RAJA TOH ‘UNDHIYU’ AJ KEHVAY!

Gujarati food has created a wide range of popularity across the globe due to its mouthwatering delicacies which includes Farsan {steamed or fried snacks} , Chapatis{flat breads} , Sabzi/Shaak {combination of vegetables and spices} and of course rice and many

other huge varieties of desserts which would force any human to hog on or dive in the unique blend of spices and sugars.

Gujarati food has a very unique flavor which is sort of difficult to find in any other regional food delicacies across the world as the people of Gujarat prepare their food by the adapting diversifying techniques of cooking and ingredients which give a tangy, salty, spicy and a very subtle taste to the food which indeed makes it fall into the category of Gujarati food.

The main ingredient used in this regional food is SUGAR, JAGGERY or GHEE which gives the food an authentic sweet punch which makes it favorable for most of the people in the world.

Some dishes in Gujarat are deep fried or steam cooked too whereas in other regions of Gujarat, dishes are deep fried in Ghee or also known as clarified butter to enhance the flavor and also to provide a good digestive quality to the food.

VAGHAR also known as ‘CHAUNK’ is the cooking method undertaken which kind of elevated the food to a completely new level. In this method, whole spices plus other ingredients are fried generously in ghee or clarified butter and then the fried spices are poured into the boiled lentils or veggies along with the surplus ghee. 

Taking an example of the famous dish UNDHIYU, which is also known as the king of Gujarati dishes and is the most awaited dish during winter.

Traditionally UNDHIYU was cooked in earthen pots which is also known as ‘MATLU’ {called in Gujarati} sealed and place under the ground on a fire pit and slow cooked by the arising temperature from the fire as well as from the ground which in return gave a very rustic flavor and taste.

The best fact about this dish is that its completely VEGAN. And it can also be made gluten free by not adding asafetida so this dish id completely free from all health problems and can even be consumed by all fitness freaks and people who follow a strict diet in their daily meal plans.

Common ingredients include eggplants, crunchy muthiyas (fried chickpea flour dumplings), potatoes, yam, green peas, bananas and beans which are cooked with addition with buttermilk, coconut and spices.

It is served with pooris, chapatis, aamras, shrikhand and is a must to be made dish in festivals and weddings.

Scroll down for the amazing mouthwatering recipe of UNDHIYU:

UNDHIYU RECIPE

Recipe courtesy: VEGRECIPESOFINDIA.COM

(1 CUP = 250 ML)

Preparation time: 1 Hour

Cook time: 15 minutes

Total time: 1 Hour 15 minutes

Veggies for UNDHIYU recipe

· 150 grams surti papdi OR a mix of surti papdi and valor papdi OR 2 cups chopped surti papdi

· ½ to ⅔ cup fresh pigeon peas (fresh tuvar) - optional

· 100 grams small baingan (brinjals or aubergine) OR 8 to 10 small baingan

· 150 to 200 grams baby potatoes OR 10 to 12 potatoes

· 100 grams sweet potato OR 1 medium sweet potato (shakarkandi)

· 100 grams raw unripe banana OR 1 medium sized raw banana

· 150 grams purple yam (kand) OR about 1.5 to 2 cups chopped purple yam

for methi muthia

· 1 cup tightly packed methi leaves (fresh fenugreek leaves) - finely chopped

· 1 pinch of baking soda

· 1 cup besan (gram flour)

· 1 teaspoon sesame seeds (safed til)

· 1 tablespoon ginger + green chili paste OR ½ inch ginger + 2 to 3 green chilies - crushed to a paste in mortar-pestle

· ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)

· ¼ teaspoon red chili powder (lal mirch powder)

· ½ teaspoon cumin powder (jeera powder)

· ½ teaspoon coriander powder (dhania powder)

· ½ tablespoon oil

· ¾ to 1 teaspoon sugar or add as required

· ½ teaspoon salt or add as required

· 1 tablespoon lemon juice

· 1 to 1.5 tablespoon water or as required

for green masala

· ½ cup tightly packed grated coconut

· 3 tablespoon finely chopped coriander leaves OR ¼ cup finely chopped coriander leaves

· 2 tablespoon sesame seeds (safed til)

· ½ tablespoon ginger paste OR 1 to 1.5 inch ginger crushed to a paste in mortar-pestle

· ½ tablespoon garlic paste OR green garlic chives paste OR 8 to 10 garlic crushed to a paste in mortar-pestle

· ½ tablespoon green chili paste OR 2 to 3 green chilies crushed to a paste in mortar-pestle

· ¼ to ½ teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)

· ½ teaspoon red chili powder (lal mirch powder)

· 3 teaspoon coriander powder (dhania powder)

· 2 teaspoon cumin powder (jeera powder)

· 1 tablespoon lemon juice

· 1 tablespoon sugar or add as per taste

· ¾ to 1 teaspoon salt or add as required

for tempering undhiyu

· ½ teaspoon ajwain (carom seeds)

· ½ teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)

· ⅛ teaspoon asafoetida (hing) OR 2 to 3 pinches of asafoetida

· ½ cup water

· 4 to 5 tablespoon sesame oil or peanut oil or any oil

HOW TO MAKE UNDHIYU RECIPE

preparing veggies for undhiyu recipe

· string and pod the surti papdi beans. i used half-half of surti papdi (hyacinth beans) and valor papdi (fava beans).

