Undhiyu (also known as Gujarati dal) is one of India’s most beloved vegetarian dishes that originated from Gujarat.
It consists of a mixture of vegetables, chickpeas, lentils, and spices cooked in a clay pot.
What Are The Ingredients In Undhiyu?
The main ingredient in undhiyu is dal or split-yellow peas.
Dal can be made with any type of legume but it is commonly used with yellow split peas because they have more protein than other types of dals.
Other ingredients include onions, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, garlic, ginger, cumin seeds, turmeric powder, coriander leaves, chili peppers, fenugreek seeds, kala namak or black salt, red chillies, mustard seeds, curry leaves, green chilies, bay leaf, cloves, cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks, peppercorns, and saffron strands.
Other common ingredients include cauliflower, spinach, potato cubes, tomato pieces, corn kernels, cucumber slices, onion rings, and cabbage.
The final preparation should taste sweet, spicy, sour, salty, bitter, and pungent to give it its unique flavor.
If you want to try out this delicious meal at home, here’s how to cook undhiyu step by step.
- Roast all the ingredients except for the dal over medium heat until aromatic and browned. This will take about 15 minutes.
- Drain excess oil and add the roasted dal to the pan. Cook over low heat until well blended and heated through.
- Add water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the dal thickens into a creamy consistency.
- Stir in the chopped veggies and seasonings along with a pinch of sugar or honey if desired.
- Cook uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes longer on low heat.
- Serve hot with rice, rotis, or bread.
How Do You Make Undhiyu?
Follow these steps to learn how to make undhiyu at home:
- Wash all your veggies thoroughly under running water so they don’t get dirty during cooking.
- Place all the prepared veggies into different bowls.
- Add 1/4 cup of oil to each bowl.
- Mix the oil with the veggies using a spoon or spatula.
- Now add salt to each bowl until it tastes good to you.
- In a separate container, combine all the dry spices like coriander powder, cumin powder, fenugreek seeds, black pepper, turmeric powder, chili powder, red chili powder, and garam masala.
- To this container, also add 2 tablespoons of mustard oil.
- Heat up the oil on medium-high heat in an electric pressure cooker.
- Once hot, pour in the spice blend.
- Stir well with a wooden spoon so everything mixes together completely.
- Pour in the undhiyu broth and stir again
- Close the lid of the pressure cooker and cook undhiyu for 5 minutes at high pressure.
- After 5 minutes, release the pressure by opening the lid carefully – if there’s any liquid left inside, close the lid immediately.
- Remove the undhiyu from the pressure cooker.
- Cut open the top, then remove the cover.
- Transfer undhiyu to a serving plate.
- Serve warm with rotis.
What Is The Origin Of Undhiyu?
The name “undhiyu” means ‘vegetable stew’ or ‘stew with vegetables’.
The dish was first made by Indian farmers living on the banks of the Sabarmati River in Ahmedabad who used to grow rice, wheat, barley, pulses, and other grains.
As they grew up, they learned how to cook these foods using their mother’s knowledge.
They then shared this skill with others through word-of-mouth.
Eventually, the dish became popular across the region because it provided much needed nutrition to those who had little access to food.
It wasn’t long before people started making changes to the original recipe.
Some added meat, while others changed the ingredients.
Today, there are many variations of undhiyu recipes around the world.
Here is an example of what some call undhiyu:
- Ingredients: chickpea flour, onion, tomatoes, green chilli peppers, ginger, garlic, turmeric powder, salt, coriander leaves, black pepper, mustard seeds, red chilli powder, coconut oil, vegetable stock, tomato paste, cumin seeds, curry leaf, fenugreek seeds, green cardamom pods, bay leaves, asafoetida, tamarind juice, raisins, cashew nuts, dried apricots, almonds, dry currants, dates, carrots, potatoes, spinach, cauliflower florets, peas, beans, corn kernels, fresh herbs like mint, basil, chives, parsley, green onions, and leeks, and water.
