Muthiya Recipe | Methi Muthia (Steamed and Fried)
There are a variety of snacks, both sweet and savory, when it comes to Gujarati cuisine. Gujaratis love their snacks as much as other dishes and ‘muthiya’ is one of those many. This Methi Muthiya recipe is a variant, made with fresh fenugreek leaves (methi) and the core ingredient gram flour (besan). In this Muthiya recipe, I’ve shown you both the steamed and fried versions.
What is Muthiya
Muthiya or muthia is a fist-shaped dumpling, which is a traditional street food, snack or a side dish from Gujarat state in Western India. Primarily vegan in nature, the term muthiya has been derived from the word “muthi” which means fist – the ‘gripping action’ of our hands, which is also how this snack is made.
Also known as ‘velaniya’ or ‘vaataa,’ this famous Gujarati dish is considered filling and healthy as it is essentially steamed. But some may have a fried variant, like my Methi Muthiya recipe.
The main ingredients used in the preparation of muthiya recipe includes gram flour, chili, turmeric powder, oil, sugar and other seasonings.
Additional veggie flavors may include fenugreek leaves (methi), grated bottle gourd (dudhi or lauki), spinach leaves (palak), other vegetables or leafy greens.
Other flours like whole wheat flour (atta), pearl millet flour (bajra atta) or sorghum flour (jowar atta) are also used. Once steamed, the muthia is cut into thick slices and tempered in oil with mustard seeds, sesame seeds, curry leaves and sometimes asafoetida too.
More on this Methi Muthiya
There are many ways of making muthiya. However, I always prefer using gram flour. This Methi Muthiya recipe also has this flour along with fresh fenugreek leaves and spices. Though, I have mentioned about the fried way as well, but I must say I’m always partial towards the steamed one. It is just so good!
Methi Muthia can be made in advance and then added to any vegetable dish that you make at home. Typically, it is a part of the famous Gujarati dish ‘undhiyu,’ where it is cooked with an array of winter veggies and spices. The Undhiyu too is a must-try as its robust and packed with flavors in each bite.
Another way of relishing this slightly sweet and mildly spiced Methi Muthiya is to pair it with some rotlas, which are thick rotis made with pearl millet or bajra flour. One more Gujarati special and my favourite too.
Tempering the steamed Methi Muthia just makes it all the more delicious. So, after adding the temper, you can have it as a snack with some sweet or spicy chutney or even tomato ketchup. Make sure to consume the muthiya hot or warm.
My Love for Gujarati Cuisine
It is quite obvious from the way I’ve mentioned about this Methi Muthiya recipe, that I really love Gujarati food. So, I always make it a point to spread more and more about the beauty of this very cultured and simple, yet delectable cuisine.
I was born in Bombay (now Mumbai), which is pretty much the hub of Marathi and Gujarati food. Even at home, my mother used to make a lot of dishes that would have a Gujarati touch. Thus, I have been feasting on Gujarati goodies till I left Mumbai.
After moving to Delhi, I did undergo a complete shift in my thought processes due to my experiences with Punjabi food. Though I loved the larger-than-life nature of the Punjabi cuisine, I used to cook and create a lot of Punjabi recipes for the family – but made healthier by cutting down on the copious amount of fat.
But while I was cooking a lot of Punjabi dishes, I also decided to create and document my love for Gujarati food through typical dishes like this Muthiya recipe.
I’ve had Gujarati thalis and buffets, been to Gujarati weddings and so on. All I can say is that my bond with this particular cuisine has only become stronger over the years. The simplicity and deliciousness of Gujarati food holds a special place in my heart.
How to make Muthiya
Prepare Muthiya Dough
Take the followising listed ingredients in a mixing bowl:
- 2 cups besan (gram flour)
- 2.5 cups finely chopped methi leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt (or as required)
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons fine rava or sooji (cream of wheat)
- 2 teaspoons white sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
2. Combine to mix the ingredients thoroughly.
3. Add 2 tablespoons ginger-green chili paste, ¼ teaspoon baking soda and 2 tablespoons lemon juice.
Mix the ingredients and set aside for 15 to 20 minutes. The fenugreek leaves will release water in this time. So, you will know how much water to add later.
