AI-generated image
Umbadiyu
Clay-pot roasted vegetables
ઉંબાડિયું: whole stuffed vegetables slow-roasted dry in an upside-down clay pot
In the Valsad and Bulsar countryside of south Gujarat, the Uttarayan season brings roadside stalls roasting umbadiyu: a clay pot (matlu) is packed with surti papdi beans, baby potatoes, small sweet potatoes and purple yam, all slathered in green masala and layered with bitter kalar leaves, then turned upside down into a pit of smouldering straw and dung cakes for an hour or more. Unlike undhiyu, there is no gravy, no fried muthiya and no frying at all; the vegetables steam and roast in their own moisture and come out smoky, tender and coated in herbs and green garlic. At home a heavy pot on a low flame, set on a tava, does the job. Common mistake: adding water; you only need the oil and the vegetables' own juices, and it is done when a knife slides easily through the largest potato. Chef's tip: if you can't get kalar leaves, line the pot with banana leaf and a handful of ajwain leaves for the same leafy aroma.
- Total time
- 115 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 10 ½ oz surti papdi or flat green beansstrings removed, left whole
- 10 ½ oz baby potatoesscrubbed, slit in a cross
- 9 oz small sweet potatoescut into 5 cm pieces and slit
- 9 oz purple yam (kand)peeled, cut into 4 cm chunks
For the green masala
- 2 ⅞ oz green garlicchopped, or 8 garlic cloves
- 2 ⅛ oz fresh corianderwith stems
- 1 oz fresh ginger
- 2 tsp ajwain (carom seeds)
- 2 tsp salt
- 6 tbsp groundnut oil
For the pot
- 2 handfuls kalar leaves or banana leafto line the pot
To serve
- ¾ cup green chutney or sweet chutney (optional)
Shop this recipe on Amazon
What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (9)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Grind 2 ⅞ oz green garlic, 2 ⅛ oz fresh coriander, 6 green chillies, 1 oz fresh ginger, 2 tsp ajwain (carom seeds) and 2 tsp salt to a coarse paste with no water, then stir in half the 3 tbsp groundnut oil.
5 minStep 2: Push the masala into the slits of 10 ½ oz baby potatoes and 9 oz small sweet potatoes, then toss them with 9 oz purple yam (kand) and 10 ½ oz surti papdi or flat green beans and the rest of the masala until everything is coated green.
10 minStep 3: Grease a heavy clay pot or thick-based pan with a tight lid with a little of the remaining 3 tbsp groundnut oil and line the base with half the 2 handfuls kalar leaves or banana leaf.
2 minStep 4: Pack in the potatoes and yam first, then the sweet potatoes, and the papdi on top. Drizzle over the last of the oil and cover with the rest of the leaves. Do not add water.
3 minStep 5: Seal the lid with a strip of dough or foil. Set the pot on a tava over a low heat and cook for 70–80 minutes, gently shaking the pot every 15 minutes so the base doesn't burn.
80 minStep 6: Check by pushing a knife through the largest potato: it should slide in with no resistance, and the beans should be soft and charred in places. If not, reseal and cook 10 minutes more.
1 minStep 7: Turn the pot out onto a large platter, discard the leaves and serve hot with ¾ cup green chutney or sweet chutney.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 270 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 7 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does umbadiyu take?
- About 115 minutes in total: 35 minutes to prepare and 80 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of baby potatoes?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
- What can I use instead of small sweet potatoes?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Black bean tacos with lime slaw
Proof that a meat-free taco night can be the best one. The beans are mashed with chipotle and cumin so they hold together in the tortilla, and a quick lime slaw adds crunch.
Mexican
SakarpadaSweet fried dough diamonds
Sakarpada (shakarpara) are little sweet diamonds of a rich dough made with ghee, milk and sugar, fried until golden and crunchy. They are a Diwali favourite with tea, and the cubes go into bhusu too. They keep for weeks in an air-tight tin.
Caramelised clay-pot tofu and mushroomsBraised tofu and mushrooms
Kho is the slow braise of the Mekong Delta: food simmered in a little clay pot (nồi đất) with dark caramel and seasoning until the sauce is sticky and the flavours go deep. This vegetarian cousin of cá kho tộ (braised fish) uses golden tofu and meaty mushrooms in place of fish, cooked in coconut water, as cooks do in the south, and finished with plenty of black pepper. Serve it bubbling in its pot with steamed rice and a sour soup or plain boiled vegetables. Chef's tip: take the caramel (nước màu) to a deep mahogany, darker than you think, just before it smokes; pale caramel only tastes sweet, while dark caramel gives the bittersweet, smoky flavour of a real kho.
VietnamesePerfect for:Sankranti, Lohri & PongalWinter warmers