Palak (Spinach) Muthiya can be had as a snack or as a side dish for lunch or dinner.

I lived in a neighborhood had a majority of Gujarati residents, so naturally have had Gujarati friends since my childhood and over the years have learnt to converse in the language too.

If you have been following my blog, by now you know that I am a big fan of vegetarian food. 

And after South Indian cuisine, the next best thing for me in vegetarian cuisine is Gujarati food. Quite a few of their recipes are to die for.  Jalebi Fafda combination with the raw papaya chutney, the khandvi (I can have it any part of the day) and the Gujarati dal, which is a little too sweet for my taste buds, but my daughter simply loves it, so I make it a point to prepare it every now and then.

 

 

 

There are so many more yummilicious dishes to choose from this beautiful and flamboyant state, which has a rich folk heritage.   My fetish to try new recipes and explore regional cuisines, has made me learn most of these famous dishes, except Undhiyu  (never tried to make that one) – I promise I will someday.

This month we are looking at VEGAN FOOD and the concept also is #detoxInSpring, which is all about nutrition and low-fat diet.

Now, I am sure you must be wondering how can a Vegan recipe come from a state which is the origin of the WHITE REVOLUTION in India.  Here, I  must admit that most of the lovely recipes from Gujarat are largely non-vegan because of the liberal use of milk, curd, ghee, paneer. So, I gave it a little thought and tweaked this recipe to turn it into a vegan one.  And what a difference this little change has made, it  tasted incredibly flavoursome and even better than the curd version.

Take a look at what the secret ingredient is.

Spinach Muthiya  is a traditional Gujarati recipe. This easy recipe can be made with a few basic things easily found in Indian kitchen.  And doesn’t take much effort as well.  But, what I loved about it is that, it is STEAMED.  Exactly, what I was looking to post in this month.  And I am so glad I chose this one.

Usually, muthiya is made using chickpea flour (besan), wheat flour (atta) and semolina (rava).

Grated raw mango gives this recipe an edge and the much needed tangy zest.

 

Here we have skipped the curd and used grated RAW MANGO for the sour taste.  That’s how this muthiya recipe turns vegan.   So, now you know that the very much in-season raw mango is the secret ingredient and I bet you won’t miss the curd.

AAHMAZING isn’t it ?!!!  That’s the grated raw mango which  lifts the flavours beautifully.

Once the muthiya is steamed, it is cut and later tempered with very little use of oil.  This tempering helps the muthiya to get crispier on the outside and nice and soft on the inside.  The spinach is added to increase nutritional content of the dish.  Lemon juice gives it a nice zest.

These can be had with tea or as a side dish with your lunch.  It is also a great idea for tiffin.  So. let’s get VEGAN and do try making this.

 

Spinach Muthiya

Ingredients :

• 2 cups spinach (washed, pat it dry and chop)
• 1 cup gram flour (besan)
• ½ cup wheat flour (atta)
• ¼ cup semolina (rava)
• ½ tsp turmeric
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp crushed black pepper
• ½ tsp fennel seeds
• 2 tbsp ginger, garlic & green chilli paste
• 1 tbsp raw mango grated
• ½ cup coriander leaves finely chopped
• ¼ tsp asafoetida (hing)
• ½ tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
• 2 tsp sugar
• Juice of half a lemon
• 4 tsp vegetable oil
• Salt to taste

For Tempering :

• ½ tbsp mustard seeds
• ¼ tbsp sesame seeds
• ½ tsp red chilli powder

Method :

• • In a medium sized bowl, add the wheat flour, gram flour, semolina, , turmeric powder, asafoetida, baking soda, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, salt and sugar.
  • Mix these well and then add ginger paste, garlic paste, green chillies, chopped coriander, lemon juice and 1 teaspoon of oil. Now, give it a nice whisk and set it aside.
  • Next, dry the chopped spinach thoroughly, and add it to the previous ingredients in the bowl.
  • Mix this well and knead it into soft dough. Use water, if needed.
  • Next, add about 5 cups of water in a steamer and bring it to a boil. Then grease the steamer tray with some oil.
  • Now, apply some oil on your palms and divide the dough into cylindrical logs or as per your desired shape, and arrange them on the greased tray.
  • Steam it for 20-22 minutes and check if the muthiya is cooked by inserting a toothpick in it.
  • Once cooked, let it cool for 5 minutes and then cut it into half inch slices.
  • Now place a pan over medium flame and heat 3 teaspoon oil in it. Add mustard and sesame seeds let them splutter,
  • Add ½ tsp red chilli powder in the hot oil and immediately, add sliced muthiya and mix gently to make sure that it does not break.
  • Cook it until it turns golden brown and crispy. Transfer it on an absorbent paper and serve it hot with some tomato ketchup or chutney.
  • Spinach Muthiyas are ready to eat