Surti Undhiyu (Patel - version)

Surti Undhiyu is a Gujarati mixed vegetable dish that is a regional specialty of Surat but available on the South Gujarat coastline, including the Surat, Navsari and Valsad regions. Whilst growing up this dish is something I did not enjoy having it as much as I remember elders in my family did however my love for the dish only grew in my teenage days when I started to love Rigan (Eggplant). 

My grandmother and mum use to make it in a pressure cooker and made it very simple at-home however after my marriage it is when I really saw how my Mother in law makes it like Marriage Style one at home. She has been following her Father in law recipe for years. My Grandfather in law was the one who use to cook it back home (India) during winters. His recipe was a hit amongst the village (Kharvasa) they lived in. The same recipe can be made the healthy way. Refer to my notes section at the bottom for some tips and recommendations. However, I would advise to have it the traditional way least once a year as that's what we do at my house. We make it the proper traditional way once a year and throughout the year, we consume it by steaming the vegetables.  

The reason I call it Marriage Style is because Undhiyu was made mainly at weddings and it carries a lot of oil and when made it at home you wouldn't use that much oil.  Every different Gujarati castes I have seen has a different way of making it as some likes their Undhiyu sweet, some add Methi Muthiya, some adds a variety of beans and so on but in my opinion, they all taste equally delicious since when all the vegetables are combined the flavor that comes out is simply great! 

Watch the video of the making of Surti Undhiyu:

Yield - 8 to 10 people

Ingredients

Potatoes (Big Diced) – 2 cups
Peas –  1 cup
Eggplant (Big Diced) – 4 cups
Sweet potato (Big Diced) – 2 cups
Kand / Rataloo / Yam (fresh or frozen) or Taro (Big Diced - peeled) – 2 cups 
Banana (Semi Ripe) (Big Diced - unpeeled) – 1 big or 2 cups 
Fresh or frozen Papdi Lilva (Fresh Pigeon peas) – 5 cups
Sesame seeds – 1/3 cup
Crushed peanuts – 1/3 cup
Fresh Green garlic – ½ cup (leave half for garnishing)
Cilantro – 1 cup finely chopped (leave half for garnishing)
Poppy Seeds (Khus Khus) – 2 tablespoon
Raisins – ½ cup
Cashew sliced – ½ cup
Fresh coconut (grated) – 1/2 cup
Lemon juice – ½ tablespoon – last used
Sugar – 1/3 cup or to taste
Salt to taste - usually would take about 1 tablespoon
Green chili paste – 2 tablespoons or to taste
Ginger paste – 2 tablespoon
Garlic paste – 2 tablespoon
Oil – 2 ½ cups or less to your preference
Coriander powder – 1 tablespoon
Kashmiri chili powder – ½ tablespoon
Hing (Asafetida)– ½ tablespoon
Ajwain seeds (Carom seeds) – ½ tablespoon
Dry Kashmiri whole chili - 7 to 8
Turmeric powder – ½ tablespoon
Water – 1 cup 

Instructions/Method:

Step 1:

Making of Green Masala - In a grinder, add 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro, 1 to 2 tablespoon water and grind it into a finer paste. Now add 2 tablespoons garlic and ginger paste and 1 tablespoon of green chili paste (add to your taste) to the mixture and mix well. Keep it on the side for it to be used later. 

Step 2:

Frying all the vegetables/Fruit - Take 2 1/2 cups of oil in a wide pan and heat it on a medium flame. 

1. Fry big chunk of potatoes (2 cups) till they are fully cooked and turned golden to light brown in color. Pinch a folk or knife to check to see if it's cooked. Drain them on a big plate where you would be keeping the rest of the fried vegetables as well. 

2. Add Sweet potato chunks (2 cups) and fry them till they turn golden to light brown. I prefer to chop them into smaller rings as shown in the video but if you have bigger sweet potato chop them into big chunks like potatoes. Drain them well on a plate. 

