Undhiyu

Uttarayan: winter solstice... is marked by the harvest festival all over India. Makarsankranti, Pongal, Lohri...everyone in India celebrates this festival with family, food, and fun. In Mumbai, we celebrate Makarsankranti which is the kite festival. The entire family gets together to fly kites and eat delicious food (which would include snack and sweet). Chikki or crisps made of til or sesame seeds and jaggery are considered perfect for the climate. Sesame seeds and jaggery keep the body warm and protect one from harsh winter. 

It is this time of the year that fresh seasonal veggies are harvested and are available for few months to be enjoyed. Yes, fresh green veggies and yams are available in bulk, and so it is the perfect time to prepare a Gujarati delicacy, Undhiyu. Although I am away from home, this day is always remembered and celebrated!!

Check out my post on Matlo Undhiyu and Ponk. These are famous picnic recipes for this season.

If you are interested in enjoying Gujarati Undhiyu and Ponk, do sign up for the celebration and picnic at the BAYVP temple.

So here is how I make my quick undhiyu on busy days:

Ingredients:

1 cup val papdi

1 cup tuvar lilva

1 cup surti papdi

1/2 kg purple yam (fresh or frozen)

1/2 kg potatos (or baby potatoes)

3-4 eggplants

2 cups shredded coconut (fresh or frozen)

2-3 green chillies

3-4 cloves garlic (or fresh green garlic)

1 inch ginger

1 cup chopped cilantro

1/2 tbsp. turmeric

1-2 tbsp. red chilli powder (ot to taste)

1 cup cooking oil

2-3 cups water

salt to taste

• Cut Purple yam and 3-4 Potatoes into large pieces.
• Slit baby eggplants and slightly raw banana (if using bananas).
• Clean tuvar, valor, and papdi, and place into a plate or a bowl with salt and 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder.
• Mince 4 cloves of garlic, 2 green chillies, and 1 inch ginger.  Mix 1 cup shredded coconut with the minced ginger-garlic-green chilli. Keep this mixture aside. 
• Mix 1 cup shredded coconut with finely chopped cilantro. Add 1 tsp. salt, 1 tbsp. red chilli powder, 2 tbsp. coriander powder. Mix well. This mixture is used to stuff veggies like slit eggplant, slit baby potatoes, slit bananas. Keep extra masala mixture aside.
• Heat 1 cup oil in a large pan. Saute coconut and ginger- garlic-green chilli paste for a minute.
• Add cut yam and potatoes to the pan. Add a tsp. of salt and mix well.
• Add tuvar, valor, papdi to potatoes. Spread them evenly.
• Add 1 cup water, cover and let the veggies cook for 8-10 minutes.
• Uncover and mix the veggies.
• Add stuffed eggplant and bananas to the cooking veggies. Cover and cook for another 8-10 minutes.
• Uncover and mix well. 
• Add remaining coconut-cilantro-spice masala to the veggies. Add more chilli powder and coriander powder if needed. Mix well.
• Add 1/2 cup water. Cover and cook the veggies for another 8-10 minutes.
• Undhiyu is ready to serve with fresh phulka roti or puri.

Here is the picturial recipe:

Tuvar(pigeon peas), Valor, Papdi.

Away from my country, I use freshly frozen veggies that come from India, and I love them.

 

Fresh Purple yam! This is not purple potato...it is yam or Kandh!

Here are the veggies my family loves in undhiyu.

Purple yam cut into large pieces. 3-4 Potatoes cut into large pieces, baby eggplants.

1 cup each or valor, papdi and tuvar.

Most important ingredient to make masala is shredded coconut (2 cups) and cilantro (hand full) with various spices. 

Mince 4 cloves of garlic, 2 green chillies, and 1 inch ginger. 

Mix 1 cup shredded coconut with the minced ginger-garlic-green chilli.

Keep this mixture aside.

Mix 1 cup shredded coconut with finely chopped cilantro. Add 1 tsp. salt, 1 tbsp. red chilli powder, 2 tbsp. coriander powder. Mix well. This mixture is used to stuff veggies.

Slit and stuff veggies with coconut-coriander mixture.

Baby Eggplants, Bananas, baby potatoes can be stuffed.

Keep the excess mixture aside. You will use it later.

Heat 1 cup oil in a large pan. Saute coconut and ginger- garlic-green chilli paste for a minute.

Add in 1 tsp. turmeric powder. 

Start by placing large veggies at the bottom. 

Potatoes and yam.

Add salt to taste and mix them well.

To all the green veggies: add salt and pinch of turmeric powder. Mix well.
Adding salt to various veggies will ensure even distribution of salt.

Add them to potatoes and yam.

Spread them on the top, and add a cup of water. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.

Uncover and mix the veggies.

Now add veggies like egg plant and banana which does not take much time to cook. Place them in between other cooking veggies. Cover and cook again for 8-10 minutes.

Uncover and mix well.

Add remaining coconut-cilantro and spice mixture.

Add red chilli powder and coriander powder to make it more spicy to your taste.

Mix well.

Add 1/2 cup water. Cover and let the veggies cook.

Since this was the quick version of Undhiyu, I did not add fried muthia to it. You could add fried muthia at this time and let them cook for another 8-10 minutes.

Undhiyu is ready to be served with puri or phulka rotis.

I don't like my undhiyu to be very oily and over cooked. I prefer the veggies cooked while they still maintain their shape and color. I like to refrigerate and enjoy this veggie for 2-3 days.

Enjoy this Gujarati Delicacy, Undhiyu!!

Quick Shopping List to make Undhiyu for 4-6 people:

1 cup Val Papdi

1 cup Tuvar lilva

1 cup Surti Papdi

1/2 kg purple yam

1/2 kg potatoes

3-4 baby brinjals/eggplants

2 cups shredded coconut

2-3 green chillies

3-4 cloves garlic

1 inch ginger

1 cup chopped cilantro

1/2 tbsp. turmeric

1-2 tbsp. red chilli powder (spice to taste)

2-3 tbsp. coriander powder (to taste)

1 cup cooking oil 

2-3 cups of water

Salt to taste