Dudhi Muthia – A Gujarati delicacy made with grated bottle gourd, fresh fenugreek leaves spiced with green chilies, ginger and turmeric makes a healthy snack or breakfast. Every bite of these irresistible savory dumplings have a perfect balance of spicy, tangy and sweet flavors with golden pan-fried crunchy textures.
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The name “Muthia” comes from the from the way it is made, which is by gripping the dough in your hand and molding it to make small oval dumplings. Sometimes the dough is also shaped into bigger cylindrical croquettes and sliced later.
After shaping the dough, these dumplings are steamed and then pan fried in a tempering of mustard seeds and sesame seeds.
There are many variations of muthia recipes that use an assortment of veggies and flours. My favorite is the one with grated fresh dudhi also known as lauki, bottle gourd or calabash. Calabash is a delicately flavored, low-calorie vegetable that is a good source of vitamin C.
I also add fresh(or frozen) methi/fenugreek leaves to this easy dudhi muthia recipe that imparts complimenting flavors, aroma and makes this vegan dish even more nutritious.
Traditionally steamed in a stove top steamer or pressure cooker, these muthia are perfect to make in the Instant Pot. Traditional recipe does not use water and uses the water from the vegetables by massaging it gently to form the dough and the rolls/dumplings. Instead of making the rolls by hand, I have an easy short cut to this recipe. I add upto 1/2 cup of water to make thick cake like batter and then simply spread it in the steaming bowls. I then cut these cakes into smaller pieces.
This recipe along with the rava dhokla and kothimbir vadi uses the Instant Pot with the Pressure release knob to venting instead of sealing. I use the standard trivet that comes with the Instant Pot to stack two stainless steel bowls with the muthia dough. I divide the dough into 2 bowls, to make thinner 1 inch muthias. You can also steam the whole dough in one deep 4 to 5 inch stainless steel bowl for thicker muthia. If steaming in one bowl, increase the cook time to 15 minutes.
Served with a hot cup of ginger chai or sweet and tangy raw mango drink these muthiya’s are a crowd pleasing dish.
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- ¾ cup Wheat Flour
- ¾ cup chickpea flour/besan
- ¼ cup rava/sooji/semolina
- 1 cup dudhi/calabash peeled and grated
- 1 cup fenugreek leaves chopped, fresh or frozen
- ½ cup cilantro chopped
- 1 teaspoon ginger grated
- 1 teaspoon hot green chili minced
- 2 teaspoon sugar
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ½ cup water or as needed
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda or ½ teaspoon fruit salt
- 3 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 15 curry leaves chopped
- 2 teaspoon sesame seeds
- 2 green chilies sliced (optional)
- ½ cup cilantro chopped
- 2 tablespoon coconut grated, fresh or frozen
- Grease two 7-½ inch stainless steel bowls with cooking oil or spray.
- Add 1 ½ cups water to the Instant Pot insert. Set on Sauté mode so the water starts to heat. Heating up the water before placing the batter in the Instant Pot will result in light dhoklas. Make sure to do this about 5 minutes before you are ready place the batter in the Instant Pot for steaming. Boiling it for too long may cause a lot if water to evaporate.
- Mix all the main ingredients except baking soda in medium bowl. Once the water in the Instant Pot gets hot, add the baking soda to the batter and mix well. Quickly pour the batter in the two greased bowls. Place the Instant Pot trivet in the pot and stack the bowls on trivet. Note: It is important to start the steaming process within couple of minutes for the baking soda to work. Close Instant Pot lid with pressure valve to Venting.
- Set Instant Pot to Steam mode, with an external timer for 12 mins. Note: Timer function does not work with Steam/Venting, so an external timer is needed.
- Once the timer goes off, Press Cancel and open the Instant Pot after 5 minutes.
- Carefuly take out the bowls. Run a knife around the edges so the muthia can be released on a plate. Allow the muthia to cool for another 5 minutes and the cut into small squares.
Muthia can be enjoyed steamed or enjoyed crispy with the optional pan frying step. To pan fry, Heat oil in a medium non-stick pan. Add mustard seeds and allow them to pop. Lower the heat and add cumin seeds, sesame seeds, curry leaves and green chilies. Cook for another minute as the curry leaves start to crisp up. Add the cut muthia pieces to the tempering and mixing gently to coat the tempering evenly on the muthia. Cook until the muthia turn golden on the sides. Garnish with grated coconut and cilantro.
To check if they are done insert a clean knife. If it comes out clean that means it is done. If they stick to the knife, simply put the bowls back in the Instant Pot and steam for another 2 minutes.
Substitute 1 cup of Calabash with cabbage.
Substitute 1 cup of fresh/frozen fenugreek leaves with spinach.
Depending on the exact ingredients used, you may need more or less water to make this dough. Make sure that the consistency of the batter is similar to thick cake batter.
You can also steam the whole dough in one deep 4 to 5 inch stainless steel bowl for thicker muthia. If steaming in one bowl, increase the cook time to 15 minutes.
Steamed muthias can be sliced and frozen. To defrost simply keep them in the refrigerator for few hours. After thawing temper them according to the recipe.
Did you enjoy the flavors of these delicious muthia? Check out these make ahead, healthy breakfast and snacks:
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Author: Archana
Hey there! I am a techie turned recipe developer, cooking instructor, and food blogger. I love food and enjoy developing easy and healthy recipes for busy lifestyles. I live New Jersey with my husband and two sons.
This looks delicious! At first I saw the long list of ingredients and thought it may be too complex but your video really showed how quickly it comes together in an unfussy way. Nice job and I hope to try it! Thank you!
Thank you! Yes the recipe calls for basic ingredients and it may look longer with some of the optional tempering ingredients. Hope you like the dish.
Absolutely loved it
Thank you!
I made it yesterday night and gave a tadka today morning before lunch . My husband loved it .Salt was on lighter side but we ate it with green chutney so worked out well. thank you for a great recipe which is guilt free.
Thank you! So glad you enjoyed it. If you have some leftovers, you can also try the Undhiyu recipe with muthia.
My daughter is allergic to chickpeas. Can you use something else ti replace the chickpea flour? TIA
Hi Neha, I have not tried with other flours bit you can try with soybean flour or buckwheat flour.
I make it today and it was delicious. I have the instant pot duo (smaller one) and had to do it 2 batches and it came out fine. I only had tried methi (1/4) cup and used 3/4 cup fresh spinach.
Thank you!!
awesome! Thanks for the feedback.