Muthiya is a popular Gujarati dish made with bottle gourd, fenugreek leaves and spiced with green chilies, ginger and a medley of other spices.
These irresistible spiced steamed dumplings have a perfect balance of spicy, tangy, and sweet with pan-fried crunchy texture from the tempering.
There are many variations of muthiyas that uses an assortment of vegetables and flours. Traditionally the muthiyas are formed into log-shapes and gently steamed to cook them. Once steamed, the muthiyas are quickly sautéed with sesame seeds and curry leaves to add that final dimension of flavour and a gorgeously crisp, golden texture.
My favourite variation of muthiya is using fresh bottle gourd (also known as dudhi, lauki or calabash) and fenugreek leaves. Bottle Gourd is a delicately flavoured, low-calorie vegetable that is an exceptionally good source of vitamin C, K and calcium.
My daughter loves these dudhi muthiyas. She loves these spicy delicious dumplings at any time of the day- breakfast, lunch, or a tea-time snack. I know a handful of people who prefer them straight from the steamer without sautéing them first – perhaps a result of impatience over preference. I would highly recommend sautéing them to give a lovely crunch and flavour.
