Bhavna
Undhiyu is a Gujarati mixed vegetable dish that is a regional specialty of Surat, India. The name of this dish comes from the Gujarati word “undhu”, which translates to upside down, since the dish is traditionally cooked upside down underground in earthen pots, termed “matlu”, which are fired from above.
The dish is a seasonal one, comprising the vegetables that are available on the South Gujarat coastline, including the Surat, Navsari and Valsad regions, during the winter season, including (amongst others) green beans or new peas (typically used along with the tender pod), unripe banana, small eggplants, muthia (dumplings/fritters made with fenugreek leaves and spiced chickpea flour, and either steamed or fried), potatoes, and purple yam, and sometimes plantain. These are spiced with a dry curry paste that typically includes cilantro 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.
The finished preparation is dry: individual chunks of vegetables are coated with a thin layer of spice and oil but retain their shape: the contents of the dish must therefore be stirred relatively infrequently during the cooking. Crisp vegetables such as bean pods must ideally retain a little of their crunchy texture. To ensure that no individual component is overcooked, the vegetables may need to be cooked in stage: the root vegetables and eggplant are half-cooked before adding the quick-cooking bean pods and ripe plantain. The finished dish is garnished with chopped cilantro leaf and lemon or lime juice before serving.
Surti undhiyu is a variant that is served with puri at weddings and banquets. Again it is a mixed vegetable casserole, made with red lentils and seasoned with spices, grated coconut, and palm sugar in a mild sauce. It is garnished with chopped peanuts and toasted grated coconut, and served with rice.
Undhiyu with puri and shrikhand is often eaten in Gujarati houses during winter season.
Below is the playlist of all my Undhiyu recipe with some other related recipes such as Unhdiyu Muthiya and Ubadiyu(the sister of Unhidyu…)
Since Undhiyu is our family favorite, I try to make it healthier by steaming the vegetables instead of frying.
Unhdiyu or Oondhiyu
Ingredients
- 1 cup surti papdi , stringed, whole
- ½ cup semi-ripe banana chunks unpeeled
- 1 cup purpule yam chunks (kand) peeled and fried
- 1 cup sweet potato chunks fried
- ½ cup potao fried
- If you don't want to fry them , add them along with all other vegetables to cook
- 2 cups eggplant cut into cube
- Green chillies , ginger and garlic paste 1 Tbsp each
- 1 tbsp . coriander leaves (Cilantro) finely chopped
- ½ tbsp . Sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp . Crushed peanut
- ¼ cup Cashews and raisins
- 1 tbsp . Cumin and coriander powder (Garam masalsa can be added instead)
- 4 tbsp . oil
- ¼ tsp . asafoetida
- ½ tsp . turmeric powder
- 1 tsp . ajwain
- salt to taste
- Sugar according to taste
For Muthiya
- 100 gms. methi leaves finely chopped
- ½ cup gram flour (besan)
- 1 tbsp each Juwar and corn flour
- 1 tsp . red chilli powder
- 1 tbsp . fresh ground coconut
- salt to taste
- 1 tbsp . oil
- water to need the dough
Instructions
For Muthiya
- Mix all the ingredients for Muthiya & make stiff dough. Form into small oval, dumplings. Heat about 1/4 th cup oil, and saute the muthias for about 2 minutes. Remove from oil and keep aside.
For making Undhiyu
- Heat 4 tbsp oil into the pressure cooker, add ajwain and asafoetida. then add all the pastes. Add eggplant and surti papdi. Add turmeric powder and other powdered spices as well. Now add crushed penut, sesame seeds, cashchews and raisins(Add yam and potatos at this time if you don't want to fry them). Also add salt according to your taste. Close the pressure cooker and listen about 4-5 whistles. When done open the cooker and add all other fried chunky vegetables and stir well. Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes.
- Add coriander, lemon(optional), and sprinkle some water if required. Add sugar according to taste and mix well. Cover with a lid and let it cook for another 2-3 mins, until all veggies are cooked and the spices are blended well.
- Sprinkle some Sev on the top, if you wish, and serve hot with Chapatis.
- This is the video of favorite gujrati recipe called Umbadiyu, another way of making Undhiu....Enjoy
