Gujarati bhaat na muthiya that I make with leftover rice. A delicious steamed snack that's irresistible with a piping hot cup of chai!

A close up image of round thin sliced rice cakes in a bowl.

Note – This recipe has been refreshed from the archives with updated images and content. The method remains the same, but in our home, it’s always been a flexible, free-style dish — it changes every time depending on what’s in the fridge. Feel free to make it your own! First published in April 2010.

I'm pretty certain Gujarati households rarely have food waste and that's because they can turn leftover ingredients into pretty much any other dish. I've seen countless times my Mum using leftover rice to make vagharelo bhaat and these rice muthiya too.

Muthiya is definitely a fridge clear-out recipe - just add in grated dudhi, grated pumpkin, fresh methi, spinach, you name it (all probably leftover too!). A little bit like dal paratha made with leftover dal. Oh yeah and leftover dhokla chaat!

Growing up, I used to watch my mum make muthiya and I was convinced it was the easiest thing. She would move through the steps effortlessly — mixing, shaping, steaming. I thought, how hard could it really be? But the first time I tried making them myself, I realised just how many things can go wrong. The dough can get too sticky, the muthiya can break while steaming, or they can turn out dense and heavy instead of soft and light. Phew. It turns out, it wasn’t that the recipe was simple — it was just my mum’s skill and years of practice that made it look simple.

Over time, with plenty of trial, error, and a few flops along the way, I’ve figured out how to get them just right. And now, I’m sharing everything I’ve learned so you can get them perfect too — without the guesswork.

You can use the same muthiya dough here to make bhaat na rasiya muthiya too.

How To Make Rice Muthiya & Tips

Step 1: Make the Dough

In a large bowl, combine leftover rice (no need to mash it), chopped methi (or whatever veggies you have), your flours, yogurt, ginger-chilli paste, spices, sugar, oil, ajwain, salt, and baking powder.

💡Important tip:
Be careful with the flour — adding too much can make your muthiya dense and chewy. Also, don’t overdo the baking soda or baking powder. Too much can cause the muthiya to break apart during steaming.

Use just enough water to bring everything together into a soft dough — a little softer than chapati dough.

Step 2: Shape the Muthiya

Apply a little oil to your hands so the dough doesn’t stick. Divide the dough into 2-3 parts and shape each one into a tight cylinder by pressing the dough firmly in your fist.

💡 Common mistake:
If you don’t press the dough tightly enough, the muthiya can crack or break while steaming.

Step 3: Steam

Grease your steamer plate well to prevent sticking (trust me, trying to peel stuck muthiya off the steamer is no fun).

Get the water boiling before adding the rolls to the steamer plate, so they get cooking immedietely.

Place the rolls in the steamer and steam for about 20 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a knife — if it comes out clean, they’re cooked through.

💡 Pro tip:
Let the muthiya cool for a few minutes before trying to remove them. If you rush, they might stick or crumble.

Step 4: Slice and Temper

Once cooled slightly, cut the steamed muthiya into thin, oval slices.

Heat some oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, sesame seeds, and a pinch of asafoetida. Once they start to pop, add the sliced muthiya and sauté them for a few minutes until lightly golden and crisp.

Serve them with Indian ginger tea with milk or try something a little different with Rajkot green chutney with peanuts.

Storage - Muthiya are best eaten the day they are prepared to enjoy them at their freshest. Also, they contain leftover rice so best not to keep the dish for too long and that depends how long you can store it for. You can freeze muthiya on the day of preparation for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw then you can add another vaghar.

Leftover rice muthiya served with chai on the side.

As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!

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