Undhiyu Recipe (Gujarati Mixed Winter Vegetables with Methi Muthiya)

Quick answer: Undhiyu is a Gujarati dish of winter vegetables (flat beans, fresh pigeon peas, purple yam, sweet potato, baby potatoes, small brinjals and raw banana) slow-cooked in layers with a green coconut-coriander masala and topped with fried fenugreek dumplings called methi muthiya. It is the classic lunch on Uttarayan, Gujarat's kite day, eaten with puris.

Kitchen note: This recipe is not yet kitchen-tested by a HinduTone cook. The quantities and timings follow common home methods; judge doneness by look and texture, and adjust for your stove and ingredients.

What is undhiyu and why is it made on Uttarayan?

Undhiyu (also written undhiya or oondhiya) is a Gujarati winter dish built on the vegetables that come into season in December and January. The name is usually explained as coming from the Gujarati undhu, upside down, after the old way of cooking it: the vegetables were sealed in an earthen pot that was turned upside down and cooked under hot coals. Gujarat Samachar describes this older earthen-pot method. Today almost every home cooks it in a heavy pot or a pressure cooker, and the name has stayed.

On Uttarayan, Gujarat's kite-flying festival at Makar Sankranti, undhiyu with puris is the lunch most families eat on the terrace between kites. A PTI report from Ahmedabad on 14 January 2026 listed undhiyu-puri among the foods served on rooftops that day, alongside chikki, sugarcane and fafda. Many families buy it ready-made from sweet shops and caterers for the day; many still cook it at home.

For how the whole day is kept in Gujarat, see our Uttarayan in Gujarat guide.

Surti undhiyu or Kathiyawadi undhiyu?

Gujarati cooks describe more styles than these two, and every family argues for its own. For a Kathiyawadi-style version, use the same vegetables, leave out the coconut and most of the coriander, and coat the vegetables instead with 2 tablespoons red chilli powder, 2 teaspoons coriander-cumin powder, 1 teaspoon turmeric and 8 to 10 crushed garlic cloves mixed with 3 tablespoons oil.

Ingredients

Vegetables

Green masala

Methi muthiya

To cook

Undhiyu uses more oil than most vegetable dishes; it helps the layers cook without stirring. You can reduce it, but use a heavy pot and lowest heat.

Make the methi muthiya

1. Mix the chopped methi with a pinch of salt and leave for 10 minutes.
2. Add the gram flour, wheat flour or semolina, ginger-chilli paste, a pinch of sugar, a few drops of lemon juice and the tablespoon of oil. Mix to a firm dough without water; the leaves release enough moisture. Add a teaspoon of water only if needed.
3. Oil your palms and shape into small finger-sized dumplings, about 16 to 20.
4. Fry in medium-hot oil until golden and cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain. For a lighter version, steam them for 15 minutes, or air-fry at 180 °C (350 °F) for 10 to 12 minutes, turning once.

Keep hot oil at the back of the stove, dry the dumplings well before they go in, and keep children away while frying.

Prepare the vegetables and masala

1. Mix all the green masala ingredients in a bowl. Pulse the coconut, coriander, green garlic, chillies and ginger coarsely if you prefer, then stir in the rest.
2. Slit the brinjals and baby potatoes in a cross from the bottom, keeping the stem end joined. Stuff each with green masala.
3. Toss the beans, pigeon peas and peas with about a quarter of the remaining masala.
4. Toss the yam, sweet potato and banana with another quarter. Keep the rest for the top.

How to cook undhiyu in a pot (stovetop)

1. Heat the oil in a wide, heavy pot with a tight lid. Add the carom seeds and asafoetida and let them sizzle for a few seconds.
2. Spread the beans and pigeon peas over the base. This layer takes the most heat and gives the dish its flavour.
3. Layer the yam, sweet potato and banana on top, then the stuffed potatoes and brinjals. Scatter the remaining masala over everything.
4. Sprinkle the water around the edges. Cover tightly. Some cooks seal the lid with dough or set a plate of water on it to keep steam in.
5. Cook on the lowest heat for 40 to 50 minutes. Do not stir. Every 10 minutes, hold the pot with oven gloves and shake it gently so nothing catches.
6. Check the yam and potatoes with a knife. When all are tender, place the muthiya on top, cover and cook 5 to 10 minutes more.
7. Turn off the heat and leave covered for 10 minutes. Mix very gently, garnish with coriander and serve with puris.

