This recipe has sacrilege written all over it. But if making Undhiyu has become a once a year affair, like it had for me, this is a good way to get the fix much more often. It is much faster, and way less elaborate, but still hits the spot. The other good thing about the recipe is that most components are optional, so you can keep simplifying it down to the ingredients you actually have on hand, and it'll still be a useful recipe. Of course, all of these ingredients do sing when put together.
For the muthiya (optional, but awesome): Mix together 1 cup of chopped fresh or frozen methi, 1 cup of coarse wheat flour (or use 3/4 cup roti atta + 1/4 cup sooji), 1/4 cup besan, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1/4 tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp coriander-cumin powder, big pinch of hing, 1 tsp sugar, salt to taste, 1 tbsp oil, 2 tbsp yoghurt (optional), and enough water to make a soft dough. Set aside while you prep the other vegetables. Then, roll into a thin long rope, and cut into small pieces with a knife. Quickly roll and press into small, thick disks (think about 3-4 stacked quarters). Deep fry in hot oil on medium flame and keep aside.
Veg prep: Peel around 5-6 small, white potatoes (I use the ones you get in Indian store for stuffing, but something like yukon gold would work just fine. If so, use 2 of them). Cut them into a large dice (~1/2 inch). Remove the stems of 4-5 baby eggplants (the smaller the better), and also dice them the same size as potatoes. I was lucky to have found this awesome purple sweet potato at whole foods, but if not, you can use regular sweet potato or frozen Ratalu (purple yam). Also peel and dice it. You can skip any of the veggies here that you don't have.
Other prep: Take out 1 cup of frozen tuvar lilva (also known as pigeon peas. I used vadilal brand, and it was quite good. If you can't find this, you could substitute frozen green peas), 1/2 cup of frozen chopped green garlic (or if you're lucky, you can find fresh spring garlic in the Spring at farmer's markets), 1/2 cup of frozen grated coconut, 1/2 cup of chopped fresh cilantro. Also prep some coarse paste of ginger and green chillies.
In a wide, shallow pan, heat 2 tbsp oil (preferably peanut oil) on medium heat, add a small pinch of ajwain, 1/4 tsp of hing (this recipe is more hing-forward than most other recipes), 1 tbsp of ginger-green chilli paste, and add the potatoes, sweet potatoes and eggplants. Saute for a minute or so. Add 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp red chilli powder (note that you also have green chillies, so you can skip this. Also skip if you're going to feed this to a person of Surti origin, cause they might be offended), 1 tbsp coriander-cumin powder, 1/2 tsp amchoor (optional), salt to taste and continue sauteing for another minute or so. Now add tuvar lilva, green garlic, cilantro and coconut. Add around 1 tsp sugar, and around half a cup of water. Mix everything, cover with a lid, and cook on a low heat for a few minutes. Add the fried muthiya, mix, cover and let cook for another 5-7 minutes, or until the veggies are fork tender. Sprinkle water as needed as the veggies are cooking. The final veggie should be relatively dry.
Serve with hot rotis, possibly some Jeeralu (it's a special Surti salt/spice mix), and some quick Shrikhand (greek yoghurt + sugar + cardamom powder + nutmeg powder + saffron. Mix everything very well till it gets shiny and add sliced almonds for garnish).
Don't ever tell your mom about this recipe if you still want to be on talking terms with her.
For the muthiya (optional, but awesome): Mix together 1 cup of chopped fresh or frozen methi, 1 cup of coarse wheat flour (or use 3/4 cup roti atta + 1/4 cup sooji), 1/4 cup besan, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1/4 tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp coriander-cumin powder, big pinch of hing, 1 tsp sugar, salt to taste, 1 tbsp oil, 2 tbsp yoghurt (optional), and enough water to make a soft dough. Set aside while you prep the other vegetables. Then, roll into a thin long rope, and cut into small pieces with a knife. Quickly roll and press into small, thick disks (think about 3-4 stacked quarters). Deep fry in hot oil on medium flame and keep aside.
Veg prep: Peel around 5-6 small, white potatoes (I use the ones you get in Indian store for stuffing, but something like yukon gold would work just fine. If so, use 2 of them). Cut them into a large dice (~1/2 inch). Remove the stems of 4-5 baby eggplants (the smaller the better), and also dice them the same size as potatoes. I was lucky to have found this awesome purple sweet potato at whole foods, but if not, you can use regular sweet potato or frozen Ratalu (purple yam). Also peel and dice it. You can skip any of the veggies here that you don't have.
Other prep: Take out 1 cup of frozen tuvar lilva (also known as pigeon peas. I used vadilal brand, and it was quite good. If you can't find this, you could substitute frozen green peas), 1/2 cup of frozen chopped green garlic (or if you're lucky, you can find fresh spring garlic in the Spring at farmer's markets), 1/2 cup of frozen grated coconut, 1/2 cup of chopped fresh cilantro. Also prep some coarse paste of ginger and green chillies.
In a wide, shallow pan, heat 2 tbsp oil (preferably peanut oil) on medium heat, add a small pinch of ajwain, 1/4 tsp of hing (this recipe is more hing-forward than most other recipes), 1 tbsp of ginger-green chilli paste, and add the potatoes, sweet potatoes and eggplants. Saute for a minute or so. Add 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp red chilli powder (note that you also have green chillies, so you can skip this. Also skip if you're going to feed this to a person of Surti origin, cause they might be offended), 1 tbsp coriander-cumin powder, 1/2 tsp amchoor (optional), salt to taste and continue sauteing for another minute or so. Now add tuvar lilva, green garlic, cilantro and coconut. Add around 1 tsp sugar, and around half a cup of water. Mix everything, cover with a lid, and cook on a low heat for a few minutes. Add the fried muthiya, mix, cover and let cook for another 5-7 minutes, or until the veggies are fork tender. Sprinkle water as needed as the veggies are cooking. The final veggie should be relatively dry.
Serve with hot rotis, possibly some Jeeralu (it's a special Surti salt/spice mix), and some quick Shrikhand (greek yoghurt + sugar + cardamom powder + nutmeg powder + saffron. Mix everything very well till it gets shiny and add sliced almonds for garnish).
Don't ever tell your mom about this recipe if you still want to be on talking terms with her.
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