This is a winter delicacy of Gujarat, especially during the festival of Uttarayan. The best combo is to have Undhiyu with puri and jalebi! Yum and yum!
It is a combination of winter veggies and methi muthia (fenugreek dumplings) cooked in an aromatic blend of spices. Traditionally in our home all the veggies were semi fried first and then stuffed and mixed with all spices; to reduce the cook time this is a modified recipe using an Instant pot. The important thing to remember is to cook at low pressure and immediately let the steam out; don’t wait for the pressure to release naturally. And you have your favorite undhiyu with slightly less oil!
Undhiyu
Mixed vegetable casserole with a medley of veggies cooked in earthy spices.
Ingredients
Methi Muthia
- 1 cup methi/fenugreek leaves washed and chopped
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 3/4 cup besan/chickpea flour
- 1 tbsp semolina
- 1 tbsp yogurt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tsp ginger, garlic, green chili paste
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp oil
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- Salt
- Water as required
Green Stuffing
- 1/2 cup tuvar/lilva beans fresh/frozen
- 1 cup coconut grated
- 1/2 cup peanuts blanch and roasted
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 inch ginger
- 2 green chilis
- 4 gloves of garlic
- 1/4 cup coriander leaves chopped
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp undhiyu masala (can use garam masala instead)
- Salt
Veggies
- 1/2 pound potatoes washed and cubbed
- 1/2 pound purple jam washed and cubbed
- 1/2 pound sweet potato washed and cubbed
- 5 baby eggplants
- 1 raw banana washed and cubbed
- 1/4 cup peas fresh/frozen
- 1/4 cup tuvar/lilva beans fresh/frozen
- 1 cup surti papdi fresh/frozen
Everything else
- Oil deep frying
- 2 tbsp oil for tempering
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/4 tsp asafoetida
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 2 tsp cumin coriander powder
- 2 tbsp undhiyu masala (can use garam masala instead)
- Salt
- chopped coriander leaves for garnishing
- grated fresh coconut for garnishing
Instructions
For Methi Muthia
- Take a large mixing bowl, add besan, whole wheat flour, salt, sugar, sesame seeds, red chili powder, turmeric powder, green chili-ginger, garlic paste, semolina and mix well.
- Add oil and again mix it well.
- Add chopped methi, yogurt, mix with your hand and make sticky but semi stiff dough, use water as required.
- Apply oil on you palm and make small 1 inch cylinder shaped rolls from remaining dough.
- Heat the oil in a deep pan, fry muthia on medium flame till all side becomes golden brown.
- Remove on paper towel and keep it aside.
For Green Stuffing
- Add all green paste ingredients in a mixer jar, make a coarse paste and keep it aside.
For Final Process
- Wash and clean baby eggplants, cross cut (make a cross slit) and stuff the green paste into eggplants.
- Set Instant Pot to saute mode and heat oil. Add hing and cumin seeds, cook them for a minute or until aromatic.
- Now add the surti papdi, peas and tuvar beans. Next add turmeric, cumin coriander powder, red chili powder and salt.
- Mix half of the leftover green stuffing.
- Now place the chopped purple yam, potatoes and sweet potatoes in a neat layer.
- Sprinkle remaining green stuffing, don't stir.
- Add ½ cup water from the sides, don't stir.
- Make a next layer of stuffed eggplants.
- Close the Instant Pot with pressure valve to sealing and cook on low pressure for 4 minutes.
- Press Cancel and quick release the pressure. Gently take the cooked eggplant out, add muthia and cilantro and mix gently. Top with reserved eggplant and enjoy hot!