· after stringing them and halving them, rinse very well. strain and keep aside. i used 150 grams of beans which yielded 2 cups stringed and podded beans.

· in a bowl of water, peel, rinse and place the other veggies - 10 to 12 baby potatoes, 1 medium sweet potato, 2 cups chopped purple yam. also keep 8 to 10 small brinjals.

· note that the only the upper stalk of the brinjals have been removed and they have not been slit. you can also just rinse and keep the brinjals aside.

preparing methi muthia for undhiyu recipe

· take 1 cup tightly packed methi leaves, finely chopped and 1 cup besan or gram flour in a mixing bowl.

· add a pinch of baking soda, ¼ tsp turmeric powder, ¼ tsp red chili powder, ½ tsp cumin powder, ½ tsp coriander powder, ½ tbsp oil, ¾ to 1 tsp sugar or add as required, ½ tsp salt or add as required and 1 tbsp lemon juice.

· just mix everything and keep aside covered for 10 to 15 minutes.

· then add 1 to 1.5 tbsp water and mix really well. keep the mixture slightly sticky, so that the methi muthia remains soft after cooking.

· apply some oil in your palms and shape the muthias. keep aside covered with a bowl or lid. if you want you can also deep fry methi muthia. if fried then add lastly once the undhiyu is done and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes.

making green masala mixture for undhiyu

· take ½ cup tightly packed grated coconut and 3 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves or ¼ cup finely chopped coriander leaves in another mixing bowl.

· in a mortar-pestle crush to a paste, 1 to 1.5 inch ginger, 8 to 10 garlic cloves and 2 to 3 green chilies. you can also grind all three of them together. if using ready paste then add ½ tbsp ginger paste, ½ tbsp garlic paste, ½ tbsp green chili paste. you can also garlic chives instead of garlic.

· add 2 tbsp sesame seeds, ½ tbsp ginger paste, ½ tbsp garlic paste or green garlic chives paste, ½ tbsp green chili paste, ¼ to ½ tsp turmeric powder, ½ tsp red chili powder, 3 tsp coriander powder, 2 tsp cumin powder, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp sugar ¾ to 1 tsp salt.

· mix very well and then check the taste. add more lemon juice, salt or sugar if required.

stuffing veggies

· from the base, give a criss cross slit to the brinjals and stuff the masala in it. in the same way also, stuff the masala in the potatoes. if you want you can stuff the masala in the raw bananas also. keep the stuffed veggies aside. some stuffing masala will be left. keep this aside.

tempering and cooking undhiyu

· heat 4 to 5 tbsp sesame oil or peanut oil in a pressure cooker. add ½ tsp ajwain or carom seeds & ½ tsp cumin seeds. stir and fry the ajwain and cumin seeds till they change their color. a few seconds. you can also use sunflower oil or safflower oil.

· then add ⅛ tsp asafoetida/hing. stir.

· now add the stringed and podded beans. if you are using fresh pigeon peas, you can add them at this step.

· stir well. to preserve the green color of the beans you can add a pinch of soda. i did not add.

· now add half a portion of the leftover coconut masala.

· again stir very well and sauté for 3 minutes on a low to medium flame. then make a neat layer of the beans at the bottom.

· then place the chopped purple yam in a neat layer.

· then make another layer of chopped raw bananas and sweet potato.

· now sprinkle ¼ of the coconut masala evenly. don't stir.

· make a next layer of stuffed brinjals and potatoes.

· add ½ cup water from the sides. don't stir.

· now gently place the prepared methi muthia in a layer. sprinkle 2 to 3 pinches of salt all over.

· cover the pressure cooker with its lid and pressure cook on a medium to high flame for 2 whistles or for 8 to 10 minutes.

· when the pressure settles down on its own, remove the lid and gently mix everything without breaking the stuffed veggies.

· while serving if you want, you can garnish undhiyu with chopped coriander leaves or some grated coconut. serve undhiyu with pooris.

RECIPE TIPS

· substitutes you can make in undhiyu:

· purple yam - elephant foot yam or regular yam.

· small brinjals - medium sized aubergines.

· fresh pigeon peas - fresh green chickpeas, edamame beans, green peas.

· surti papdi - fava beans, edamame beans, fresh lima beans.

baby potatoes - medium or large potatoes