Undhiyu

Undhiyu is a Gujarati mixed vegetable dish. It is a winter specialty. It is originated in Surat, Gujarat. Vegetables having vibrant texture and colour like purple yam and plantain along with different kinds of peas are used in this dish. All the vegetables are cooked together in rich coconut and coriander paste. The use of different kinds of vegetables gives Undhiyu it’s unique taste. This dish is generally consumed with puri or plain white rice. This dish requires good amount of preparation as well as cooking time. But one bite of it and you will know all the efforts were worth it.

Ingredients:

Undhiyu

Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Servings 10 People

Ingredients
  

  • 100 Gm Baby Potatoes
  • 100 Gm Sweet Potatoes
  • 100 Gm Purple Yam
  • 2 Plantain Banana
  • 100 Gm Surti Brinjal
  • 100 Gm Lilva Beans
  • 100 Gm Pigeon Beans (Tur)
  • 100 Gm Surti Papdi
  • 100 Gm Leelu Lasun (fresh garlic)
  • 2 Cup Fenugreek (Methi) leaves
  • 5 Cup Bunch Coriander Leaves
  • 2 Cup Freshly Grated Coconut
  • 1 Tbsp Ajwain Seeds
  • 1/2 Tsp Turmeric Powder
  • 1/2 Tbsp Red Chili Powder
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp Coriander Powder
  • 1 Tbsp Cumin Powder
  • 5 Black Peppercorns
  • 5 Cloves
  • 2 Inch Cinnamon Stick
  • 5 Nagkesar
  • 1 Star Anise
  • 2 Cup Oil (1 cup for frying and 1 cup for cooking)
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp Sugar
  • 4 Green Chilies
  • 2 Inch Ginger
  • 1 Cup Gram Flour
  • 1 Small Lemon
  • 1 Tbsp Cumin Seeds
  • 1/2 Tsp Asafoetida
  • Salt

Instructions
 

  • Peel lilva beans and remove the peas from inside.
  • Peel the pigeon (tur) beans and remove the peas from inside.
  • Peel surti papdi. Remove all the threads from the sides. Open the pod.
  • Peel the outer covering of leelu (fresh garlic).
  • Par boil baby potatoes until they are fork tender and peel them.
  • Cut sweet potatoes (about 2 inch size) and par boil them until they are fork tender and peel them.
  • Peel and cut plantain banana and purple yam (about 2 inch size).
  • Make 4 cuts to surti brinjal. 
  • In a kadhai (small pot) heat about 1 cup of oil and deep fry all the vegetables on medium heat till they are golden brown.

Prepare Muthiya:

  • Finely chop fenugreek leaves.
  • Mix 1/2 tbsp coriander powder, 1/2 tbsp cumin powder, 1/2 tbsp red chili powder, 1/2 tbsp ajwain, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1 cup gram flour, salt and fenugreek leaves.
  • Knead the dough. Do not add any water as the moisture from fenugreek leaves will be sufficient. If the dough is too dry to make muthiya add very little water.
  • Make small oval shaped muthia.
  • Deep fry them in the same oil.

Prepare Garam Masala:

  • Grind start anise, nagkesar, clove, black pepper, cinnamon to a fine powder consistency.
  • Add 1 tbsp coriander powder and 1/2 tbsp cumin powder.

Prepare coriander and coconut paste:

  • Grind grated fresh coconut, leelu (fresh) garlic, ginger, green chili, coriander leaves.
  • Squeeze juice of 1 lemon and add to the above paste. 
  • Add 1/2 tbsp ajwain and pulse it for 2 times just to crush the ajwain seeds. Don't over grind as it will make the paste taste hot.

Prepare Undhiyu:

  • In a big pot heat 1 cup oil on medium heat.
  • Add 1 tbsp cumin seeds.
  • When the cumin seeds starts to sputter add 1/2 tsp asafoetida.
  • Add pigeon, lilva peas and surti papdi and fry for 10 minutes.
  • Add all the fried vegetables and coconut and coriander paste to the pot.
  • Add muthiya and mix. 
  • Add garam masala powder.
  • Add sugar and salt and mix. Turn off the burner after 10 minutes.

Notes

Instead of buying lilva and fresh pigeon whole beans you can directly buy their peas to save time.
During winter, in India you typically get all the Undhiyu vegetables from one vendor.