Dudhi Muthiya is a Gujarati delicacy made with grated bottle gourd and fresh fenugreek leaves spiced with green chilies, ginger, and turmeric. These irresistible savory bites have a perfect balance of spicy, tangy, and sweet flavors with golden pan-fried crunchy textures. Served with a hot cup of chai, Muthiya makes a delicious snack, breakfast, or side dish.
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Originally published in May 2018 this recipe has been updated with new photos and video.
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"Muthia" is a traditional Gujarati snack or side dish made from steamed or fried dumplings made using grated vegetables (such as cabbage, bottle gourd, or fenugreek leaves) mixed with spices and flour. The traditional recipe does not use water. It instead uses the moisture released from the grated vegetables to form the dough.
The name "Muthia or Muthiya" comes from how this dish is made: by gripping the dough and molding it to make small oval dumplings. The dough can also be shaped into bigger cylindrical croquettes, steamed, and sliced before pan-frying. Muthiyas are also added to the traditional Gujarati Undhiyu, a delicious vegetable casserole dish.
My favorite is Dudhi Methi nu Muthiya with dudhi (also known as Lauki, bottle gourd, or calabash) and methi (fenugreek leaves fresh or frozen). With its mild taste, Dudhi is also used to make delicious desserts like Dudhi Halwa or Dudhi Basundi.
Modern Take on Traditional Recipe
I am super excited to share my simplified version that takes away the shaping process while making the muthiya moist and satisfying with the same authentic taste!
Instead of shaping it into individual Muthiyas, I add some water to the dough to make a thick batter and then spread it onto greased plates before steaming them, just like Dhokla or Kothimbir Vadi. After steaming, cut the dough into smaller pieces before pan-frying them in an earthy tempering for soft and moist muthiya.
Although I am using an Instant Pot to steam them, you can always use a stovetop steamer!
Ingredient Notes
- Flours: I like to use a mix of whole wheat flour, gram flour (besan), and semolina (sooji). This combination gives the muthia the perfect balance of structure and softness. Sooji can also be replaced with rice flour.
- Vegetables: Freshly grated bottle gourd (dudhi) keeps them moist and tender, while chopped fenugreek leaves (methi) add a lovely earthy flavor. When dudhi isn't in season, zucchini works just as well; I've tried it many times with great results. You can also use spinach in place of methi.
- Spices: Don't skip the fresh ginger and green chilies; they add the right amount of heat and brightness. Turmeric not only gives a gentle warmth but also that beautiful golden color.
- Baking Soda: Just a pinch makes all the difference, helping the muthia turn out light, soft, and airy instead of dense.
How to Make Muthia in the Instant Pot
- Grease two 7-½ inch stainless steel plates with cooking oil or spray. Add 1 ½ cups of water to the Instant Pot insert. Set on Sauté mode so the water starts to heat.
- Mix all the main ingredients except baking soda in a 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 into the greased plates.
- Place the stand in the Instant Pot, and stack the bowls on a trivet. Note: It is important to start the steaming process within a couple of minutes for the baking soda to work. Close the Instant Pot lid with the pressure valve to Venting. Steam for twelve minutes.
- Once the timer goes off, Press Cancel and open the Instant Pot after 5 minutes. Take out the stand and the plates. Run a knife around the edges to help release the Muthia. Allow the Muthia to cool for another 5 minutes and then cut into small squares.
- 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 pieces to the tempering and mix gently to coat the Muthia evenly. Cook until the Muthia turns golden on the sides.
- Garnish with grated coconut and cilantro.
Serving
Serve with a hot cup of Ginger Chai or Aam Panna as breakfast or a snack. Or add to your appetizer spread for your next Indian Party!
Tips
- 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 stainless steel bowl for a thicker muthiya. If steaming in one bowl, increase the cooking time to 15 minutes.
