Today for breakfast we had methi-na-muthiya. The name too has an origin. Methi is fenugreek leaves, which are folded into a dough, including wheat, bajra, jowar, besan. Then ground green chillies, ginger, corriander leaves and if needed garlic is ground and added to the dough. A little bit of oil to mix it well. A little bit of curds can be added for it softens the dough and adds a certain flavour. Set it aside for some time and then you pick up little balls in your fist and give them a shape with your folded fingers. `Muthi' is your fist and the resultant outcome is muthiya. But these days we make long tubes out of the dough and steam them for some time and then cut them into pieces. They do look like muthiya, but the original one is shaped in the fist. Muthiyas can be deep fried and eaten as a snack for tea and also added to the heart warming winter dish Undhiyu.

It can be made with various vegetables and the outcome is always delicious. After the steaming process, which you can make a batch and store it in fridge, you have to shallow fry them with oil, mustard seeds and ssesame seeds. Drizzle the plated version with lime juice and chopped corriander. 

Since I was born and brought up in Gujarat, their cuisine is closest to my heart, but having married a staunch Tamil boy, now for 37 years, Tamil Brahmin food is equally close to my heart. When there are leanings towards a Gujarati dish, I have to think of Murali a lot. Because that which cannot be accompanied by Sambar is not a dish worth commenting about in his lingo. And I will not allow Muthiya to be eaten with anything else but green chutney. While he will eat it happily enough, there is a feeling of deprivation early in the morning. And according to him anything which cannot be dipped, dunked in sambar has no character😵😵😶😩.

I can wax eloquent about the Gujarati dishes and the unlimited capacity of the Gujarati to make and enjoy dishes. In fact they have me spoilt, for it is thanks to them that I think I need to cook a separate meal in the evening on an ordinary working day. Earlier, while growing up we used to have left over dal and curry from the lunch. This also helped to have no left overs in those days when there was no fridge. 

But for some reason, the urban Gujarati mother got over enthusiastic and decided to indulge her family and so there is a variety dish even in the evening. Probably every urban mother with teenage children. They take great pleasure in making pizzas, pastas and various other foreign dishes,, sometimes taking the trouble to make it taste like the original, but most of the time with a little twist. All this is done with great enthusiasm and planning and made at home. And on a Sunday evening the entire family goes out dining. This keenness in food and eating out is specific to this community, as far as I know.

The Gujarati lady also does not believe in any wastage. Left over rotis are fried to a crisp with very little oil and can be had as nachos with a side or just with a sprinkling of salt and chilly powder. Or as I mentioned in my previous blog, can be eaten as ghee-god-rotli. She uses the left over rice to make some fried rice called vagharela bhaat or mixes it to make a different kind of roti. Very creative and extremely amenable to experimenting.

And by the way, most of it cannot be had with Sambar😲😲. After 37 years, Murali and I still have clashes on these simple concepts like taste......

"So, how were the muthiyas," I asked him.

"Ok. It was a bit dry. You know I would have loved to have it with some kind of liquid (read Sambar)".

I also continue to spring surprises on him, by introducing such dishes every once in a while. I too have to get my thrills......