- Method: Bring 1 cup of water to boil over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil and wait until the bubbles start forming slowly. Then add about ½ tablespoon each of mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, and cumin seeds. Once the mustard seeds begin popping, add all of the remaining ingredients except for the carrots, which should be added at step 3. Cook everything for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. At this point, turn off the stove and let it sit for 10 minutes so that the flavours can blend together. After 10 minutes, stir again and continue cooking for another 20 minutes. Finally, add the carrots to the pan during the last 15 minutes of cooking time and remove any foam that forms on top. Serve hot.
What Are The Different Types Of Undhiyu?
There are many varieties of undhiyus depending on where they come from.
Some variations include:
- Besan Undhiyu – Made with besan flour (chickpea flour), this type of undhiyu has a distinct taste and texture. The flavor gets better if it is stored overnight before serving.
- Saunf Undhiyu – A blend of saintham (lentil soup) and undhiyu, this type of undhiyu can be made by adding some water to sauntham or any other kind of soup.
- Papad Undhiyu – This variety of undhiyu includes roasted gram flour, which gives it an earthy and nutty flavor.
- Dahi Undhiyu – Made with buttermilk, this undhiyu contains more protein than the others since it also uses eggs. Dahi Undhiyu is usually served with rice or roti (Indian flatbread).
- Kheer Undhiyu – This undhiyu is sweetened and flavored with cardamom and almond powder. It is often eaten during special occasions such as Diwali or Holi.
- Mithai Undhiyu – This undhiyu is made using mithai ingredients like pistachio, cashew, raisin, almonds, etc., and is typically served with jaggery (cane sugar syrup).
- Uttar Pradesh Undhiyu – Utar Pradesh means “north region” in Hindi. It is a dry version of undhiyu, which does not have much liquid content.
- Navya Undhiyu – Navya means “new” in Sanskrit. It was developed after World War II when there were no fresh vegetables available at home due to rationing. Therefore, navya undhiyu became popular among those who could not afford regular food items.
- Vada Undhiyu – There are two kinds of vadas commonly used in Gujarat. One type is made with maida (all purpose wheat flour) while another type is made with rava (rice flour). Vada Undhiyu is usually served with chutney (pickle).
- Roti Undhiyu – Roti means “flat bread” in English. In fact, these flat breads are so common in Indian cuisine that they have their own names too! In Gujarat, it is customary to eat a meal without having anything else besides roti and undhiyu.
How Do You Serve Undhiyu?
You can enjoy this delicious vegetarian meal with naan or rice, but it also tastes great when served over roti (Indian flatbread).
- Cooking time: 3 to 4 hours
- Serves: 6-8 people
- Ingredients: 2 cups dry red lentil, 1 cup green split peas, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds, ¾ tablespoon oil, salt to taste, coriander leaves, cilantro leaves, sliced onion, curry leaves, ginger garlic paste, tomato sauce, water, chopped tomatoes, green chilies, coconut milk, cashew nuts, raisins, almonds, lemon juice, saffron threads, and ghee/clarified butter
The following recipe will show you how to make undhiyu at home.
You should start by soaking your dried legumes overnight.
Once they have soaked up all their liquid, drain them, rinse well, and set aside while you prepare the other ingredients.
Step 1: Make a spice blend
In a large pan, heat half of the oil on medium flame and add the mustard seeds.
When the mustard seeds begin popping, remove them immediately before adding the remaining ingredients into the pan.
Add the ginger garlic paste, chopped onions, coriander leaves, and curry leaves.
Saute until the onions become translucent then add the rest of the spices and stir continuously for about 10 minutes.
Remove the spice mix once it has turned an even brown color.
Set aside.
Step 2: Mix everything together
Once the spice blend is ready, combine the vegetable stock, coriander roots, cashews, and raisins in a bowl.
Add the salt and mix well.
Set aside.
Next, wash and cut the potatoes into small pieces and add them to a deep frying pan along with enough water to cover.
Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and let simmer until fork tender.
While waiting for the potato chunks to cook, slice the carrots, zucchini, and eggplant into thin slices and place them in a wide shallow pan.
