A Gujrati speciality. Not easy but definitely worth the effort!
Best served on Sunday mornings for Undhiya parties with shrikhand and puris. (See Jain variation at the end)
Have followed recipe by Tarla Dalal
INGREDIENTS:
Surti Dana papdi (very seasonal, available only in December and January) Ratlam potatoes (special baby potatoes) Sweet potatoes Small baingan (brinjal) Bananas (both raw or ripe is ok if ripe, they should be firm) Tur and Vaal seeds (Surti papdi dana) Kand (purple kand) Fresh Coconut Corriander Fresh green ginger (available only in this season) Ajwain (carom seeds) Baking soda (preferably not Eno) Green chilli paste Ginger paste Red chilli powder Dhaniya jeera powder Hing (Asafoetida) Salt Oil
METHOD
Most important: ask your vegetable vendor to give you undhiyoon veggies for say 1 kg. They will give the veggies in the correct proportion. And ask for 100 gms of tur and vaal seeds separately. Also ask them to give the papdi peeled, since peeling papdi takes a long time!
METHOD: Take the 1 1/2 cup Surti papdi (stringed and cut vertically) and half of the Surti papdi seeds in a flat dish. Then add salt, 1tsp ajwain and a pinch baking soda. Mix it well and let it rest for 30min. This will soften the papdi.
MUTHIYA PREPARATION: Now you can make the muthiyas. In a deep bowl, mix 1 1/2 cup of washed and finely chopped methi leaves with 1/2 cup of besan and 1/4 cup wheat flour. Add haldi powder, red chilli powder, salt, 1tsp ginger-green chilli paste and 1 tsp of sugar (to reduce methi's bitter taste). Then add 3 tbsp oil, to make muthiyas soft, some water to make the batter ready.
Now lightly grease your palms with oil and roll the muthiyas between you palms. Then deep fry them (ideally in a non-stick pans since it soaks less oil) for just about 30 seconds so that they are golden brown on all sides. Remember, you want the muthiyas to be soft, not crispy. Drain excess oil on absorbent paper.
MASALA PREPARATION: In a deep pan, mix 1/2 cup of freshly grated coconut with 3-4 cup of finely chopped corriander leaves. Then add 2tbsp finely chopped fresh green garlic, salt, 1tbsp sugar, 1tbsp dhaniya jeera powder, 1tsp lemon, 1 1/2 red chilli powder, 1tsp green chilli paste, and salt to taste.
VEGETABLE PREPARATION: Cut off stem of 5-6 baby brinjals, make cross cut on top and stuff with masala. Take 3 medium-sized bananas and cut each into 3 pieces. Then cut each piece vertically and stuff with masala. Peel baby potatoes and make a small cross cut on top and stuff with masala. Also cut pieces of purple yam (kand) and sweet potatoes. Now add all the vegetables to the masala and toss well.
To start cooking vegetables, heat oil in a wide pressure cooker, add ajwain seeds and let it cook on a medium flame. Then add hing and let it sizzle. Then add Surti padi, vegetables with masala and the remaining Surti papdi seeds. If the bananas are raw, then you can add them at this time. If they are ripe, then you have to add them later. Then in 1/4 cup of water, mix salt, haldi powder, dhaniya-jeera powder and sugar and mix well. Add this water over masala vegetables in the pressure and let it cook for 2 whistles. Allow steam to escape before opening it. (Please ensure that there is enough oil and water to prevent it from sticking to the bottom)
Now transfer, all the vegetables from the cooker to a wide non-stick pan. You can add muthiyas. In case you had used ripe bananas, you can the the stuffed ripe bananas now (You may want to add some oil to prevent it from sticking or drying). Cover it and let it cook for 10 minutes. Mix gently. Your undhiyu is ready!
Garnish with finely chopped fresh garlic (hara lasun). Enjoy it hot with shrikhand and puri!!
JAIN VARIATION In the Jain version, you can skip all the underground vegetables (potatoes and kand), ginger and fresh garlic). Instead it can be made with just Surti papdi, stuffed brinjals and stuffed bananas. The masala of coconut and corriander leaves can be the same. And trust me the taste will still be just as good!
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