What is Undhiyu, a Gujarati dish that is cooked upside down?

Undhiyu is a dish made up of mixed vegetables that forms a part of a casserole or curry and has its roots in Gujarat. The name of the dish is derived from the word ‘undhu’ in Gujarati, which means upside down, as the vegetables are traditionally cooked in an earthen pot buried underground.

Undhiyu reflects Gujarat’s winter food heritage

In the traditional preparation method, Undhiyu was cooked using vegetables which were in season during winter, like Surti papdi, brinjal, potato, sweet potato, purple yam, beans, root vegetables, and vegetables that were in season. The combination of Methi muthia and sweet, slightly spicy masala gives it its texture, flavour, and aroma.

The food is intimately associated with the winter agriculture season of Gujarat. The selection of vegetables used in the preparation is determined by the availability during the season. The food is also intimately associated with the Uttarayan festival, or the Kite festival.

Different regional variations exist. The one prepared in Ahmedabad is comparatively spicy and uses more oil. The one made in Surat is famous for its garlicky taste. The one made in villages can have very mild spices and can be made using a clay pot with less masala.

Undhiyu also has an interesting folk tale associated with it. One of the folk tales connects it with Lord Krishna and states that he liked to have something similar while celebrating Uttarayan. There is also another folk tale stating that the Pandavas made a vegetable curry when they were in exile, and they cooked it in an underground pot.

The cooking process of Undhiyu itself has its parallels in the ancient Indian way of cooking. Cooking in an earthen pot has always been popular on the subcontinent and is linked with the Indus Valley Civilization, which existed between 2600 and 1900 BC.

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