4. Now, add 1 tablespoon water. Remember to add water as needed and knead to a smooth dough.
Note: Remember that the amount of water will vary with the water content in fenugreek leaves and how well they have been rinsed. Making a note of this add more water if needed.
When adding water, the cup fell from my hands and extra water went into the dough. So the dough became a little sticky as you can see in the picture. I let the dough rest for some time and it was fine later. There was no stickiness afterwards.
Steam Methi Muthia
5. To make steamed muthia shape the dough into a length of 4 to 5 inches sausage type rolls. Place them on a greased tray.
Grease a baking tray or pan with neutral flavored oil. You can spread some oil in your palms while shaping the dough.
I portioned the dough in equal halves and made both fried and steamed muthiya.
6. Heat sufficient water or about 2 cups of water in a deep pan with a trivet placed on it. When the water becomes hot, using tongs carefully place the greased tray on the trivet in the pan. Cover and steam the muthiya for 10 to 12 minutes.
7. The muthia should be perfectly steamed and cooked. Check with a tooth pick or knife to see for doneness. If its properly steamed, then the dough will not stick to the tooth pick and will come out clean.
8. Let the muthia cool at room temperature. Slice the steamed muthia rolls as shown in the picture below.
Temper Steamed Muthiya
9. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a pan or kadai (wok). Add 1 teaspoon mustard seeds, 1 teaspoon white sesame seeds, 1 sprig of curry leaves and 1 pinch asafoetida. Stir and let the mustard seeds crackle.
10. Add the sliced steamed muthia to the tempering and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes on medium heat.
Make Fried Muthiya
11. Make small cylindrical or oval or rectangular shaped rolls with the dough. Spread some oil in your palms while shaping with the dough.
12. Heat some oil in a pan or kadai and shallow or deep fry the steamed muthia till golden brown and crisp.
13. Drain the fried muthia on kitchen tissues.
14. Garnish with some coriander and grated coconut. Serve Methi Muthia hot or warm, with some spicy or sweet chutney.
Step by Step Photo Guide Above
Ingredients
For making muthiya dough
- 2 cups gram flour (besan)
- 1 tablespoon water add more if required
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 2.5 cups chopped fenugreek leaves (methi leaves)
- 2 teaspoon sugar or as required
- 1 teaspoon salt or as required
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 2 tablespoons rava or sooji, finer variety (cream of wheat or semolina)
- 2 teaspoon white sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder (ground turmeric)
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder (ground coriander)
- 1 teaspoon Cumin Powder (ground cumin)
- ½ teaspoon Red Chili Powder or cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons ginger-green chili paste
For tempering steamed muthia
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon white sesame seeds
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
- 1 sprig curry leaves or 10 to 12 curry leaves
Other ingredients
- oil – for shallow or deep frying, as required
- water – as required, for steaming methi muthiya
For garnishing muthia
- 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
- 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh grated coconut
Instructions
Preparing muthiya dough
- Thoroughly mix all the ingredients listed for the dough except for water.
- Set aside for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Add water and make a smooth dough. Do note that the addition of water will depend on the water content in the fenugreek leaves. So keep this in mind and if needed add more water.
Steaming muthiya
- From half of the dough, make sausage shaped rolls and place them in a greased tray or container.
- Steam these rolls for 17 to 20 minutes or till done.
- Once lukewarm or cooled, slice the steamed rolls.
Making tempering
- For the tempering, heat oil in a frying pan or kadai (wok). Add the mustard seeds, white sesame seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida.
- Stir and fry until the mustard crackles.
- Add the sliced steamed muthia. Mix and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Switch off heat and serve warm garnished with chopped coriander leaves and grated coconut
Making fried muthia
- Make small elongated cylindrical rolls from the remaining half of the dough.
- Heat oil for shallow or deep frying in a kadai or frying pan.
- Shallow or deep fry the muthia rolls till golden brown and crisp.
- Drain them on kitchen tissues to remove excess oil.
- Serve hot with some spicy or sweet chutney of your choice.
This Muthiya Recipe post from the archives first published in August 2012 has been republished and updated on 26 May 2022.
