Undhiyu Recipe | Undhiyo Recipe | Surti Undhiyu

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Undhiyu is a famous winter specialty from the Gujarat region. It is cooked by combining all the green vegetables and many tubers which are majorly available in the winter. This mix of savory preparations includes many types of beans, pods, vegetables, and besan (gram flour) dumplings cooked together to create a rich preparation.

As winter is the time we get many vegetables missed around the year, preparing Undhiyu once is a must to cherish the flavors across the year. Some more winter delicacies to enjoy are Bajre ki Khichdi | Pearl Millet Khichdi, Sarson ka Saag, and Gajar Ka Halwa (Carrot Halwa).

Traditional Surti Undhiyu served with puris

The first time I ate undhiyu was in Thali serving restaurants like Rajdhani and Panchvati Gaurav in Pune. The true taste for it was introduced 2 years ago by Vanisha when she taught us how to make it at home. Since then I have made it a point to make once a year during the season.

Colorful vegetables, including potatoes, yam, and beans to make Undhiyu
Vegetables being grinded to make delicious Undhiyo

Undhiyu is a seasonal vegetable with coarse gravy, which is primarily eaten during the months of December to February. It requires plenty of fresh greens and local vegetables. A lot of roots and greens are brought together to give a unique flavor and rich taste to the dish.

Top view of Undhiyu balls served with pooris
Grinded vegetables being coated on the brinjal

You may not find all greens in your local region, then use any fresh beans or green legumes available in your region.

Fried eggplants to make delicious undhiyu
Step by step process of making surti undhiyu

The dish is not difficult but requires plenty of time to bring together each ingredient, so it may be best if you can prepare the various ingredients 1-2 days in advance. Making the complete recipe at one time is not only time-consuming but very tiring as well. eg Muthias can be fried one day in advance and stored refrigerated. Similarly, yam, potato, and sweet potatoes can be fried ahead and stored. All veggies can be cleaned and set aside early. I also made green paste a day in advance and refrigerated.

Close up view of a plate full of undhiyu balls
Serving of Undhiyu with a side of  hot fried puris

Do not over-mix the vegetables when cooking together. It will break all the veggies and the dish will not look appealing.

It is best to use surati papadi and purple yam but both are not available easily outside of Gujarat, so I used valor papadi and regular yam.

Close up view of coated brinjals with the grinded vegetables

250 grams may seem a lot to you, but this dish tastes good only when made in a bigger batch. You can try out with a minimum of 100 grams of each ingredient if you prefer. Anything lesser will really not justify the dish. A generous portion helps the vegetables to soak in flavor.

A bowl of Surti Undhiyu with visible chunks of vegetables and spices

The amount of oil used in the recipe is based on your taste or preference. Traditionally lot of oil is used, but I have tried to use the minimum that I could. You can bake root vegetables to reduce oil consumption in the dish, for this recipe I have deep-fried them but next year I will definitely bake them instead of frying them.

Fried vegetables to make surti undhiyu

I also boil water separately and add it to the dish if by the end I feel it has become too dry.

It is primarily served with pooris and hot jalebis. Recently, I came across a Gujarati family that enjoys it with pooris and aamras.

Undhiyu in a large serving dish, showing the rich, thick gravy and mixed vegetables

Though undhiyu is amazing in taste but a nightmare for a photographer with all the veggies mixing and competing for attention. There are too many components to do justice in one image, so I have taken step-by-step photos of each ingredient.

