250gramsLauki (bottle gourd or dudhi)~ 1 cup grated
¼cupCilantro or coriander leaveschopped
1inchGinger
3Green chiliescrush ginger and chilies together
1tablespoonSugar
1teaspoonSalt
½teaspoonTurmeric powder
1teaspoonRed chili powder
1 ½teaspoonCumin-coriander powderDhana-jiru
⅛teaspoonHing (Asafoetida)
½teaspoonFennel seeds
½teaspoonCumin seeds
2tablespoonsPlain yogurtdahi or curd
2tablespoonsLemon juice or Lime juice
1tablespoonOil
¼teaspoonBaking soda
1cupCoarse whole wheat flourBhakhri flour
⅔cupBesan (gram flour)
For Tempering:
3-4tablespoonsOil
1teaspoonMustard seeds
2teaspoonsSesame seeds
10-12Curry leaves
Instructions
Prepare The Dough
In a large bowl, combine grated lauki, chopped cilantro, crushed ginger-green chili, sugar, salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin-coriander powder, hing, fennel seeds, and cumin seeds. Mix thoroughly.
Add yogurt, lemon juice, oil, and baking soda. Mix until well combined.
Add coarse wheat flour and besan, and mix until a sticky, loose dough forms. The dough should be loose enough to barely shape into balls or logs.
Drizzle a teaspoon of oil over the dough and smooth it out to reduce stickiness.
Shape & Steam
Prepare the steamer by adding water to the base and bringing it to a boil. Grease the steamer tray with oil.
Grease your palms with oil and shape the dough into 1 ½ inches diameter logs.
Place them on the greased tray, leaving space between each log.
Steam the muthiya for 23-25 minutes on medium-high heat until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow the steamed dudhi muthiya to cool in the tray for 10 minutes before transferring them to a chopping board. Let them cool to warm, almost room temperature.
Once cooled, slice the muthiya into thin slices.
Make Tempering:
Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Once hot, add mustard seeds and allow them to splutter. Add sesame seeds, which will start to pop.
Add curry leaves.
Immediately add the sliced muthiya to the pan. Toss gently and cook until golden brown and slightly crisp around the edges, about 2-3 minutes.
Serve hot and enjoy!
Notes
Dough Consistency: Aim for a soft and sticky dough consistency that can be shaped into logs with ease.
Avoid Stiff Dough: Stiff dough can result in dense and hard muthia.
Avoid Overly Sticky Dough: It may lead to gummy and sticky muthia from the center.
More or Less Flour: Adjust the amount of flour based on the moisture content of the bottle gourd. Allow to Cool Before Slicing: Let the steamed muthia cool down before slicing to prevent them from crumbling.
No Resting Time for Dough: Shape and steam right away after making the dough otherwise lauki will keep releasing water and the dough will become wet and sticky.
Steam on Medium-High Heat: Make sure the water is boiling all the time and not simmer while steaming muthia to get the best texture.