Turned out amazing! Thank you.
Hey…big follower of ur recipes, always refer your recipes when in doubt..thank you..
Just one question, can I carry muthiyas or kottumbari vada for 10 hour flights???will they sustain???
Yes you can. They will remain good provided when serving them you use clean spoons. If touched by hand, then they can get spoiled.
Hi Dassana,
I was just trying to get some gluten free recipe for muthiya and saw this recipe. Wondering if I can skip rava from this recipe or what else I can use instead rava as I know rava is not allowed in GF diet plans!
As my daughter recently diagnosed with Celiac, I also need to try some GF rotis. In one of your blog I found you are trying rotis with different flours. Can you make some suggestions to make soft GF rotis as my daughter is very young and she would not like much hard rotis.
Bilal, you can skip rava. no need to add anything in place of rava. i have shared bajra, jowar, amaranth, water chestnut flour roti and pooris also. you can check them on blog.
I made fried muthiya, and deep freeze them couple weeks back. Can I still keep them in deep freeze for longer time, say a month? What is your recommendation for storing them?
yes you can. freezing works very well for many food products. so you can freeze the muthia.
Hi, your recipes are always hit at home. They never go wrong. I love your recipes
Thanks
thanks and welcome.
Hi dassana,
I was going through your collection of Gujarati recipes. (Actually, couple of days ago we tried dhokla recipe from your blog and it was a hit, so I am on the look out for more Gujarati dishes.)
Here in this recipe, as well as dhokla, there is addition of baking soda/eno. Does Gujarati cuisine use it often?
I was looking for Gujarati dishes that can be made frequently. How frequently can we use baking soda in meals?
Thank you
ruchi, baking soda or eno is added either to leaven or add some lightness and softness in the texture. not all gujarati recipes use baking soda or eno. mostly used in snacks like pakoras or dhoklas etc. it is said that both baking soda and eno is not good for health if taken too much. but since less amount is added and that too in snacks or recipes that we do not make on regular basis.
Can these be store for later use? You have mentioned to serve them warm, any reason? Do they turn soggy if served later?
you can store them, but they become slightly dense when cooled. so its best to have muthias hot or warm.
I really love the recepies you post! Simple and delicious! My husband loves the taste! Thank you so much!
pleased to know this mansi thankyou for your positive words 🙂
Can we skip the baking soda in this recipe?
yes you can skip the baking soda.
You are really great. Your receipes are very easy and delicious. God bless you. Thank you.
thankyou pratima 🙂 god bless you too.
Its all yummy dishes and really explained very well. Thankyou for all the efforts showed. God bless you! regards
welcome sushma 🙂 thankyou so much and god bless you too.
Awsum recipie…..tastes Grt….
thanks priyanshi
Just.. Felt g8 to learn undiyu nw I’ll make 4 my family m sure they will like it very much thanks chef
thanks shipra. undhiyu is a different dish made with a mix of winter veggies. methi muthias are added to the undhiyu dish.
Ur recipes are just awsum.. i made slight change in muthia’s.. instead 2cups of besan i added 1cup of whole wheat flour n 1cup of besan.. it turned out very soft..
thanks pooja. thats good to know that variation worked well for you. do you mean cashew curry ?. if yes, then i have added it in the requested recipe list.
Hi Dassana
Yesterday i made methi matar malai after following your recipe and it was yummy.
Today i just tried your steamed methi muthiya.It turned out great too.
Didn’t know muthiyas could be steamed too.
Thanks for sharing your yummy recipes.
Am originally from Bombay too and love gujju food.
thanks shernaz for the feedback on these methi recipes.
Hiii…
can u pls post the recipes of undhiyo n gujarati khichdi
suvidha, i won’t be get some of the veggies required for undhiyo in this season. i will gujarati khichdi recipes in coming months.
Hi,
I’ve never had these before. In the instructions it says to check for doneness with a toothpick except I’m unsure what I should be checking for? Dough clinging to the toothpick, changes in the firmness of the dough, something else? Any help would be appreciated.
thanks julie for asking this query. the toothpick should come out clean. once the muthia is steamed. which means the dough should not stick to the toothpick.
