into half
- 1/2 green pepper, chopped
- 3 tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 1 whole aubergine, cut into 1 cm cubes or 4 baby aubergines
- handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped
Put all the ingredients of muthiya in a bowl and rub it all well together. Now add roughly 4 tbsp of water but only one at a time and bring this dough together. Put a drop of oil in the palm of your hand and divide the dough into 12 portions. Shape them into little balls.
Put some oil in a pan for deep frying and once it gets to 170 C and cook the muthiya for a couple of minutes until golden. Leave them aside.
For the undhiyu blitz the onion, chilli and ginger to a paste. Heat the oil in a pan and cook the onion paste for 10-15 minutes on medium to low heat until deep golden. Now add the spices and mix well. Remove from the heat.
Put the aubergine pieces in a bowl and sprinkle with pinch of salt, chilli powder and turmeric powder and mix well.
Transfer the onion mix to a deep pan then add the potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, peas, beans and pepper and mix it all well. Now sprinkle the tomatoes on top. Now sprinkle the aubergine pieces on top, followed by the fried muthiya and 250 ml of water. Sprinkle with coriander, cover with a tight lid and cook for 1 hour on low heat.
Let it rest for 10 minutes and then serve.
The full video of how to make UNDHIYU is here –