Unveiling the Earthen Delights: A Step-by-Step Guide to Traditional Umbadiyu
The crisp December air carries a whisper of spices and warmth, beckoning you towards the soul-stirring flavours of Umbadiyu – a Gujarati winter masterpiece. Let’s embark on a culinary journey, transforming humble ingredients into a potpourri of textures and tastes, all nestled in the embrace of a clay pot.
Gather your winter bounty:
• Vegetables: Brinjals, sweet potatoes, potatoes, taro root (surti papdi),purple yam.
• Spices: Coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder, ginger garlic and chilly paste.
• Other essentials: Green chilies, ginger, garlic, peanuts, sesame seeds, leaves, oil, salt.
Stage 1 : Setting the Scene
• Prep the players: take all vegetables and wash them well.
• The star treatment: cut the purple yam, potato in 4 parts and Combine with green chili paste, ginger, and garlic to make a stuffing.
• Lay the foundation: In your clay pot, create a bed of leaves. (They act as antioxidants)
Stage 2: The Flavorful Dance
Add green chilli paste along with ginger garlic paste to the surti papdi.
Stage 3: The Grand Finale
Start layering the pot with the leaves, add in the surti papdi,along with the stuffed potato,purple yam and sweet potatoes.
At the end add the remaining chilli paste and put the leaves on top.
Cover it with more leaves and put in up side down on the ground.
Now start heating the pot, lit the fire and let it burn for atleast 15-20 minutes.
Let it cook naturally even after the fire is over and open the pot after sometime.
Serve with love, share with laughter:
Enjoy Umbadiyu piping hot, a celebration of season’s bounty, a testament to tradition,
and a story whispered in spices and vegetables.
So, gather your loved ones, fire up the stove, and create your own potful of Umbadiyu. Let the earthen magic unfold, and share the story of winter’s embrace, one flavorful bite at a time.