I tried this out and turned out really good.
🙂
thanks anu
I tried methi muthia steamed one.Iliked it and my family members too liked it. can keep faith in you for good recepies. THANKYOU.
welcome and thanks.
Hello,
Good morning, I just happen to chance by your blog and have to compliment you on the pictures and step by step method for every recipe , very kind of you to share your expertise and method.
Will definitely be visiting your blog often, thank you .
Namita
welcome namita and thanks for the positive feedback.
Dassana,
Every weekend, I make kale juice with lots of veggies, one day my 8 yr old said mom why are you wasting the leftover veggies make something out of it & I thought of muthiyas. I saw your recipe & tried the steamed version my daughter & husband loved it delicious, nutritious as well as good use of the leftover veggies!! Thanks a lot.
thanks suparna. glad you and your family liked the muthias.
Hi Dassana, I tried the steamed version of the Muthiya and it came out so well that we couldn’t stop our hands from grabbing it multiple times. My hubby and my child loved it very much. Thanks for sharing it.
2 days back, I was searching for a kachori recipe and that was when I came across ur blog. I have to admit that I instantly liked ur site as all the recipes were very clear and well presented with photos. But then I was a little doubtful untill I tried the kachori recipe. I was amused when it came out very well. The measurements are really accurate, and ur style of presenting is too good. I am passionate towards cooking and I love experimenting and learning new stuff. I appreciate ur well rounded knowledge on many diff cuisines and it is really informative. It would be great if you can include me in ur mailing list.
thanks indu for appreciating the site and writing this positive feedback. i have added your email to the weekly recipes newsletter. keep visiting the blog.
similar muthiyas and theplas can be made by adding grated lauki also….only difference being the grated lauki instead of methi and a little jaggery. We have tried only the steamed version of the lauki muthiya….being a maharashtrian we cook ‘mutkule’ at home which is very much like this but instead of deep frying we cook them like any bhaaji in a tadka of rai and jeera and cover them for 10 minutes, and they are done.. 🙂 sometimes we add leftover dal to this flour and cook mutkule and thalipeeth out of it..
hi tanvi. i know of the variation in muthia with lauki. just never tried it. mutkule is new to me. thanks for sharing the info.
Excellent, easy to follow recipe with full explanation and excellent pictures of the muthias.
Thnak you.
thanks chetan
Hi Dassana
Made the muthias today. As always your recipes are the best. It came out very well. I have been refering to your recipes all the time. The first one I tried a year ago was Pizza and now I’m an expert pizza maker for my family and friends. Thanks a lot to your wonderful recipes…
thanks deepa. i am glad to know that you can have become expert in making pizza. keep on trying more recipes to become a expert cook.
Really gonna try dis recipe looking gr8!!
Hello Dassana,
I love your name & the methi muthia’s recipe.
The step by step instructions w/the pics made it much easier in making the dough.
I am also from Bombay. When I read your recipe & you had mentioned “this is the way my mom make batata poha” it made me think of my mom bec. all moms have a special talent.
I have also tried your upma recipe was great!
Thanks a bunch for yummy recipes.
Asha
i agree asha. moms have their own special touch to the food that they make. thanks and welcome.
OMG, I made the steamed version it was so delicious! The measurements, step by step instructions everything is perfect. Thanks for such a fool proof recipe, Love it!
thanks amrita.
Hi Dasana:
I made the muthias. I used the 1 tsp. of salt and the muthias were delicious.
Thanks.
Hi Dassana:
One question – is it a typo, or are you calling for 1 tablespoon of salt? Please let me know.
