Zucchini Muthia / Steamed Zucchini Dumplings is a healthy staple Gujarati dish made with cooking zucchini with handva flour or kanki korma flour (flour made by grinding rice and lentils together). The flour is mixed with zucchini , spices, oil and yogurt and shaped into logs and steamed. The steamed logs is then cooled and cut into slices and is tempered with oil, mustard seeds, sesame seeds and curry leaves . Serve them hot with a cup of tea or mango chunda. They are a perfect snack to carry while travelling or for a potluck or picnic. Also can be enjoyed in the lunch boxes, breakfast, or light dinner. It is a complete one meal dish. Skip asafoetida to make gluten free.
Muthia is a popular dish made in every Gujarati household. The name is derived from the way it is made, from the gripping action of the hand. The muthia can be made using different vegetables as per your choice such as bottle gourd, cabbage, carrot, fenugreek leaves (methi), spinach, luni bhaji, amaranth or radish.
Generally muthia are prepared using whole wheat flour and chickpea flour. But my mother-in-law makes muthia using kanki korma flour or handva flour (it is a flour made by using rice and lentils like split pigeon pea). The muthia made from these flour are soft. If you skip asafoetida in the recipe it will become gluten free. The handva flour is readily available in stores. You can make it in home by grinding 3 cups of rice with 1 cup of split pigeon pea (tuvar dal) at home in a grinder.
Back in India I made using bottle gourd (dudhi) or made with combination of bottle gourd alongwith greens like spinach or methi leaves. But getting bottle gourd here at Sydney is difficult every time. So I had tried my hands on making muthia using Zucchini. Zucchini tastes similar to bottle gourd. The Zucchini muthia tastes similar to the bottle gourd muthia. I henceforth make muthia using zucchini if bottle gourd is not available.
Cool muthia completely before slicing them. My mother-in-law will take a log of cooked muthia straight from steamer and pour some raw peanut oil over it and eat. You can enjoy muthia straight from the steamer or wait to get it cool and then slice and temper them with oil , curry leaves, mustard seeds and sesame seeds. Sprinkle some chopped coriander and desiccated coconut before serving.
When you stir fry the muthia, some crumbs will come out while tossing the muthia. These crumbs are very delicious and everyone wants it in our house so sometime i try to break some muthia into crumbs while stir frying. I sometimes sprinkle a tbsp of water over the muthia while stir frying to make them softer.
These muthias are pictured when I had made them for breakfast when my husband’s friend Sameer Chaudhary from Canberra had visited with his family at our place. He liked it so much that he had asked me to pack the leftover for his trip back to Canberra with tea.
I have shared with you also the recipe of making muthia with left over khichi “leftover khichi muthia”
Friends do enjoy and make these muthia and share your experience with me.
Zucchini Muthia / Steamed Zucchini Dumplings
Ingredients
- 3 Zucchini grated with skin
- 2 cup Handva flour kanki korma flour (it is a flour made by grinding rice and lentils together in proportions)
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1/2 tsp turmeric haldi
- 1/4 tsp asafoetida hing
- 1/2 tsp dry ginger powder or 1 tsp ginger paste
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 1 tbsp sugar I have used raw sugar
- 1 tbsp yogurt curd/dahi ( 1/2 tbsp more if needed. I have used homemade curd /yogurt)
- salt as per taste
- 1 tsp oil for greasing the plate and to sprinkle over the muthia log while cooking
For tempering
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds rai
- 1 tsp sesame seeds til
- 1/4 tsp asafoetida hing
- curry leaves
- water sprinkle over muthia if needed
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl take grated zucchini. Keep the steamer with water to boil. (or use a big broad pot. Place a round ring like stand. Place the colander or perforated plate in it and cover with a lid).
- Add spices - red chili powder, turmeric powder, ginger powder (or fresh ginger paste), sugar, asafoetida, salt and oil. You can add green chili paste in place of red chili powder.
- Mix well with hands till the zucchini is squeezed and spices nicely mixed. The aroma of the spices and zucchini will start releasing once the mixing is nicely done.
- Add the handva flour or kanki korma flour (it is a flour made with rice and lentils).
- Mix well with light hands. The flour will be nicely absorbed. Add a tbsp of yogurt or more if needed.
- Mix well.
- Roll the dough into logs and place in the greased colander or perforated plate in a steamer with boiling water. Sprinkle little oil on the top of the muthia. It gives nice glaze to the muthia once cooked.
- Cover with lid and cook on high heat for 15 minutes and then on low heat for 15 minutes or till done. Insert a toothpick to check if the muthia are cooked. If the toothpick comes out clean the muthia are done. Switch off the heat and let the muthia stand for 5 minutes in steamer.
- Remove the lid.
- Remove the cooked muthia in a plate and let them cool completely.
- Cut 5mm thick slices.
- For tempering - Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and sesame seeds.
- Let they crackle. Add asafoetida and curry leaves and saute.
- Add the cut muthia and toss gently. While tossing the muthia, some crumbs will come. These crumbs are very tasty. Sprinkle a tbsp of water if needed to make muthia softer.
- The zucchini muthia are ready. Serve them hot with a cup of tea or mango chunda. They are a perfect snack to carry while travelling or for a potluck or picnic. Also can be enjoyed in the lunch boxes, breakfast, or light dinner.
Tempting and delicious!!
Amazing dumplings.
Thank you!!
Lip smacking good
Thank you so much