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Monday 14 January 2019

Undhiyu Recipe


Undhiyu is a traditional Gujarati mixed vegetable curry and the quintessential dish during Uttarayan (Makar Sankranti )festival. This one-pot dish is very delicious and has few resemblance to the Maharashtrian Bhogichi Bhaji as both the curries celebrates the seasonal bounty of Winter vegetables. This vegetable casserole is typically served with poori and Shrikhand on festive occasions. You can serve it with Bajra roti or chapati as well.

The word Undhiyu means upside down in Gujarati. Seasonal vegetables are deep fried in the traditional recipe and cooked in earthen pots that are sealed and placed upside down in a fire pit dug in the ground . Source

Here i have shared an easy and guilt free recipe in which all the veggies along with methi muthia are steamed in a pressure cooker. This method requires comparatively less time and oil than the traditional method. I have adapted the recipe from here.


Makar Sankranti is one of the most auspicious days for Hindus and usually falls on 14th January. As the first festival in the year's calendar, it is eagerly awaited by one and all. It marks the end of the long winter, as the sun begins its northward journey and so this festival is called Uttarayan also. After sankranthi the days start becoming longer and warmer and the chill of winter declines. Farmers pray on the occasion to be blessed with bountiful harvest.

This harvest festival is celebrated in different parts of India by different names. In North India, large bonfires are lit on the eve of Sankranti , known as Lohri. In  many states of South India, it s celebrated for 4 day long festival called Pongal. In Gujarat it is known as Uttarayan, in Maharashtra , Makar Sankranti, in Uttar Pradesh as Khichri. Lord Sun is worshiped on this day and people take dip in holy rivers. 

#HarvestHarmony is the #178th theme on #FoodieMondayBloghop and this delicious and healthy Undhiyu is my contribution to the theme.

                                    

Preparation time: 45 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4-5

Ingredients:

Vegetables for Undhiyu
  • 100 grams Surti papdi beans (hyacinth beans)
  • 100 grams purple yam
  • 5-6 small brinjals
  • 1 small sweet potato
  • 1 medium size raw banana
  • 3-4 baby potatoes or 1 large potato , cubed
  • 50 grams fresh green chickpeas / choliya
  • 1 cup besan
  • 1 cup tightly packed methi leaves, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon ginger green chili paste
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon red chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon coriander cumin powder
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • Salt to taste
  • Pinch of baking soda
For Masala:
  • 1/4 cup tightly packed scrapped coconut
  • 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
  • 1 tablespoon roasted peanut powder
  • 1/4 cup fresh coriander, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon ginger green chili paste
  • 1 teaspoon red chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon oil
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • Salt to taste
Other Ingredients:
  • Oil for deep frying the muthia and for tempering the undhiyu
  • 1/4 teaspoon carom seeds
  •  1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • Pinch of asafoetida

Method:

Preparing vegetables for Undhiyu
  1. Wash the baby egg plants, remove the upper stalk and make 4 slit on each of them in such a way that they do not fall apart.
  2. String and pod the surti papdi beans. Rinse them well , strain and keep aside.
  3. Peel and chop the potatoes, yam, sweet potato and plantain.
  4. Mix everything under the list masala in a bowl. Do a taste test. Adjust the seasonings as per your taste.
  5. Stuff the masala inside the slits of the brinjal. 
Preparaing methi muthia 
  1. Take the chickpea flour and chopped fenugreek (methi)leaves in a bowl. Add all the ingredients under the list of muthia in it. Blend well. 
  2. Add little water and make a slightly sticky dough . Apply oil on your palms and shape the muthia. Deep fry the muthia in batches until they become crisp and golden brown from all sides. Remove them with a slotted ladle and allow to drain on absorbent paper. 


Cooking Undhiyu:
  1. In a pressure cooker, heat 2 tablespoon oil. Add carom seeds and cumin seeds. Fry the seeds for few seconds. 
  2. Next add asafoetida followed by the green chickpeas and the stringed and pod beans. Stir fry them for a minute or so. 