Pour the prepared spice mix evenly over the vegetables and bring to a rolling boil.
As soon as the boiling starts, pour the prepared stock mixture over the vegetables and continue cooking for 15 minutes without stirring.
Keep a close eye on the vegetables so that they don’t burn.
After 15 minutes, turn off the stove and keep covered for another 20 minutes.
When the vegetables are done, drain the excess water and transfer them to a serving plate.
Garnish with fresh mint leaves, cilantro leaves, coriander flowers, and shredded coconut.
Serve hot with roti or naan.
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What Are Some Popular Undhiyu Dishes?
The undhiyu recipe is typically served with rice or roti.
However, it can also be eaten by itself as part of the breakfast meal or even used to make curry.
- Shrikhanda Undhiyu Recipe – A delicious recipe that uses shrikhand to spice up your undhiyu! The shrikhand adds an extra flavor to this simple yet tasty dish. If you love spicy food, then this recipe will definitely give you what you want.
- Vegetable Undhiyu Recipe – With just eight ingredients, this easy-to-make vegetable undhiyu recipe is sure to impress guests at any event. Try this healthy, vegan option if you’re looking to cut back on meat consumption.
- Lentil Undhiyu Recipe – Lentils have been around since ancient times. These legumes have long been considered nutritious and filling. If you like Indian cuisine but don’t feel like cooking for yourself, try out this lentil undhiyu recipe instead.
- Moong Dal Undhiyu Recipe – Moong dal has a mild taste and makes an excellent base for curries. You’ll find many different recipes using moong dal, including this undhiyu recipe which takes less than half an hour to prepare.
- Mixed Vegetables Undhiyu Recipe – Mixed vegetables make a great addition to any undhiyu recipe because they provide a variety of nutrients and flavors. This mixed veggie undhiyu recipe includes cauliflower, carrots, peas, potatoes, spinach, broccoli, and tomatoes.
- Dry Red Chili Pepper Undhiyu Recipe – Dry red chili pepper powder is a staple ingredient when it comes to undhiyus. Whether you choose to use dry red chili peppers straight from the jar or add them into your undhiyu recipe after it’s finished cooking, you won’t regret it.
- Green Chilly Peppers Undhiyu Recipe – Green chilly peppers add a little bit of heat to your undhiyu recipe. They may not seem very appetizing, but their kick packs a punch.
- Spicy Chickpea Undhiyu Recipe – Spices play a big role in adding flavor to your undhiyu recipe. Here we go over three ways you can incorporate fresh herbs and seasonings with your undhiyu recipe.
- Coconut Shrimp Undhiyu Recipe – Coconut shrimp gives this undhiyu recipe a unique twist that people will surely enjoy.
- Kadai Undhiyu Recipe – Kadai is a type of sauce commonly found in Indian restaurants. In this undhiyu recipe, kadai lends its rich and flavorful touch to the undhiyu.
- Tikka Masala Undhiyu Recipe – Tikka masala is a classic Indian restaurant condiment made with roasted lamb marinated in a blend of herbs and spices. When added to undhiyu recipes, tikka masala provides a bolder flavor profile.
- Chana Masala Undhiyu Recipe – Chana masala is another famous Indian restaurant condiment often included in various types of soups and stews. Although chana masala doesn’t lend much depth to undhiyu recipes, it does add a nice nutty flavor to the overall experience.
- Butter Chicken Undhiyu Recipe – Butter chicken is a popular Indian restaurant entrée consisting of boneless pieces of chicken marinated in yogurt, garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and other spices. Here we show how to make butter chicken undhiyu along with a few variations of the main dish.
What Are Some Tips For Making Undhiyu?
Making undhiyu requires the following steps:
- Soak black gram overnight to make black gram dhal.
- Prepare the other ingredients like tomatoes, onions, potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, green peas, etc., by cutting them into small pieces.
- Cook all these veggies with salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin seeds, coriander leaves, fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, curry leaves, and dry ginger powder.
- Add water and cook it until everything gets tender.
- Once done, add garam masala, fresh coconut, and lime juice to the cooked mixture and then switch on your pressure cooker or stove top burner at medium heat.