- Steamed muthiyas can be sliced and frozen. To defrost, simply keep them in the refrigerator for a few hours. After thawing, temper them according to the recipe
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Recipe
Easy Dudhi Muthiya Recipe {Instant Pot or Stovetop}
Recipe Video
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- ¾ cup Wheat Flour
- ¾ cup besan gram flour
- ¼ cup sooji rava or semolina
- 1 cup dudhi 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 oil
- ½ cup water or as needed
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda or ½ teaspoon fruit salt
Tempering Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 15 curry leaves chopped
- 2 teaspoon brown sesame seeds
- 2 green chilies sliced (optional)
Optional Garnish
- ½ cup cilantro chopped
- 2 tablespoon coconut grated, fresh or frozen
Instructions
- Grease two 7-½ inch stainless steel plates 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 muthia. 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 the Instant Pot to Steam mode, with an external timer for 12 mins. Note: the timer function does not work with Steam/Venting, so an external timer is needed. See notes for stovetop instructions.
- 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 by pan frying. 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.
Notes
- Don't have an Instant Pot? Use a stove-top steamer and steam them for 15 minutes.
- 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, put the bowls back in the Instant Pot and steam for another 2 minutes.
- Substitute 1 cup of Dudhi with 1 cup of grated cabbage or zucchini. 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 stainless steel bowl for thicker muthia. If steaming in one bowl, increase the cooking time to 15 minutes.
- Steamed muthias can be sliced and frozen. To defrost simply keep them in the refrigerator for a few hours. After thawing temper them according to the recipe.
Nutrition
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4waystoyummy says
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!
Archana says
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.
simplyvegetarian777 says
Absolutely loved it
Archana says
Thank you!
Radha Bage says
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.
Archana says
Thank you! So glad you enjoyed it. If you have some leftovers, you can also try the Undhiyu recipe with muthia.
Neha Suchdeve says
My daughter is allergic to chickpeas. Can you use something else ti replace the chickpea flour? TIA
Archana says
Hi Neha, I have not tried with other flours bit you can try with soybean flour or buckwheat flour.
Roma says
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!!
Archana says
awesome! Thanks for the feedback.
Sital Mody says
Do you thaw the frozen spinach or fenugreek first
Archana says
Yes! Just microwave for 30 seconds
radhika s kumar says
Why there is lime juice listed twice and two different measurements?
Archana says
Thank you for pointing it out. I have corrected it.
CK1990 says
Hi Archana, is it possible to replace the wheat flour with farrari or bajra flour? Thanks
Archana says
yes!
Karyn Erb says
Absolutely delicious!!
Nilima says
Can I use anything else instead of wheat due to allergy? Thank you
Archana says
I have not tested but may be gluten-free flour will work
Neelu Gupta says
Interesting Recipe. Will try soon. I have a question regarding steamer insert you used. Pl let me know where to buy. Thanks
Archana Mundhe says
Hi Neelu! I have included a link to the Dhokla steamer in the equipment section of the recipe card. Hope you give it a try.
Roshni says
Can you use frozen dudhi?
Archana Mundhe says
Is it whole Dudhi? As long as it does not release excess water you should be able to use it.
Joseph says
This looks delicious!
Is there a way to make this gluten free?
Archana Mundhe says
Yes, you can use oat flour instead of wheat flour in this recipe to make it gluten free.
Priti Patel says
This was such an easy to follow recipe. I used spinach & zucchini, they came out super fluffy and tasty. Such a quick and easy meal!
Archana Mundhe says
So happy to hear that! Spinach and zucchini are great substitutes, love that they turned out fluffy and delicious. It really is such a quick and satisfying meal, right? Thanks for trying it and sharing your feedback!
Roopa Gandhi says
I tried this recipe today, it turned out great! It’s delicious - I added ajwain and brown sesame seeds in batter.
I will do tadka tomorrow before eating it as lunch! Thanks for sharing this recipe!!
Archana Mundhe says
Thank you Roopa! Love that you added sesame seeds and ajwain to the batter too!