Easy Steps to Make Undhiyu/ Undhiyo at Home

Undhiyu

Undhiyu is a famous winter specialty from Gujrat region. It is cooked by combining all the green vegetables and many tubers which are majorly available in the winters.
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time2 hours
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: Vegetable
Servings: 12 people

Ingredients

for muthiya

  • cup gramflour besan
  • ¼ cup whole wheat flour
  • ¼ cup semolina sooji
  • 1 bunch fenugreek leaves washed & chopped
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp red chili powder
  • 5 tsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder haldi
  • 2 tsp sugar granulated
  • ¼ tsp asafetida hing
  • ½ tsp all spice powder garam masala
  • to taste salt
  • vegetable oil for frying

for green paste

  • 250 gram green lilva tur fresh pigeon peas, shelled
  • 250 gram green peas shelled
  • 1 bunch fresh cilantro fresh corainder
  • 2 inches fresh ginger
  • 5-6 green chili
  • 4 tsp coriander powder dhania powder
  • to taste salt & sugar

for the roots

  • 250 gram potatoes cubed into small pieces
  • 250 gram sweet potato cubed into small pieces
  • 250 gram purple yam cubed into small pieces
  • 250 gram small aubergine brinjal
  • 250 gram raw banana

for the legumes

  • 250 gram fresh val shelled
  • 250 gram surati papdi broad beans, string & split the side till the end but do not separate
  • 250 gram valor papdi fava beans, string and shell
  • 2 tsp carom seed ajwain
  • ½ tsp asafetida hing
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder haldi
  • to taste oil, salt & red chili powder

Instructions

to make muthiyas

  • In a big bowl, add gram flour, wheat flour and semolina. Whisk well. To the flour mix add chopped fenugreek leaves, red chili powder, turmeric powder, asafoetida, sugar, all spice powder and salt. Mix baking soda in 1 teaspoon of oil and to the dough along with remaining oil. Knead it into slightly sticky dough. Divide the dough into small balls and shape them into oval shape. Deep fry the balls till nice deep golden brown. Set aside

to make green paste

  • Coarsely grind ginger and green chili. Remove from the grinder jar and set aside. Now briefly pulse tur dal, green peas and fresh coriander along with salt, sugar and coriander powder. You do not want fine paste but just crushed small bits of peas and tur. Mix this with earlier ground ginger and chili paste. Set aside for filling it.

for the roots

  • Chop potatoes, sweet potatoes, yam into small bite sized pieces. Deep fry potatoes, sweet potatoes and yam till tender. You can even bake them to make it healthier. Break val, papadi and valore also in bite sized pieces. Set aside.
  • Slit aubergine and raw banana just uptil the end without breaking them apart. Take green paste and stuff it in the slits. You may have leftover paste, reserve it.
  • Heat oil in a big vessel or wok, add ajwain, asafoetida, turmeric and red chili powder. Add filled aubergine, raw banana and all other veggies except muthias. Add remaining green paste. You may need to add little water, the consistency of the dish is dry but at the same time moist. Allow the veggies to cook till tender. In the end, add muthias and mix them gently in the prepared dish.

Notes

  1. Do not over mix the vegetable when cooking together. It will break all the veggies and the dish will not look appealing.
  2. You can prepare the various ingredients 1-2 days in advance. Making the complete recipe at one time is not only time consuming but very tiring as well. eg Muthias can be fried one day in advance and stored refrigerated. Similarly, yam, potato and sweet potatoes can be fried ahead and stored. All veggies can be cleaned and set aside early. I also made green paste a day in advance and refrigerated.
  3. It is best to use surati papadi and purple yam but both are not available easily outside of Gujarat, so I used valore papadi and regular yam.
  4. 250 grams may seem a lot to you, but this dish tastes good only when made in bigger batch. You can try out with minimum of 100 grams of each ingredient if you prefer. Anything lesser will really not justify the dish. A generous portion helps the vegetables to soak in flavor.
  5. The amount of oil used in recipe is based on your taste or preference. Traditionally lot of oil is used, I have tried to use minimum that I could.
  6. You can bake root vegetables to reduce oil consumption in the dish, for this recipe I have deep fried them but next year I will definitely bake them instead of frying.
  7. I also boil water separately and add to the dish if by the end I feel it has become too dry.

Join the Conversation

  1. Jyoti Mulani says:

    Why didn’t you used coconut for filling ?

  2. Jyoti, the person who taught me doesn’t use coconut. Also, most places I’ve eaten Undhiyu in Pune also doesn’t use coconut. You can add coconut if you wish.

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