Pressure cooker method

1. Heat the oil in the cooker base, add the carom seeds and asafoetida, then layer exactly as above.
2. Add only 60 ml (1/4 cup) water. Close and cook on medium heat for 2 whistles, about 10 to 12 minutes.
3. Let the pressure drop on its own. Open, place the muthiya on top and simmer uncovered on low for 5 minutes. Mix gently.

Instant Pot method

Use Sauté for the oil and seeds, then switch off, layer the vegetables and add 120 ml (1/2 cup) water around the edges so the base does not trigger a burn warning. Pressure Cook (high) for 6 minutes with a 10-minute natural release. Add the muthiya and keep on Warm, covered, for 5 minutes.

No oven is needed for any of these methods.

Undhiyu for naivedyam

Undhiyu is festival food rather than a set temple offering. Families that offer food before the Uttarayan meal usually follow their own custom. Many traditional households avoid garlic in anything offered to the deity, so if you plan to offer it, make a portion without garlic or ask your priest.

Vegetables to find abroad

Some Indian grocers sell frozen undhiyu vegetable mixes. They save time; check the label for added oil and salt. If you cannot find fresh methi, use 2 tablespoons dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) crumbled into the muthiya dough.

Vegan option

Undhiyu is vegan as written: it uses oil, not ghee. Check that any shop-bought muthiya contain no curd.

Common mistakes

• Stirring: the soft vegetables break up. Shake the pot instead.
• Too much water: you get a stew. Undhiyu should be moist, not saucy.
• High heat: the base layer burns before the yam is cooked. Use the lowest heat and a heavy pot.
• Adding muthiya too early: they soak up liquid and fall apart. Add them at the end.
• Uneven pieces: cut the yam, sweet potato and potatoes to the same size so they cook together.

Storage

Cool and refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking. It keeps 2 days in the fridge. Store the muthiya separately if you can, so they stay firm. Reheat gently in a covered pan with a spoon of water until piping hot. Undhiyu does not freeze well; the potatoes and yam turn grainy.

Allergens

The muthiya contain wheat (gluten) and chickpea flour. The masala contains sesame and coconut. Sesame is a major allergen in the USA (from January 2023) and on the UK's list of 14 allergens. For a gluten-free version, replace the wheat flour in the muthiya with more gram flour or rice flour. Many compounded asafoetida powders contain wheat flour, so check the label.

Frequently asked questions

What does undhiyu mean?

The name is usually explained as coming from the Gujarati word for upside down, after the old method of cooking the vegetables in an earthen pot turned upside down under hot coals.

Can I make undhiyu without surti papdi?

Yes. Use frozen surti papdi from an Indian grocer, or flat Romano beans, broad beans or snow peas. The taste is a little different, but the dish works.

Do I have to fry the muthiya?

No. Steamed or air-fried muthiya work well and use less oil. Fried ones are the most traditional and hold their shape best.

What is served with undhiyu on Uttarayan?

Puris are the usual partner. Many families also serve jalebi, fafda, chikki and sugarcane through the day.

When is Uttarayan in 2027?

Gujarat's 2027 holiday list is awaited. Makar Sankranti is 15 January 2027 in India per the panchang; some government lists mark 14 January. Confirm with your local panchang or temple priest.

Can I make undhiyu a day ahead?

You can cook it a day ahead and refrigerate it, but it tastes best fresh. Keep the muthiya separate and add them when you reheat.

Is Kathiyawadi undhiyu spicier?

Yes, it generally uses red chilli powder and dry spices instead of the fresh green coconut masala of Surti undhiyu.

Sources

• Gujarat Samachar (English), "Amdavadis consume 5 lakh kg of 'Undhiyu' during Uttarayan", 13 January 2025: https://english.gujaratsamachar.com/news/lifestyle-fashion/amdavadis-devour-5-lakh-kg-of-undhiyu-during-uttarayan (accessed 12 November 2026)
• Metro Vaartha, with PTI, "Kites, chikkis and Bollywood beats: Ahmedabad welcomes Uttarayan with gusto", 14 January 2026: https://english.metrovaartha.com/amp/story/news/states/kites-chikkis-and-bollywood-beats-ahmedabad-welcomes-uttarayan-with-gusto (accessed 12 November 2026)
• US Food and Drug Administration, "Safe Food Handling": https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/safe-food-handling (accessed 12 November 2026)
• US Food and Drug Administration, "Food Allergies": https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-food-labeling-and-critical-foods/food-allergies (accessed 12 November 2026)
• Food Standards Agency (UK), "Food allergy and intolerance advice for consumers": https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/food-allergy-and-intolerance-advice-for-consumers (accessed 12 November 2026)

Last reviewed: 12 November 2026.

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