Winter Delicacy: Undhiyu, a short guide on it’s story

We all wait for winters, since the temperature might not go down in Gujarat but the variety dishes are worth waiting in Gujarat. The gujaratis are connected deeply in heart to gujarati cuisine. Well some of us boast about our dishes, did you know the facts of the most famous dish ‘Undhiyu’?

The name of this dish comes from the Gujarati word “undhu”, which translates to upside down, since the dish is traditionally cooked upside down underground in earthen pots also known as ‘matlu’.

Undhiyu is a mixed vegetable includes vegetables like potato, sweet potato, green beans, brinjal etc. and muthia (dumplings/fritters made with fenugreek leaves and spiced chickpea flour (besan).

Although there is a difference between ‘Undhiyu’and ‘Matla Undhiyu’ where we find matlu undhiyu is found in southern Gujarat, also known as ‘Umbadiyu’ is the dish with smoked vegetables, eaten with sev and green chutney (very mouth-watering)!

The veggies, specially the root veggies are spiced with a dry curry paste that typically includes ginger, garlic, green chili pepper, sugar. The mixture is slow cooked for a long time, with some vegetable oil and a very small amount of water sufficient to steam the root vegetables.

In southern parts it is generally served with puri in weddings along with Shrikhand. But this vegetable stew has different versions in different states of India, where they have a unique name and different preparations. Also, in French cuisine it is known as Ratatouille (it is a legit dish and not just film’s name).