Undhiyu /Gujarath special / winter vegetables

If I miss on eating this any winter then I have missed winter completely. As much as I look forward to the fresh berries, fruits, green peas during winter, I also eagerly wait for the Surti papdis, kand, fresh fenugreek so that I can make a pot full of undhiyu. This is quintessentially family affair. You cannot plan this activity alone even before, during or after the making of this recipe. Each phase you need company.
To discuss the quality of the ingredients, to talk about the aromas that fill the kitchen and most importantly to taste the product and later oooh and aahh about it.


This time, I picked up all the veggies fresh from market, just about enough for a nuclear family. Then I realized that it will not satiate my appetite to cook and eat. One call to mom and she promptly joined me in an hour's time. She went to market picked her share of the vegetables and came straight to my place.
Together we compared our picks, discussed and collaborated to make a grand affair. It took us 4 hours in total as we did all activities from scratch. We also chatted , munched had our tea in between (or to think of it now, we also prepared Undhiyu between our chatting session). The point is that do not panic, as you can easily do the job in bits and pieces , like cleaning of veggies can happen over few days, the muthiyas can be made a day ahead , the masala can be made a day ahead etc.


* Disclaimer - My version of Undhiyu is close the to the Surat speciality which is less sweet and more spicy. Also I do not add fresh coconut as I think it overpowers the taste, you can add more jaggery and fresh coconut to suit your palette





Ingredients (for 6-8 servings)
150 gms Hyacinth Beans/ Surti papdi
150 gms Fresh Pigeon Peas / Tuvar 
150 gms Fresh Beans/ Papdi
100 gms Green peas
2 Raw Banana/ Plantains
200 gms baby potatoes
150 gms Purple Yam/ Kand
150 gms Sweet Potato
150 gms Small Purple Brinjals
2 tspn Carrom Seeds
1.5 tspn Garam Masala
1 tbsp Jaggery
1 tspn turmeric
2 tspn Coriander+ Cumin Powder
1 cup Oil to cook (Yeah!)
for muthiyas
1 bunch of fresh Fenugreek Leaves/ Methi
3/4 cup Bajra Flour/ Chickpea flour (I used Bajra flour with 1 tbsp Chickpea flour)
2 tbsp Undhiyu Masala (recipe to below)
salt to taste
Oil to deep fry
for masala
2 cups of fresh Coriander leaves(stalks included)
1 bunch of Fresh Garlic / Hari lasun (roots discarded)
6-8 green chillies (more or less depending on the variety you pick)
Method
1) Prepare the masala, by grinding all the ingredients (post washing and cleaning) using no water as far as possible. 
2) Clean all the vegetables under water. 
3) For hyacinth beans, you use the shell and the peas both.
4) Fresh beans, Pigeon peas, you have to discard the shell.
5) Wash the beans, peas and run them under tap water. Let it drain
6)Wash the baby potatoes well and scrub the skin. I remove the skin , you can leave it if you like. Prick the potatoes with a fork. Keep them soaked in water
7) Wash the baby brinjals well. Remove the sharp edges of the stalk , do not cut them off. Slit the brinjals but dont cut them apart. Keep them soaked in water
8) Wash the bananas, yam, sweet potatoes. Peel the skin. Chop them roughly and set aside
9)In a large basin, take all the vegetables, keep the beans separate if possible. Add the green masala (keep aside 2 tspn), carrom seeds and rub all the vegetables well. This will tenderize the vegetables and also infuse the flavors well.
10) Take the fenugreek leaves and discard the stalks. Chop the leaves roughly. Wash it under tap water and let it drain in a colander.
11) Squeeze off the excess water. 
12) In a large bowl, take the fenugreek leaves, bajra flour, salt to taste, 2 tspn of Green masala. Add more flour if required and mix until it becomes dough like.
13) Make small balls of the fenugreek dough.
14) In a deep dish, heat oil on high. Reduce it to medium heat and deep fry the fenugreek balls until they are crisp and golden brown. These are called muthiyas. Set aside
15) In a large wok, heat 1 cup of oil(or more), add the brinjals, potatoes, yams first.Do not stir, keep medium heat
16)After 2 min, add the rest of the vegetables (beans, plantains). Cover it as layer on the other vegetables.
17)Add the garam masala, coriander-cumin seeds,turmeric on top.
18)Cover and let it cook for 10 min on low flame.
19) Stir after this and let it cook on medium flame until all the vegetables are cooked. The brinjals and beans may take the longest time. So check for their doneness.
20) Add salt and jaggery as per taste and stir well.


Serve with masala puri/ phukas or as it topped with nylon sev.










Comments

Indrani said…
Nice Recipe...thanks for linking it to event dear
Archana said…
Its been ages since I ate this. Love this veggie a lot.
Unknown said…
Never heard about this dish - Always good to learn about different dishes :) nice one dear!
Hema said…
An awesome dish, I am yet to try it out, always putting it off for the same reason, the lengthy process..
Amila said…
Look so delicious & mouthwatering. I like this spicy appearance ….Thanks a lot for sharing with Hot & Spicy Treats

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