- Pressure-cook undhiyu along with 2 cups of water under high pressure for about 15 minutes and release the steam valve once the cooking process completes.
- After releasing the steam valve, open the lid and remove the undhiyu from the pressure cooker using tongs.
- Gently place the undhiyu onto a serving plate and serve hot with rotis and sambar.
Here are some more recipes to try if you want to learn how to make an authentic undhiyu!
1. Garlic Undhiyu Recipe
This garlic undhiyu recipe will help you prepare a delicious meal without any hassle.
The preparation process involves chopping up garlic cloves, onion, potato, carrot, and tomato cubes and adding them to a pressure cooker along with 1 cup of water.
The recipe also includes ground almonds, cashew nuts, and fresh cream which makes this undhiyu even tastier.
Once all the ingredients have been added to the cooker, they should be left to boil for around 10 minutes before switching off the flame and opening the lid to let out the remaining moisture.
You can enjoy this undhiyu recipe warm or cold and served alongside rice, bread, or chapatis.
2. Potato Undhiyu Recipe
If you love undhiyu but don’t have time to prepare it every day, you might want to give this potato undhiyu recipe a shot.
The preparation process entails peeling and slicing raw potatoes followed by mixing them with chopped onions, tomatoes, green chilies, ginger, garlic, cilantro, and coriander leaves.
These ingredients are then placed inside a pressure cooker along with 1 cup of water.
When done, the undhiyu should be allowed to simmer for around 5 minutes before being released from the pressure cooker.
After removing the undhiyu from the cooker, add a pinch of sugar and a dash of lemon juice to it so that it tastes better.
3. Carrot Undhiyu Recipe
Want something different than the usual vegetable undhiyu? Try this carrot undhiyu recipe.
You just need to peel and chop up fresh carrots, cucumber, and tomatoes and sauté them in oil in order to create a tasty side dish.
Then, blend the vegetables together along with water, ginger, garlic, cilantro, mint leaves, and coriander leaves and leave it to simmer in a pressure cooker for around 10 minutes.
The resulting undhiyu can be eaten either hot or cold and accompanied with rice or bread.
4. Cauliflower Undhiyu Recipe
Cauliflower undhiyu is another great alternative to regular veggie undhiyus.
To start, wash and cut up cauliflower florets and then dice up onion, tomatoes, green peppers, and ginger.
Next, slice up cabbage and then blend all the ingredients together by placing them in a blender.
Finally, transfer the blended mixture to a pressure cooker along with 1 cup of water and allow it to simmer for 10 minutes before taking it off the flame and allowing it cool down completely.
This undhiyu can be enjoyed both hot and cold and is best paired with steamed white rice or bread slices.
How Do You Store Undhiyu?
You can keep undhiyu fresh by storing it in an airtight container or jar with an oxygen absorber to remove any odors such as mold.
You should also separate the undhiyu into small portions so they don’t stick together.
When stored properly, undhiyu will last up to three days.
If you want to extend its shelf life even further, you can freeze your undhiyu.
To do this, place undhiyu on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and put them into the freezer for about two hours until frozen solid.
Then transfer the undhiyu to ziplock bags and seal tightly before placing them back in the refrigerator for storage.
How Long Does Undhiyu Stay Good When Refrigerated?
If you purchase undhiyu at a local Indian grocery store, you may be able to ask how old their stock is.
The fresher the undhiyu, the better because it has less chance of spoiling.
What Are Some Common Undhiyu Problems?
The main problem with this recipe is the amount of water it requires to cook undhiyu properly.
The dish also has a tendency to become bland if overcooked or undercooked.
So when cooking undhiyu, make sure to follow these steps:
- To prevent undhiyu from sticking to your pan, add 2-3 tablespoons oil to the bottom of the pan before adding undhiyu ingredients.
- Add 1 tablespoon salt at the beginning of cooking undhiyu so that all the flavors can seep into the food without burning.
- Add enough water until there is just barely enough liquid to cover the undhiyu ingredients but not too much more than that.