    3. Add the sweet potato, potato, plantain and yam pieces. Stir fry them also for a minute or so. Add the remaining masala and blend well. 


4. Next add the stuffed brinjal and add 1/2 cup of water to the pressure cooker. Sprinkle salt and cover the cooker with the lid. Cook for just 1 whistle and put off the flame. Open the lid once all the pressure has been released . Now add the fried methi muthia and simmer the undhiyu for 4-5 minutes.


  5. Serve the delicious undhiyu with poori and Shrikhand .


  Recipe Notes:
  • Do not over cook the veggies . The vegetables in Undhiyu should retain their shape and crunch.
  • Left over methi muthia can be served as tea time snack with some chutney or dip of your choice.
  • Undhiyu can be made with available winter veggies. Feel free to substitute one or two veggies as per availability. For instance normal potatoes can be substituted for baby potatoes, yam for purple yam etc.
For more Makar Sankranti recipes, check out the following posts from my blog.
                             
                             
                             
                            


                            


                            


21 comments :

  1. I'm a big, big fan of Undhiyu. I have fond memories of spending Uttarayan days kite-flying on the terrace, with pots of undhiyu, poori, rotis and thepla on the side, along with sweet and savoury pongal. So thrilled to see your beautiful undhiyu here. :)

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    1. Thank you so much Priya. I am glad you could relate my post with your cherished memories. Happy Uttarayan to you.

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    1. Thank you Ravneet. Hope you had a great time celebrating Lohri .

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  3. A complete winter veg feast is what I call Undhiyu. One cannot have enough of it and the home made muthiyas are absolutely the best! Tastes best with pooris and looks absolutely delicious Poonam. Makar Sankranti chi shubhecha tumha sarvana.

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  4. This one of my favourite dishes and I do not need any rice or chappati to eat with it. My gujrati neighbour always shared this with me whenever she made this winter treat.Somehow till now I haven't tried making it, but your recipe looks so tempting that I should try it soon.

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  5. Such a yummy Unddhiya. I wish I can get some of it. I too do not need any chapatis or rice with it.

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  6. Such a delightful and healthy recipe. Vegetables, methi muthia, spices wow so many taste and flavour in one dish. Never tasted it before but now I am drooling. I have to try it soon. Superb share.

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  7. Undhiyu is our family's winter favourite. I love the homemade versions (which are far less oily and healthy) compared to what we get in the restuarants / readymade stores...

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  8. Your prep is making me drool Poonam. Undhiyu is our family favorite but even in Gujarat you'll find that the recipe varies from region to region. We occasionally make it with masala as you've done. We also make it using green masala like fresh chillis, fresh garlic, ginger etc a bit of salt and that's all. The whole mixture is steamed in pot over low heat.

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    Replies
    1. I would love to try out your version with green masala, next time for sure. Sounds so healthy and flavorful. Thank you di.

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  9. Undhiyu looks so flavorful poonam !! I often prefer to make and indulge like this one pot meal :)

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    1. Thank you Sasamita. One pot meals are fuss free and i prefer them as well.

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  10. This looks so flavourful. I have never cooked this. Should try this soon

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    1. You should definitely try out this dish di, perhaps in your nutripot. I am sure you will love it.

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  11. Very nicely explained, Poonam. It sounds easy to make and the pressure cooking makes it fool proof and of course retains nutrients of the fresh seasonal veggies.

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    Replies
    1. Absolutely di. Pressure cooker method not only saves time, but retains the nutrients as well. I am glad you liked it.

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  12. Undhiyu looks so delicious and tempting.I am yet to try this wonderful dish .Fantastic share Poonam.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you di, This one was on my bucket list for a long time , finally i managed to get the veggies for this delicacy.

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  13. This is fabulous share Poonam. It looks so good. Love your Khadai too

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Seema. Got this one from one of the Handicraft exhibitions.

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