The annual pickling season in Gujarat is incomplete without a barni full of Gunda-keri nu khattu athanu (glue-berry and raw mango pickle). The Gunda/Lasure or Glue-berry as they are called in English arrive in the markets during the summer months of March to June. A much revered pickle is prepared by stuffing grated and marinated raw mangoes in the Gunda and mixing them in the pickling spices consisting of rai, methi and chillies. The skills of the pickle maker are tested by how crunchy the Gunda in the pickle remain by the end of the year. A big jar of Gunda-keri pickle holds a very proud position amongst the vast varieties of pickles and preserves that are prepared in Gujju households every year during summers.
One other preparation from Gunda that is loved by all is Gunda Nu Bharelu Shaak. This dry preparation pairs well with the aam-ras that is devoured during the summers. The Gunda are either stuffed with raw mangoes or besan/chickpea flour.
Preparing this vegetable for the blog was high on the list and while exploring how it is made in various households, Ranjan aunty (Rinku’s mum) shared her recipe of Gunda-Muthia nu Shaak. Her’s was quite a different way of making it, I was quite intrigued to wanted to learn more. Extremely gracious and generous lady that Rajan aunty is, was more than happy to tutor me on making Gunda-Muthia..
The recipe is fairly simple but involves little more technique. Once you are done with all the gluey work of de-seeding the gluey seeds the shaak is quite simple to put together. The Gunda are stuffed with a mix of besan and spices and the muthia are formed using the same flour-spice mix, the stuffed gunda are then steam and tempered. The shaak turns out to be very addictive if you have a taste for Gunda. Everybody who tasted it did not even felt the need to Rotli to scoop it through….
Gunda Muthia Nu Shaak
Serves 4
Prep and cooking time – approximately 30 minutes
You will need a large mixing bowl, pressure cooker or steamer, strainer like bowl to steam and kadai/wok
Ingredients
- 500 grams Gunda/Lasure
- 2 cups besan/chickpea flour
- 2 tablespoon chilli powder (increase if you want it to be spicy)
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 tablespoon dhana-jeeru powder ( coriander-cumin powder)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1+2 tablespoons oil
- 1/2 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida
- salt to taste
- finely chopped coriander to garnish
Method
Wash the Gunada and remove the stalks.
Using a pestle lightly smash each Gunda berry to split it open and with the help of a knife scoop out the gluey seed. You may use some salt if you find the Gunda seeds to sticky to handle.
Now proceed to prepare the flour filling. In a bowl bring together besan flour, chilli powder, turmeric and coriander-cumin powder, sugar, salt and 1 tablespoon of oil. Mix it all well and begin to stuff the Gunda. Stuff each berry properly.
You will be left with some flour mixture. To it add 2-3 tablespoons of water and knead it into a stiff dough.
Divide the dough into lemon sized balls.
Form Muthia by rolling the dough balls in fit, repeat till you have all the rolled dough balls shaped as muthia.
Either using a steamer or a pressure cooker (without the pressure) steam the Gunda-Muthia for 10 -15 minutes. The flame has to be medium.
In a kadai heat 2 tablespoons of oil and add the asafoetida and sesame seeds. As they begin to splutter add the steamed Gunda-Muthia and cook for 5-7 minutes until the oil is absorbed well in the Gunda-Muthia shaak.
Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with chopped coriander before serving.
Serve warm with aam-ras and rotli.
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