- Cook undhiyu on medium heat for 20 minutes after which time it should be tender like al dente pasta.
- If you wish to thicken undhiyu further, then add two cups of water and let simmer for another 15 minutes.
- You may want to serve undhiyu warm over rice or roti bread. However, it will taste best cold.
What Are Some Undhiyu Substitutes?
The main ingredient in undhiyu is the combination of legumes, like red kidney beans or black-eyed peas, along with other ingredients such as carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, onion, cilantro, garlic, ginger, turmeric, coriander seeds, chilies, cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks, mustard seeds, curry leaves, fenugreek, peas, green beans, cauliflower, cabbage, celery, and raisins.
However, if you don’t have access to any of these items, you can use canned beans instead of dry ones.
You may also substitute the dried legume with split mung beans, adzuki beans, or even yellow split peas.
If you do not have an Indian spice store near you, you should try substituting them with another type of spice.
For example, add 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 2 teaspoons paprika powder, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and ½ cup water.
Mix well before adding the rest of the ingredients.
You can also make your own homemade version using this guide on how to cook undhiyu at home.
Another great substitution idea is to replace the whole wheat flour with cornmeal or rice flour.
In fact, you can always substitute it with all-purpose flour, but you will need to reduce the amount of liquid by about half because the starch content of cornmeal makes it absorb more liquid than regular flour.
In addition, you can swap out the white vinegar for apple cider vinegar, which has higher acidity levels and can give the dish a sharper flavor.
There are no hard rules when cooking undhiyu.
The only rule is to be creative! If you aren’t sure what to put in it, feel free to experiment.
The beauty of undhiyu lies in its infinite possibilities.
For now, here are some recipes you might want to check out:
- How to Make Undhiyu Recipe
- Vegetarian Red Beans Dal Recipe – Easy Homemade Recipes With No Cookers
- Spicy Vegetable Soup Recipe With Red Kidney Bean And Potato
- Gujarati Style Green Pea Dal Recipe With Ginger, Cilantro, Mint & Coriander Seeds
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- Pork Carnitas Tacos With Spicy Sour Cream
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- Beef Short Rib Tacos With Fire Roasted Hatch Chile Sauce
- Vegan Shepherd’s Pie With Root Vegies, Leeks & Butternut Squash
- Creamy Asparagus Penne Pasta With Parmesan Truffle Oil
- Chicken Tikka Masala With Creamy Sweet Potato Pilau Rice
- Roasted Garlic & Parsley Roast Turkey Breast With Cranberry Sage Pan Sauce
- Turkey Meatloaf With Sweet Potato Mash, Applesauce, Cranberry & Rosemary Glaze
- Cranberry Orange Chicken Breasts With Wild Rice Pilaf
- Smoked Paprika Turkey Breast With Creamy Cranberry Reduction
- Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs With Tomato Basil Couscous
- Pulled Pork Sandwiches With Apple Cider Vinegar BBQ Sauce
- Pulled Pork Sliders With Homemade BBQ Sauce
- Tortilla Española With Spanish Ham, Cheese & Olives
Do you love undhiyu?
What are some of your favorite Indian comfort foods?
Let us know in the comments below!
Equipment
- pressure cooker
Ingredients
- 150 grams papdi
- ½ to ⅔ cup pigeon peas
- 100 grams baingan
- 150 to 200 grams potatoes
- 100 grams potato
- 100 grams banana
- 150 grams yam
Instructions
- Roast all the ingredients except for the dal over medium heat until aromatic and browned. This will take about 15 minutes.
- Drain excess oil and add the roasted dal to the pan. Cook over low heat until well blended and heated through.
- Add water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the dal thickens into a creamy consistency.
- Stir in the chopped veggies and seasonings along with a pinch of sugar or honey if desired.
- Cook uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes longer on low heat.
- Serve hot with rice, rotis, or bread.
Video
Nutrition
My blog is all about creating delicious meals with ingredients that are easy to find in your local grocery store. I’m passionate about making yummy meals that I can share with my friends and family.