Undhiyu

Name: Undhiyu
Total time: 3600 s
Yield: 6 persons
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 250 gms surti papdi/broad beans cleaned and split open; 250 gms fresh tuer beans/pigeon peas; 250 gms fresh peas; 10 peeled baby potatoes; 250 gms kand/purple yam peeled and chopped into 2 inch pieces; 250 gms sweet potato peeled and chopped into 2 inch pieces; 6-8 baby brinjal/aubergines with stem removed; 1 large bunch of fresh coriander finely chopped; 1 whole grated fresh coconut; 10-15 fresh green chillies ground to a paste; 1.5 inches fresh ginger grated/paste; 1/2 small bunch fresh garlic with greens finely chopped; Salt to taste; 2 tablespoons cooking oil; 1/2 teaspoon cooking soda; 2 tablespoons sugar; 1 teaspoon turmeric powder; 1/2 cup cooking oil; 1 tablespoon carom seeds; 1/2 teaspoon hing/asafoetida powder; 1 tablespoon fresh green chili + fresh ginger paste; 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh green garlic with its leaves; 1 tablespoon the seasoning mix (ingredients above); 2-3 glasses water as needed; 1/2 bunch or 1 cup finely chopped fresh Fenugreek leaves; 1/2 cup fresh coriander finely chopped; 1 cup gram flour/ besan; 1/2 cup semolina/rava; Salt to taste; 1 teaspoon sugar

Bijal @bijal

Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

"Undhiyu" is a Gujarati mixed vegetable dish that is a regional specialty of Surat, Gujarat, India. The name of this dish comes from the Gujarati word "undhu", which translates to upside down, since the dish is traditionally cooked upside down underground in earthen pots, termed "matlu", which are fired from above. - As per Wikipedia

For me it translates to heaven on a plate, comfort and mom's love (a bit cliché but, I only like the one she makes... All other recipes are pale in comparison for me). Interesting story... Every time my mom makes it she always has a long list of people to whom we have to send a portion to because they "love her undhiyu" secretly I hate it because then that means there's that much less of it for me to gorge on!

It's seasonal and traditionally in our house it's made almost every other Sunday between the festivals of Diwali and Holi as the different greens and vegetables used are of the best flavour and quality during this period. Earlier they were only available during this period but now although they're available pretty much all year round the quality is not always the best.

Bijal @bijal

Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Saved

Ingredients

1 hour approx.

6 persons

Vegetables
250 gmssurti papdi/broad beans cleaned and split open
250 gmsfresh tuer beans/pigeon peas
250 gmsfresh peas
10peeled baby potatoes
250 gmskand/purple yam peeled and chopped into 2 inch pieces
250 gmssweet potato peeled and chopped into 2 inch pieces
6-8baby brinjal/aubergines with stem removed
The masala/seasoning
1large bunch of fresh coriander finely chopped
1whole grated fresh coconut
10-15fresh green chillies ground to a paste
1.5 inchesfresh ginger grated/paste
1/2small bunch fresh garlic with greens finely chopped
Salt to taste
2 tablespoonscooking oil
1/2 teaspooncooking soda
2 tablespoonssugar
1 teaspoonturmeric powder
For Tempering/cooking
1/2 cupcooking oil
1 tablespooncarom seeds
1/2 teaspoonhing/asafoetida powder
1 tablespoonfresh green chili + fresh ginger paste
1 tablespoonfinely chopped fresh green garlic with its leaves
1 tablespoonthe seasoning mix (ingredients above)
2-3 glasseswater as needed
For Muthiya/steamed dough balls
1/2 bunchor 1 cup finely chopped fresh Fenugreek leaves
1/2 cupfresh coriander finely chopped
1 cupgram flour/ besan
1/2 cupsemolina/rava
Salt to taste
1 teaspoonsugar
1/2 teaspoonturmeric
1/2 tablespoonfresh green chillie paste
1 pinchcooking soda
2 tablespoonscooking oil

Saved

Steps

1 hour approx.

1

Wash, peel, chop and soak all the vegetables in water in readiness for the cooking
2

Take a large mixing bowl/pan and mix all the ingredients for the main masala/seasoning
3

With a light hand thoroughly mix all the masala/seasoning ingredients and taste check for balance of sweetness, saltiness and spice. It should be slightly salty to account for the vegetables not having any.
4

Split the masala/seasoning into two and mix all the green beans with 1 portion of the masala. Mixing should be done with a heavy hand such that the beans release some of their juices without being crushed
5

In a large thick bottomed pot heat oil for cooking/tempering and carom seeds.
6

Once oil is hot add hing, ginger-chilli paste, finely chopped fresh green garlic and 1 tablespoon of the seasoning mix and lightly fry for 30 secs
7

Now add the seasoned mixture of the green beans and mix well and allow it to cook on a medium or low flame with a lid on the pot.
8

With the remaining portion of the seasoning mix we will now prepare the rest of the vegetables.
Please note you must not be mixing or tossing the vegetables cooking in the pot from this point onwards.
Split the baby potatoes and brinjals half way through the middle and stuff the seasoning mix in them.
9

Now layer these stuffed potatoes and brinjals on the cooking green beans and close the lid again
10

Now take the sweet potatoes and the purple yam pieces and thoroughly season them with the remaining seasoning mix
11

Now layer the seasoned sweet potatoes and purple yam on top of the baby potatoes and brinjals and also put all the remaining seasoning mix left in the mixing bowl on top of the vegetables
12

Now put in roughly 1 glass of water and add more as needed until you see the water bubbling on the sides
13

Tightly shut the lid on the pot and allow the undhiyu to cook on a low/medium flame for 10 -15 mins
14

Now remove the lid and place a reverse water bath on top as shown in the image until the vegetables on the topmost layer have cooked and the whole house smells of the wonderful aromas of the undhiyu. This should take roughly around 20 mins. The water bath helps the food to cook without getting burnt and stuck at the bottom of the pot.
15

While the undhiyu vegetables are cooking away in the same mixing bowl/pan now take all the ingredients for the muthiya except gram flour and semolina and mix well with a heavy hand to release their juices. Do a taste test for salt, sugar and spice balance and ensure you account for the flour and semolina to be added next.
16

Now add all the semolina and the gram flour 1 spoon at a time while mixing it with a feather light hand....
17

...Just your finger tips.... As shown in the image below.
18

Once the ingredients are mixed well now make small little dough balls... Roughly the size of half a ping pong ball.
19

Now prepare a large wok or steaming vessel with hot water and steam the prepared dough balls as shown in the image...
20

...and allow them to cook with a lid for 15-20 mins until they change colour
21

By now the undhiyu should be cooked and lastly layer the prepared muthiya/dough balls on the top and the undhiyu is ready to serve.
22

If you plan to keep the undhiyu for more than a day it is advisable to deep fry the muthiya/dough balls instead of steaming them so that they do not get soggy and disintegrate.
23

Disclaimer: all the seasoning and spices are an estimated quantity because mom and I are more used to eyeballing and tasting along the way so we usually adjust each of them as and when needed.