Prep Time: 40 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 3 Servings

Wintertime and if you are in western parts of India, you can’t miss the mention of Undhiyo/ Surti Undhiyo. It is a regional speciality of Surat. While living in Mumbai I used to buy it from stores that sold them as a Sunday special dish. After leaving Mumbai I was forced to make it myself.

Conservative Gujaratis would be very particular about wanting the specific ingredients and vegetables to make this classic dish.

With due apologies, I have tweaked it a bit to suit the local availability of ingredients.

It comprises of vegetables that are available during the winter, 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 usually cooked with a lot of oil.

Ingredients

• Indian Broad beans/ Papdi beans/ Avarakai: ½ cup (cut into squares)
• Regular Yam/ Purple Yam: ½ cup(cut in cubes)
• Potato: ½ cup(cut in cubes)
• Raw banana: ½ cup(cut in cubes)
• Small Eggplant: 4 (slit in quarters)
• Sweet potato: ½ cup( cut in cubes)
• Green peas: ¼ cup
• Ajwain: ½ tsp
• Hing: a pinch
• Turmeric: ½ tsp
• Rock salt: to taste
• Sesame seeds: 1 tsp

For muthias

• Methi leaves: 1 cup( chopped)
• Besan: 1/3 cup
• Ginger: ½ inch
• Green chili: 1 no
• Ajwain: ½ tsp
• Rock salt: to taste

For dry spice paste

• Coriander leaves: 1 cup
• Fresh coconut: ¾ cup(grated)
• Garlic: 3 cloves
• Ginger: 1 inch
• Green chili:1 no
• Jaggery: 1 tsp
• Rock salt: to taste
• Lime juice: 1 tbsp

Method

• Knead together all muthia ingredients into soft dough. Sprinkle very little water to bring it together. It will seem sticky but that is ok.
• Shape into oval/ oblong muthias and bake on a greased tray at 170 ° C for around 15-20 minutes until crisp.

• Blend all ingredients for dry spice paste without water and keep aside.
• Rub salt and turmeric powder on all cubed vegetables.
• Slit the eggplants into quarters and fill them with the coconut spice paste.
• Heat a heavy-bottomed pan. Add ajwain, hing and sesame seeds. Dry roast for a few minutes.
• Add ½ cup of water and place marinated vegetables in the pan, along with stuffed eggplant.
• Spread coconut spice paste on top of vegetables and cover the pan.
• Allow to cook the vegetables on slow fire for 20 minutes.
• Do keep a check to ensure that the vegetables are not burning at the bottom.
• If need be add ¼ cup water from the side of the pan.
• Check if the vegetables are cooked but don’t get mushy.
• Add muthias to the cooked vegetables and gently stir everything together.
• Add ¼ cup water and cover and cook for 5 mins.
• Serve hot garnished with coriander leaves.

Wellcure Tip:

• You may want to use another recipe for makingmuthias

Eating guide:

• Food group: vegetables and nuts.
• Lightly cooked/steamed veggies ensure the water content and enzymes are retained, both a must for good digestion and overall nourishment through food!
• Veggies are loaded with enzymes and high water content. They aid in digestion and act as a daily dose of vitamins and minerals.
• Nuts provide good fats and protein for the body.

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