How to Cook Gujrati Undhiyo

Serves: 6

Preparation time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 45 mins

Ingredients needed to make Gujrati Undhiyo:

For the spicy sauce:

• 3 oz grated coconut, plus more for garnishing
• 2 tbsp roasted peanuts, ground
• 3 large garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
• 1’’ fresh ginger root, peeled and chopped
• 2 small green chilies, deseeded and finely chopped
• 3 tbsp fresh cilantro, leaves picked and finely chopped
• ¾ tsp carom seeds
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

For the curried veggies:

• 1 parsnip, peeled and chopped into 1’’ round slices
• 2 handfuls broad beans
• 4 small eggplants, trimmed and sliced longitudinally
• 1 potato, peeled and chopped into 1 ½’’ chunks
• 1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped into 1 ½’’ chunks
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 7 fl oz water
• Pinch of asafoetida
• 5 tbsp vegetable oil

Cooking instructions for Gujrati Undhiyo:

• To prepare the sauce, toss the garlic, ginger and green chilies into a blender, along with a splash of fresh lemon juice and pulse them into a smooth paste.
• Throw in the chopped cilantro leaves and blitz further for few seconds, until it is incorporated into the mixture but doesn’t get pureed itself.
• Stir in rest of the sauce ingredients until well combined and set aside.
• To make the curried veggies, drizzle oil in a large skillet and heat it over moderate flame until it shimmers.
• Throw in the asafoetida and sauté for half a minute, stirring all the time, until it gives out its characteristic aroma.
• Add the mustard seeds and sauté for another half a minute, stirring often, until it begins to splutter.
• Add the potatoes, parsnips, sweet potatoes as well as eggplants into the skillet and sauté them for about 3-4 minutes, stirring them at times, until the veggies turn golden brown in colour.
• Spoon in the spicy sauce and give it a good stir until they coat the veggies evenly.
• Add a splash of water and bring the curry to a boil.
• Place a lid on top and reduce it to a simmer for about half an hour, agitating the veggies from time to time.
• Once they are cooked through, stir in the bread beans, put the lid back on and cook for another couple of minutes or until heated through.
• Tip the mixture into a large serving bowl and sprinkle more chopped cilantro on top.
• Top it up with grated coconut and serve right away.

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons

Last Updated on March 22, 2013 by