Dudhi Muthia Bottle Gourd Steamed Dumpling

Method

1. 1

   Prepare the bottle gourd: Peel and grate 1 cup of bottle gourd on the coarse side of a box grater. Place the grated gourd in a clean cloth and squeeze very firmly — extract as much moisture as possible. The gourd should feel almost dry. Excess moisture makes muthia too soft and they will not hold their shape.

2. 2

   Mix the dough: In a wide bowl combine the squeezed grated bottle gourd, wheat flour, gram flour, ginger paste, chopped green chilli, coriander leaves, turmeric, red chilli powder, sugar, ajwain, sesame seeds, oil and salt. Mix everything together with your hands. The moisture from the gourd will help bind everything.

3. 3

   Knead into a firm dough: Knead the mixture for 2 minutes. The dough should be firm — not sticky, not crumbly. If it is too dry, add 1 tablespoon of water. If too sticky, add 1 tablespoon of gram flour.

4. 4

   Shape the muthia: Divide the dough into 2 to 3 equal portions. Roll each portion between your palms into a long cylinder about 4 to 5 cm in diameter. The surface should be smooth and even.

5. 5

   Steam the muthia: Place the cylinders in a steamer over boiling water. Cover tightly and steam for 18 to 20 minutes until fully cooked — insert a toothpick in the centre, it should come out clean.

6. 6

   Cool before slicing: Remove from steamer. Let cool for 10 minutes — cutting hot muthia causes them to crumble. Once cooled, cut each cylinder into rounds about 1.5 cm thick.

7. 7

   Shallow fry the sliced muthia: Heat 3 tbsp oil in a flat pan on medium. Add the muthia slices in a single layer. Fry without touching for 2 minutes until the bottom turns golden. Flip. Fry the other side 2 minutes.

8. 8

   Remove and keep aside: Remove the fried muthia from the pan. Keep aside.

9. 9

   Make the finishing tadka: In the same pan heat 1 tbsp oil. Add mustard seeds — pop. Add curry leaves and sesame seeds — stir 15 seconds. Pour this tadka over the arranged muthia.

10. 10

    Serve: Serve the tadka-topped muthia warm as a snack or as part of a meal. They can also be eaten at room temperature.

11. 11

    Note: Muthia (from the word muthi meaning fist — because the dough is shaped by pressing in the fist) is made with various vegetables across Gujarat — bottle gourd (dudhi), fenugreek leaves (methi), spinach. The steam-then-fry technique gives the finished muthia a dense, firm interior and a slightly crispy exterior. Made as a snack and also served as part of the Gujarati thali in certain households.