Thanks
thanks fareeda. it is a typo. you can add 1 tsp salt or more if required.
hi dassana,
glad to see some gujarati recipe on your blog…as i m gujarati…the recipes and food photographs are just superb and really helping…just to your update, while we make this or any muthia (u wonder we make muthia from lauki, pappaya and also from some saag (bhaji) also with the same recipe….we dont use only besan while making this….what we did in gujarat is following:
tuvar daal, chana daal, urad daal, mung daal – each one cup seperately + double of all the daals i.e. 8 cup rice … we made a flour ( lil bit coarse, not so smooth like wheat flour or besan) ….this is multi purpose floor as we made muthias and dhoklas and handwo and chillas and so on from this flour 😀 .. and all taste awsome as well as different in taste from each other with the same flour…..
hope this will help you someway…
enjoy cooking…. 🙂
meeta
thanks meeta. i know muthia is made from other veggies too. i have had cabbage, lauki and spinach muthia before. thanks for sharing the info on the different daals/lentils used for making muthia. i shall update it on the blog. it will be useful for readers. it has surely helped me. i have multi grain flour and rice flour too. not coarse but fine. will make muthias with these flours, thanks to your info. i will also try making dhoklas and handwo.
Made the fried version of the methi muthia..but had a doubt..do these turn out to be very crispy???…Since it was the first time I ever ate a muthia..I had no clue how it should taste..LOL…but ya it was good..thanks
hi dimple. the fried methi muthia is not very crisp. its not very crisp like pakoras that we make. thanks for trying the recipe.
I just made the steamed methi muthias. Very delicious. I coudn’t fit all the muthias in the steamer, so made theplas with the remaining dough.
I will surely make these again. Thanks for a great recipe.
thanks lana for trying the recipe.
like all the recipes
thanks madhu.
Mmmm Mmmm Mmmmm
We are no onion no garlic house! And this is a great tea time snack for us. I am going to try this soon. I think Gujarati cuisine is something I need to get more exposed to…
thanks… yes you should. it is a wondeful cuisine.
pics r amazing ……….looks yummy……will try soon
thanks nutan 🙂
recently chanced upon your site and LOVE the pics, esp in this post. have bookmarked this.
thanks nags. i have been following your blog for some time now and i like what your recipes… most of them are so easy and fuss free.
I love methi muthia and we usually buy it from the store and eat it tea. I am going to now try make it at home. Do these stay crispy even later ?
they don’t stay that crisp. we had the remainder the next day. i just warmed them in the microwave and they were tasting good.
hey dassana,
methi muthias are a regular at home for snacks as well as for undhio that we make in winters… i love your step by step instructions. i usually make it with wheat flour and other atta flours… this one was interesting so i tried this version on muthias and they turned out excellent with besan…it tastes simply awesome. thanks for the recipe… i love ur pictures too… 🙂
thanks beena for making the besan muthia. felt good that you liked the recipe… more so since you are a gujarati and you must have had muthias so often 🙂
your comment has really motivated me. thanks again.
Dassana – That you??? Should have read the blogger name before or after checking out the recipes 🙂
Both the versions are super delicious looking and I am totally planning to try them both – Question – can I use dried methi leaves for this, because it is rare that I get fresh ones around these parts??Really enjoyable post – thank you for sharing – will be back for more from you – cheers, priya
thanks priya. i think you can make the muthia with dry fenugreek leaves. the equivalent for 1 cup of fresh methi leaves would be approx 1.5 or 2 tbsp of dry fenugreek leaves. hope this helps.
My mother-in-law makes muthias with bajra atta and she adds the muthias in vegetables made of egg plant, spinach, potatoes,beans and other stuff. It is a whole day venture. She was also born and raised in Bombay. So when she visits us she makes this dish for us and we freeze some of it and take out the potatoes before freezing. I like your idea of steaming them and frying them too and have them as snack. I will forward this recipe to her as well. Delicious.
so cute of her to make these when she visits you. by what you mention, she must be adding the muthias in the undhiyu, where veggies like eggplant, beans, potatoes etc are cooked… making undhiyu with muthias does take a lot of time. do forward her this recipe. i always make muthias with besan as i do not get bajra atta here.
I never heard of this kind of muthia…
This looks nice and must be good in taste…I’m bookmarking it
These look wonderful! Thank you for such great step-by-step instructions. I look forward to trying these 🙂
I use fried methi muthia to make undhiyu and steamed for snack. I like your both recipes. I love gujarati patra snacks too but unfortunately patra leaves are not available here in the UK. So I can’t make it apart of readycooked buying it. Your pics are as always amazing as well as your recipes.
even i like the patra snacks. i get the colocasia leaves here, but i have to travel some kilometres away to the market where i will get the leaves. they are very common in this season. i hope i get rid of my laziness and get some patra leaves soon.
