Undhiyu

Hello there!
Hope you're all having a lovely summer.
I'm kicking back and enjoying a break from studies at the moment, which brings me back me to my little internet kitchen.
Over the past one year, I barely registered what I ate and hardly ever cooked, as we had someone to help with cooking. But on the stray occasions when I did enter the kitchen, it would be cook something special but not too involved. Thus, over the next couple of months, I plan to post recipes from my draft, which for us are what we used to eat as a break from everyday food.
To begin with, let me share a quick, breezy and light undhiyu that is based on a number of recipes off the internet.The undhiyu I have had thus far have been supremely tasty but supremely oily too. Since it's such a richly flavoured and fragrant dish, I thought that a healthier version should work too, and work it did, for us. Do try it sometime, and tell me if you like too.

An undhiyu that worked
Serves 4 (accompanied by dal)
4 small eggplants, slit halfway cross wise (slit only halfway, so that we can stuff it later)
1 raw banana cut into discs of about3/4th to 1 inch thickness, I kind of prefer it unpeeled, but peel is fine as well.
1 sweet potato, cubed
1 potato, cubed/ 8 baby potatoes slit cross wise, halfway
a bunch of surati papdi, stringed, if needed
1 purple yam ( i couldn't find it but do throw in some if you have)

Stuffing:
1 bunch of green garlic/ 6 small cloves of garlic
1 small bunch of cilantro
4 tbsp grated coconut (frozen worked fine)
1/2 inch piece of ginger
5 green chillies
a pinch of sugar
1/ tsp salt
Make a coarse paste,and stuff the eggplants and baby potatoes.
Check out this great picture of the stuffed veggies in Nupur's undhiyu post on One hot Stove
Methi muthia
a small bunch of methi, coarsely chopped (leaves only)
5 tbsp besan
1 tbsp atta
salt, turmeric, chili powder
Mix and make a firm dough using a little water. Make discs and shallow fry two at a time in 1 tbsp oil . This way, I found some oil remains after frying, which can be used for frying the vegetables. ( You can also use an appe/abelskeiver pan if you have one). Of course we can also deep fry little blobs of muthiya, which is the traditional way of making it.
Using the same oil, splutter ajwain, hing, add chili powder, dhana jira powder
and the leftover stuffing. Fry for 2 minutes and add the vegetables and 1/2 to 1 cup of water.
Sprinkle salt to taste and a pinch of sugar, transfer to a pressure cooker and give 1 to 2 whistles (Adjust according to your cooker).Open when steam releases, there should be some gravy left. Add the muthiya now.
Sprinkle some water if needed and cook for another 5 minutes or so, till the muthiyas absob the flavours. (if your muthiyas turn out hard, you can add them with the vegetables and cook for one whistle too).
Enjoy your undhiyu with soft, warm phulkas.

P.S: I must add here that the generous use of oil, does lend a better clinging sauce to the dish, which together with fried muthiyas enhances the taste. However, I'm happy enough with the healthier version to not miss the oil:)