Undhiyu

Undhiyu is a traditional dish from the Gujarat Region. It is prepared with many types of fresh vegetables that are found usually during the spring time. There are many ways to prepare this dish depending on the region in Gujarat where it is prepared like Surti Undhiyu, Kathiawadi Undhiyu etc. This is one variation of undhiyu that was loved by everyone in the family!

Ingredients:

For stuffing Potatoes and Brinjals:

Fresh grated Coconut – ½ cup

Red Chilli Powder – 1 tsp

Coriander Seed Powder – 1 tbsp

Cumin Seed Powder – 1 tbsp

Turmeric Powder – ¼ tsp

Sugar – 1 tbsp

Salt – to suit one’s taste

Roasted and coarsely crushed Peanuts – ¼ cup

Finely Chopped Cilantro – 4 tbsp

Oil – 1 tbsp

For Undhiyu:

Fresh Tur / Tuvar Dana – ¼ cup

Fresh Vaal Dana – ¼ cup

Fresh Green Chick Peas (Channa) – ¼ cup

Fresh Green Peas – ¼ cup

Surti Papdi (strings removed) – ½ cup

Valor Papdi (string removed) – ½ cup

Sweet Potatoes – 200 Gms (peeled and cut into cubes)

Suran (Elephant Yam) – 150 Gms (peeled and cut into cubes)

Kand (Purple Yam) – 200 Gms (peeled and cut into cubes)

Small Brinjals (Egg Plants) – 6

Small Potatoes – 4

Oil – 1/3 cup

Ajwain (Ova/ Omam / Carom Seeds) – 1 tsp

Asafoetida – 1 pinch

Ginger (1 Inch piece) + Green Chillies ( 4 ) – crushed together

Chili Powder – ½ tsp + 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder – ½ tsp

Coriander Seed Powder – 1 tsp

Sugar – 1 tsp

Eno Fruit Salt – ¼ tsp + ¼ tsp

Finely Chopped Cilantro – 2 tbsp

Salt – to suit one’s taste

Water – depending on the texture as required

Method:

Heat the Oil in a deep broad pan. Crackle Carom Seeds in it. Add Asafoetida and the crushed Ginger and Green Chillies. Cook for a minute in low flame. Add Tur Dana, fresh green Channa, and fresh Green Vatana. Stir well.

Add the stringed Valor and Surti Papdi. Mix well. Add ¼ tsp of Chili Powder, Turmeric Powder and Salt. Add Eno Fruit Salt. Stir well again. Add a cup of water. When it comes to a boil, simmer for 10 to 12 minutes in low flame.

In the meanwhile, let us prepare the stuffing for Brinjals and Potatoes.

Take the freshly grated Coconut and all the other ingredients given under ”For stuffing” in a mixing bowl. Mix them well with your hand.

Peel the Potatoes and cut them vertically with intact. Remove the stem of the Brinjals and slit the Brinjals vertically into 4 with the base intact.

Stuff the Brinjals and Potatoes with the stuffing we prepared and keep aside. Preserve the remaining stuffing for further use.

Open the pan and add the root vegetable – Suran, Kand and Potatoes. Add some Salt, Coriander Seed Powder, and a spoon of Red Chilli Powder. Add the stuffing which we preserved. Add 1 cup of water, Salt as required. ½ tsp of Sugar and stir them well. Now, arrange the stuffed Potatoes and Brinjals horizontally as shown in the video. It helps to cook the stuffed vegetables with the stuffing intact inside. Do not mix now. Place a lid and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes in medium flame. Flip each stuffed vegetable carefully without breaking them. And simmer for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add Cilantro and give a gentle mix.

The Undhiyu is ready for serving. Serve with Roti, Puri, Rice etc.

Note:

The quantity of sugar which we used will not sweeten the dish. But, if you want, you can add more Sugar. But, do not avoid it completely.

Add Salt, Red Chilli Powder and Eno Fruit Salt at different stages as given the recipe.

We can avoid Eno Fruit Salt, but then we have to cook very slowly which will take more time of approximately 2 to 2 ½ hours.

I tried making Undhiyu a few times. But, I could not get proper result till I followed the method which I explained above. It turned out to be a great dish.