I love the simple step by step method shown here. So easy to follow and understand.
Being from Mumbai, I too love Gujrati cuisine. The best are the endless thali feasts.
My favorite place to eat Gujrati food in Mumbai is Swati snacks.
I cannot wait to try both these versions. So wonderful with some piping hot chai.
You are right I miss Gujrati Thali too. We had been to India 2 years back. My life partner who is white british, I ordered thali for him in a restaurant. He adored the Gujarati Thali and surprised for the value of the food and big platter. I can’t wait to visit India again.
i also miss the thalis so much. where i stay we don’t even have a decent restaurant which served gujarati food 🙁
Love you Dassana I am speechless lovely recipe. so innovative.
thanks for your beautiful words runita.
I love this snack,even I prefer the steamed and stir fried version..looks delicious
I have just scrolled up and down more than a couple of times ’cause this really was a new and fascinating lesson! Well, here is a European-born Australian trying to learn 🙂 ! Well, the first will be the steamed muthia ‘because I believe in the method: thank you SO much!
thanks a lot eha. the steamed ones are very good, plus healthy as well. do make these and let me know. like you, even i am learning so many things related to food and photography everyday. in fact the international cuisine also fascinates me and i do try the recipes… somethings which i have never ever made at home before…. there are disasters at times, but it a learning process and i enjoy it thoroughly.
Living on my own at the moment I quite enjoy the ‘disasters’! Find the food blogging community a wonderful living lesson and learn something new every day!
Hi,
Wah ! Feel like grabbing those…..the pictures and ur way of presenting step by step really awesome ! Today itself I am in a mood to try
Thank you for getting such a delicious item looking forward more to receive
Regards
Divyaja
thanks divyaja.
Dassana, gujrati snacks are my favorite, they are absolutely delicious!! Love both the versions!
This recipe is totally new to me and looks fabulous . The most I know about the Gujarati cuisine is the Kadi, Khichdi, or maybe at the most the dhokla:)
You can cook any type of cuisine like a pro! I admire your talent:)
thanks familycook. there is much more to gujarati food than the kadi, khichdi and dhokla. luckily living in mumbai and having gujarati neighbors, we were exposed to so many delicacies from the gujarati cuisine.
YUMMY!
I love your small katoris. I always go for steamed muthia because I like crunch from sesame seeds. I make doodhi muthia- steamed one. and make methi muthia for Undhiyu only and other curries like turiya mithia or vatana muthia. we use fried methi muthia for undhiyu. all pics are real visual treat. I am just salivating here.
thanks kanan. i just cannot make undhiyu here. i can get all the veggies, except the purple yam. without it i feel something is missing in the undhiyu. so i never made it this winter. i have to try making doodhi muthia. i also have to try making shaak with the muthiyas. I just steam them and temper them… thats it.. i am lazy 😉
is it like gatte? like both the versions! also cute little baskets!
thanks lavi. in gatte we don’t add methi leaves or greens. the dough is more or less the same. the gatte are boiled in water whereas the muthia are steamed. there is a difference in the texture and the taste between the two. i already have a recipe request for making gatte and i will be posting the recipe soon.
oh u remember my request….thanks a ton Dassana 🙂
Dassana….today while leaving for office I soaked dry matar for making matar kulcha in dinner….i have thought of first boiling matar..and then prepare usual onion tomato tadka and put boiled mater with usual masalas…anything extra if you suggest to this…would be waiting for ur reply if u happen to see it in time…otherwise i will try it at my end and then will give u feedback..Matar Kulcha is quite a famous dish here in North India…
UR Pav Bhaji hit has inspired me to try this…lets see 😉
of course renuka, i remember your request. i have tons of requests pending. starting with eggless banana bread today evening.
for the matar kulcha, i would suggest adding some amchur powder or dry pomegranate powder. if you have chole masala, then that too you can add. or just add some garam masala and 1 tsp of fennel/saunf powder. dry roast the fennel and in a mortar-pestle crush it.
i know matar kulcha is a famous dish. i will also make it soon. thanks.
i have chole masala….will add it