Muthia (Steamed Dumpling)
April 6th, 2009 filed under Appetizers, Vegan
Muthias are steamed spiced dumplings, made with gram flour (besan), cabbage and spices. I have selected to make them with cabbage, but you can make muthias using zucchini (Italian squash) or Bottle gourd also known as doodhi or louki. Muthia makes a great appetizer or snack.
Recipe serves 4.
Ingredients:
Muthia:
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon citric acid
- 4 cups very fine shredded cabbage
- 1 cup gram flour (basen)
- 2 tablespoons whole-wheat flour
- 2 tablespoons chopped fenugreek leaves (can be substitute with 2 tablespoons of dry fenugreek leaves or kastoori mathi) fenugreek can also be replaced with chopped cilantro (hara dhania)
- 2 chopped green chili (adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seed (jeera)
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- 2 tablespoons oil
For Seasoning and Garnish:
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (til)
- 4 whole red chili
- 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro (hara dhania)
Method:
- Combine gram flour, whole-wheat flour, fenugreek, cumin seed, turmeric, green chili, sugar, citric acid, oil, and salt in a bowl.
- Add the cabbage to the flour mixture and mix well. Mixture should be like a very soft dough.
- Divide the mixture with greased fingers into about 14 pieces and drop them on steamer slowly and steam them covered for 18 to 20 minutes. Check them if muthias are ready put a knife through and it should come out clean.
- Let the muthias cool off and then slice them in two pieces.
- For seasoning heat the oil in frying pan on medium high. Add mustard seeds after they crack add sesame seeds and red chili and stir-fry for few seconds.
- Add muthias and stir-fry them for three to four minutes until they are light brown.Garnish them with chopped cilantro.
- Serve them hot or at room temperature.
Notes:
- Make the mixture just before you are ready to stem them. Otherwise mixture leaves the water and will become very soft. If you have more then one batch hold the salt and add the salt for one batch at a time.
- Muthias can be refrigerated for 3 to 4 days.
- Muthias can be frozen before seasoning. When ready to serve, thaw the frozen muthias and season them.
Variation:
Cabbage can be substituted with zucchini or bottled gourd also known as doodhi, loki or ghia. Because theses vegetables have more water content, after shredding lightly squeeze them between your palms to get the excess water out before making the mixture.
- Serving suggestions:
Muthias are great with cilantro chutney.
Muthias can be served just after steaming, but before seasoning, with cilantro chutney.
I love muthia and would love to make them, but I do not have a steamer like the one you used. Can you tell me where I can purchase one or what else I can use instead of the steamer?
Thanks,
Fan
Thanks for this WONDERFUL recipe, Manjula! I’m eating one of these masterpieces right now and I’m in heaven!
I do have one question. Although I did oil my fingers, I found that after forming a few dumplings my fingers were coated in the batter and I had to wash my hands and re-oil. Is there an easier way to do this? I would even be willing to cook this in another form that didn’t require them to be formed into dumplings. I’m picturing something like a steamed cake or something. What do you think?
Thank you!
Adam
Hi, Manjula.
I also am a fan…you have many! Would rice flour be a suitable substitute for the whole wheat? I have Celiac disease and must avoid glutenous grains. Thank you for your help.
Dear Paula,
You can substitute rice flour for wheat flour. You can also use Buckwheat or dhokla atta.
thanks a lot auntyji for such wonderful recipes, I want to try this recipe but I don’t have the steamer thing , could u plz tell from where can I purchase that thing.
Hello Auntie, can we replace citric acid with a few lemon drops ? and if we use lemon do we need to add soda or eno ?
Hi Jamki, that will work
thank u auntiji………..
Auntiji,
I love this recipe, Thank you so much.
Hello manjula ji, like the way u present the receipe. please can u suggest, if we r not using citric acid for this and want to replace it with eno fruit salt what would be the measurement. thanks. want to try this receipe asap. thanks
why do you not use Curry leaves ??
Hello Manjula ji,
I am a big fan of yours. I like the fact that we can see you prepare as opposed to just reading a recipe. In this recipe you have mentioned that we can use doodhi/lauki too instead of cabbage. Could you please tell me how to use it? Would you grate the doodhi or just chop it or run it in the food pro? As it leaves water, I was wondering how it would work. Please let me know. tHank you.
Hello Archana,
you will grate the doodhi and squize out some water from doodhi, every thing else remains the same.