Dudhi Muthiya is a Gujarati delicacy made with grated bottle gourd, 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.
Muthia
The name "Muthia or Muthiya" comes from the way this dish 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 which are steamed and then sliced.
There are many variations of Muthiya that use an assortment of veggies and flours. My favorite is with fresh dudhi (also known as Lauki, bottle gourd, or calabash). It is a delicately flavored, low-calorie vegetable that is a good source of vitamin C. With its mild taste it is also used to make delicious desserts like Dudhi Halwa or Dudhi Basundi.
I like to add fresh(or frozen) methi/fenugreek leaves to this easy dudhi muthiya recipe. It adds complimenting flavors and aroma to make this vegan dish even more nutritious.
Ingredients
In addition to the veggies, muthia uses a mix of flours - whole wheat, gram flour, and sooji. Fresh ginger and green chilies add a perfect spice, while turmeric adds a light golden color to the dish. To make the muthia light, mix in baking soda just before pouring the mixture into the bowl to be steamed.
Instant Pot Recipe
Traditionally steamed in a stovetop steamer or pressure cooker, muthia is a perfect recipe for Instant Pot. The traditional recipe does not use water. It instead 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 shortcut to this recipe. I add a little bit of water to the dough to make the cake-like batter and then pour it into greased bowls to steam. Once cooked, cut them into smaller squares and pan-fry.
Similar to my rava dhokla and kothimbir vadi, I use Instant Pot to steam Muthiya. Simply remember to keep the Pressure release knob to venting instead of sealing. I divide the dough into 2 bowls, to make thinner 1-inch muthiya. You can also steam in one deep 4 to 5-inch stainless steel bowl for thicker muthiya. If steaming in one bowl, increase the cooking time to 15 minutes.
Variations
- Substitute Dudhi with grated cabbage or zucchini
- Fresh/frozen fenugreek leaves can be substituted with spinach
- Sooji can be substituted with rice flour
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 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 few hours. After thawing temper them according to the recipe
- Steamed and sliced muthiyas are also added to the traditional Gujarati Undhiyu which is a delicious vegetable casserole dish
Served with a hot cup of ginger chai or sweet and tangy raw mango drink these Muthiya are simply delish.
Did you enjoy the flavors of this delicious muthia? Check out some more healthy breakfast and snack recipes:
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Dudhi Muthia {Steamed dumplings} - Instant Pot
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 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 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 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 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
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