New Delhi: Undhiyu, a traditional Gujarati curry made with a variety of fresh vegetables and dhokli muthiya, is a must-have for festivals such as Uttarayan and Diwali. This delightfully thick curry is typically enjoyed in the winter because it requires vegetables such as fenugreek leaves, surti papadi, and tuvar lilva, which are only easily available throughout the winter. Surti style, Kathiyawadi style, and Matla Undhiyu are three prominent versions of it, that are prepared throughout the state.
Ingredients:
For Muthiya:
- 1 cup Gram Flour (besan)
- 1+1/2 cups chopped Fenugreek Leaves
- 1/2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
- A pinch of Baking Soda
- 1+1/2 tsp Sugar
- 1/4 tsp Lemon Juice
- Salt to taste
- 1 tsp Oil + for deep frying
For Masala:
- 1/4 cup grated Coconut (fresh or dry)
- 1/3 cup Roasted Peanut Powder
- 1/2 tbsp Sesame Seeds
- 1/4 cup finely chopped Coriander Leaves
- 1/2 tablespoon Green Chilli Ginger Garlic Paste
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Lemon Juice
- Salt to taste
For Brinjal:
- 3-4 small Brinjal
- 6-7 Baby Potatoes
- 1/2 cup Surti Papdi, strings removed
- 1/2 cup Valor Papdi, strings removed
- 1/2 cup Tuvar Lilva
- 1/2 cup chopped Yam or Sweet Potato, optional (cut into 1½-inch pieces)
- 1/2 cup Green Peas
- A pinch of Asafoetida (hing), optional
- 1 teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
- 1/2 tsp Cumin-Coriander Powder
- 1/3 tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1/4 tsp Garam Masala Powder, optional
- Salt to taste
- 1/2 cup Cooking Oil (or less*)
- 1 cup Water
Preparation:
For Muthiya:
- In 1 cup gram flour, add + 1/4 cup fenugreek leaves, 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder, 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder, a pinch of baking soda, 1+1/2 teaspoons sugar, 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon oil and salt.
- Combine them and add water as required to make a soft dough. If it is too sticky then add few teaspoons of gram flour and mix well.
- Grease your hands with oil and carefully make around 10-12 small oval shaped muthiyas from it. Heat the oil over medium flame to deep fry the muthiyas till they turn golden brown. Don’t deep fry them over high flame as they may remain uncooked from inside.
- Remove them using a slotted spoon and transfer the muthiyas over a paper napkin. The Methi Muthiyas are ready.
For Masala:
Combine 1/4 cup grated coconut, 1/3 cup roasted peanut powder, 1/2 tbsp sesame seeds, 1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves, 1/2 tbsp green chilli ginger garlic paste, 1 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp lemon juice and salt in a medium bowl. to get the strong spicy, mild sweet, mild sour and salty taste.
For Curry:
- Cut the brinjal in a criss-cross manner and potato from the top until its 3/4th length. Make sure not to separate the segments. Stuff the veggies with prepared masala.
- Heat 1/2 cup oil in a 3-liter or 5-liter pressure cooker over medium flame. Add a pinch of asafoetida and sauté for 10-seconds. Add surti papadi, valor papdi, tuvar lilva, green peas, yam and salt. Mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add 1-tsp red chilli powder, 1/3 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp cumin-coriander powder and 1/4 tsp garam masala powder.
- Mix well and cook for 3 minutes.
- Add stuffed brinjal and potato and sprinkle some salt over it.
- Add 1+1/2 cups water followed by the fried dhokli methi muthiya over it.
- Cook for 3 whistles over medium heat with the lid closed and then turn off the heat. After the pressure has naturally released, open the lid.
- Mix the curry gently with a spatula. Don't overmix or the vegetables and muthiya will break.
- Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with poori and shrikhand for lunch.