Undhiyu / Oondhiyu - A Gujarati's favorite meal

I am ecstatic today. I made Undhiyu from scratch and it was tasty. Decadently, aromatically, wholesomely tasty. And it was easier than I thought.
Also I finished 200 posts on my blog. Lets celebrate with Undhiyu - the pinnacle of Gujarati food and a celebration of winter vegetables. Portion below makes 8 servings.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup green peas
3/4 cup green tuver seeds
1/4 kilo valol (type of bean)
1/4 kilo Surti papdi (type of bean)
10 pieces small potatoes
10 pieces small brinjal (purple or green)
1/2 kilo cauliflower
1/2 cup oil (more the merrier)
3 sticks cinnamon, 2 inches long
6-8 cloves
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds

For the stuffing masala

1/2 cup chopped ginger
8-10 green chilies
3/4 cup grated coconut (fresh or dessicated)
2 cups coriander leaves
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
Salt

For methi na gota

1 bunch fresh methi about 1 cup after plucking leaves
3/4 cup besan (gramflour)
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin - coriander powder (dhania-jeera)
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Oil to fry
Water to bind
Salt

Vegetable Prep

Thoroughly wash all the vegetables. Remove the top and bottom ends of the valol and papdi along with the thick side thread. Cut into thirds. Peel the potatoes. Make slits on top and bottom (to form an X shape). Cut the stalk from the brinjal and make slits similar to the potatoes. Cut the cauliflower into florets.

Making the masala

Grind the ginger and chilies into a fine paste. Add water while grinding if needed. Keep aside 1 tablespoon of this paste to add directly to vegetables later. Thoroughly wash and then finely chop the coriander. Mix everything with the coconut, add lemon, sugar and salt. Check and adjust seasoning.

Stuff this masala into the potatoes and brinjal. Save the remaining masala for cooking.

Cooking the Undhiyu

Take a heavy bottomed deep vessel. Heat the oil in it. Add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, cinnamon and cloves. When they start to crackle, add the peas and tuver. Also add both the beans. Add 1/2 cup of water, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Open, stir and add the potatoes in a layer on the top. Add another 1/2 cup of water and cook till the potatoes are half cooked, about 5-7 minutes. Now add the brinjal and cauliflower and cook for 10 minutes till everything is cooked.

Cooking the methi na gota

While you are cooking the vegetables, heat oil in a separate wok. In a bowl add the flour, spices and methi and with the help of water make a thick consistency batter. Add either 2 tablespoons of hot oil or a pinch of baking soda and mix thoroughly again. Make small muthiya / gota, deep fry them and keep aside. (For a more detailed recipe go here - methi na gota)

To finish

When all the vegetables are cooked, add the salt, turmeric powder, cumin-coriander powder, ginger - chili paste and the stuffing masala and mix well. Cover and cook for a minute on low heat. Now add the muthiyas. Mix with a gentle hand and cover and cook again for 2 minutes on low heat.

Undhiyu is now ready. Serve hot with pooris, rotis or paranthas.

Notes:

You can add green bananas, sweet potatoes and yam too. I don't eat these, so I skipped them. Add them along with the potatoes after cutting them in large pieces. Leave the skin of banana intact.

For even faster cooking, skip the stuffing and just chop the brinjal and potatoes in half.

All vegetable quantities are approximate. You can add more or less as per taste.