3. Add big chunks of eggplant/aubergine (4 cups) and fry them till they are fully cooked and turns light brown in color. Do not chop them too small as you want to ensure they do not break or turn too soggy later when mixed with other vegetables and spice. Drain them well on a plate. 

4. Fry big chunks of Yam/Kand (2 cups) till they are fully cooked and turns light brown in color. Only fry them if you're using fresh Kand/Yam. If you're using Frozen ones, you do not need to deep fry them and can shallow fry them or just microwave it for 1 to 2 minutes with some water till its cooked.  Frozen packs usually are half or fully cooked depending on brand and they tend to break easily so cook with care and do not overcook. Drain them well after it's been fried.

5. Fry cashews (½ cup) cut in halves until it turns light brown in color. Drain them well onto the same plate as other veggies. 

6. Add Peas and Papdi lilva (5 cups) and fry them till they are cooked. Frying is optional but it helps maintain the green color as well as it wouldn't break when mixed with other vegetables. Drain them separately from other vegetables. 

7. Fry whole dry raisins 1/2 cup and drain them well onto the same plate as veggies. 

8. Fry semi-ripe bananas (1 big or 2 cups) until its skin turns greyish or brownish in color. Drain them well. 

Step 3:

Mixing all the ingredients for the final step -

1. Heat a big pan or pot on a medium flame. Add the leftover oil from the frying session. 

2. Add 7 to 8 whole Kashmiri chillis. After 30 seconds, add 1/2 tablespoon of ajwain seeds and let it splutter and add 1/2 tablespoon of hing. 

3. Add the grounded green masala paste, 1/3 cup crushed peanuts, remaining sesame seeds from 1/3 cup, 2 tablespoons khus khus, 1/2 tablespoon Turmeric powder, 1 tablespoon coriander powder, 1/2 tablespoon Kashmiri chili powder, salt to taste (usually about 1 tablespoon) and mix well. 

4. Now add 1/3 cup of sugar or more to your taste, 1/2 fresh grated or crushed coconut. Saute on low flame and stir well and cook until oil starts to separate. 

5. Add some green garlic and cilantro and mix well. Saute for a minute. Leave some green garlic and cilantro for garnishing. Ensure you add spices to your taste or preference. 

6. Take fried Papdi lilva and Peas in a large mixing bowl and add the cooked green masala mixture and fried vegetables and fruit to it and mix well all the ingredients well. This is the right stage where you can taste and add sugar, salt, or green chili to your taste. 

7. Now in the same big pan or pot add the mixed ingredients back on a low to medium flame. Add 1 cup of water or more to your preference of consistency. Traditionally the dish is supposed to be consumed dry but some prefer a bit of gravy consistency and so add more water if you want. Cook till oil separates and ensures you do not close the pot or pan with a lid. This step is crucial as we want to maintain the green color. Undhiyu would turn darker in color if you put the lid on it and let it cook that way. Add Lemon juice (½ tablespoon) and mix well. Garnish with Fresh Green Garlic and Cilantro and serve hot with Roti or Kadi Bhat or with Jalebis :).

Notes:

* You can Air Fry all the ingredients on 375F by spraying some oil or coating the chopped vegetables with some oil and cook until they are fully cooked. I usually preheat on 375f and then check the vegetables every 5 to 10 minutes to see if they are cooked. Do not cook all of them at once. 

*You can also make it in a Pressure cooker by adding all the uncooked vegetables and required spices. You will have to adjust the water accordingly. I would recommend 4 to 5 whistles and cook it on a very slow to medium flame. Do not add all the water in one go. 

*You can use spices to your preference in this dish. Add or minus as per how you like the taste of Undhiyu. 

*Adding more Cilantro in Step 1 not only gives good green color but also adds more flavor. So adjust as per your preference. 

*Undhiyu tastes bomb when you sprinkle some lemon on it when you eat it.