SURTI UNDHIYU (सुर्ती उन्धीयू )

Undhiyu is one recipe which brings forth all the childhood memories in a flash. The first time it was introduced to me was as a child by our Gujrati neighbor Mrs. Taraben Mehta and I was instantly taken in by all the explosion of its subtle flavours.

Mostly it is made in winter as all the vegetables are available then. Making undhiyu is time consuming for sure but it is every bit worth the effort and if refrigerated it will last for a week.

SURTI UNDHIYU (सुर्ती उन्धीयू )

INGREDIENTS

VEGETABLES
Baby potatoes (peeled and cut in half)	¼ kg / 250 gms
Sweet potato (peeled and cut in 1 inch chunks)	150 gms
Purple yam (peeled and cut in 1 inch chunks and boiled)	150 gms
Baby brinjals (stem removed and slit in the center)	¼ kg / 250 gms
Bananas (ripe but firm, cut in 3 pieces per banana and slit in the center, keep the skin)	4 nos
Kattar papdi (stringed)	¼ kg / 250 gms
Surti papdi / Vaal papdi / field beans (stringed)	¼ kg / 250 gms
Green vaal / field beans (shelled)	¼ kg / 250 gms
Green tuvar beans / pigeon pea (shelled)	¼ kg / 250 gms
Green harbara / green gram (shelled)	¼ kg / 250 gms
Matar / Green peas (shelled)	½ kg / 500 gms
STUFFING MASALA
Fresh coconut scraped	1 cup
Chopped coriander leaves	1 cup
Green chilli paste	2 tbsp
Haldi / turmeric pdr	1 tbsp
Red Chilli pdr	3 tbsp
Dhania jeera pdr	4 ½ tbsp
Garam masala pdr	2 tbsp
sugar	4 tbsp
Roasted peanut pdr	3 tbsp
salt	T.T.
Oil	2 tbsp
METHI MUTHIYA
Methi leaves / fenugreek leaves	1 bunch
Rava / semolina	2 cups
Atta / wheat flour	2 cups
Besan / chickpea flour	1 cup
Haldi / turmeric pdr	1 tsp
Chilli pdr	4 tsp
Salt	T.T.
Sugar	¼ cup
Garam masala pdr	2 ½ tsp
Oil	½ cup + for deep frying
OTHER INGREDIENTS
Ajwain / ova / carom seeds	1 tbsp
Soda	1 tsp
Scraped fresh coconut (for garnish)	3 tbsp
Chopped coriander leaves (for garnish)	3 tbsp

METHOD:

METHI MUTHIYA

1.       Finely shred the methi leaves.

2.       Apply salt to the leaves. This accelerates the process of the leaves giving out its moisture.

3.       Rub into the methi leaves  all the masalas like haldi, chilli pdr and garam masala along with  the sugar and ½ cup oil.

4.       Mix it up to form a moist mixture.

5.       Now add to it the semolina, wheat flour and besan. Rub the flours and the methi leaves mixture into each other well.

6.       Add little water so that it forms stiff but pliable dough.

7.       Make small baton like rolls of 1 inch X ½ inch thickness.

8.       Deep fry them in hot oil on medium heat till golden brown but cooked till the centre.

9.       Remove and store.

10.   These muthiya’s can be prepared 1 day in advance before making the undhiyu.

STUFFING MASALA

11.   Mix all the ingredients together.

12.   Stuff this mixture as much as possible into the slits made in the brinjals and bananas making sure you press the stuffing well in but they do not break open.

13.   Deep fry all the root vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes and purple yam till golden brown. Rub this remaining masala over them.

PREPARING UNDHIYU

14.   Heat around 2 cup oil in a heavy bottomed pan with a fitting lid. You can use the same oil used to fry the muthiya and the root vegetables.

15.   Fry a little the stuffed brinjals till they go soft. Remove and keep aside.

16.   In the same oil now add the ajwain and the soda. Immediately add in all the shelled and stringed beans.

17.   Sauté a little and add in water (approx ½ litre) and ¼ tsp salt. The water should be to the level of the vegetables. Cover and simmer for 10 – 15 min.

18.   Now add in all the deep fried root vegetables with all the remaining masala. Cover and simmer again for 10 min.

19.   At this point if you feel that most of the water has evaporated then add in some more hot water till half the level of the vegetables.

20.   Now arrange on top the brinjals, methi muthiyas and finally stuffed bananas on top.

21.   Now do not mix at all. Cover and simmer for 10 – 15 minutes till the muthiyas are cooked and they have absorbed the moisture.

22.   Switch off the flame but leave the pan covered for 15 – 20 min more.

23.   Serve hot with chapattis or eat it on its own. That’s how I like to eat it and that too the next day.

24.   This recipe is for around 10 – 12 people so adjust your quantity accordingly. To make for 4 pax you can use around 100 gms of each vegetable.

25.   Use salt sparingly as even a little excess salt may ruin the entire effort.

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