Uttarayan 2024: How To Make the Traditional Gujarati Undhiyu for Uttarayan

Undhiyu is the iconic dish of Gujarati cuisine, appearing on menus for winter weddings, undhiyu festivities, and Uttarayan as a must-have delicacy. When the rest of the country celebrates Makar Sankranti, in Gujarat it has a different version, i.e., Uttarayan. For the Uttarayan, the Indian kite festival, undhiyu, is a must-have delicacy. This dish is a pride of the Gujaratis, who claim to use more than 15 seasonal vegetables in its preparation. This flavorful, one-pot wonder is a celebration of the season's bounty and a tradition that's passed down through generations. It's a true reflection of grandma's culinary love.

INGREDIENTS (for vegetables)

2 cups of chopped Surti papdi
1/2 cup of fresh peas
8-10 small brinjals
10-12 baby potatoes
1 sweet potato (medium-sized)
1 raw, unripe banana
150 gms of purple yam

INGREDIENTS (for methi muthia)

1 cup of finely chopped methi leaves
A pinch of baking soda
1 cup of besan
Ginger-chili paste (as per your taste)
1/4 tsp of turmeric powder
1/2 tsp of dhania-jeera powder
1/2 tsp of oil
1 tsp of sugar
1/2 tsp of salt
1 tbsp of lemon juice
1 tbsp of water

INGREDIENTS (for green masala)
1/2 cup of grated coconut
3 tbsp of chopped coriander leaves
2 tbsp of sesame seeds
1 tsp of ginger paste
1 1/2 tsp of garlic paste
1/2 tbsp of green chili paste
1/2 tsp of turmeric powder
1/2 tsp of dhaniya-jeera powder
1 tbsp of lemon juice
Pinch of salt and sugar
INGREDIENTS (for tempering)
1/2 tsp of ajwain
1/2 tsp of jeera
1/8 tsp of hing
1/2 cup of water
4 tbsp of oil

METHOD

Begin preparing the vegetables by cleaning the papdi, peeling the potatoes, and cutting the purple yam as well as the upper part of the brinjal.

To prepare methi muthia, mix all the ingredients and let it rest for 10 minutes. The consistency of the mixture should be sticky for the muthias to become soft. Rub some oil on your palm and shape them.

Begin preparing the green masala mixture by mixing all the ingredients and adding salt, sugar, and lemon juice as per your taste.

Make a criss-cross cut on brinjals and potatoes and stuff it with the green masala mixture.

To cook undhiyu, add oil to the pressure cooker and add ajwain and cumin seeds. Add hing, fresh peas, papdi, and leftover paste. Stir the mixture and saute for 3 minutes.

Keep the cooker on low to medium heat and make a layer of beans at the bottom. Add purple yams, chopped raw banana, and sweet potato. Add 1/4 of coconut masala evenly and add stuffed brinjals and potatoes along with 1/2 cup of water from the sides.

Without mixing or stirring, place the muthias gently on the layer and add 2-3 pinches of salt. Cover the pressure cooker and let it cook on medium to high heat for 8-10 minutes. After two whistles, turn off the heat and slowly stir undhiyu without breaking the stuffed vegetables.