Handvo

Handvo is a popular, healthy and delicious mixed lentil vegetable cake from Gujarat cuisine. Gujarati cuisine generally offers colorful recipes which can be easily made for breakfast and dinner. It is a healthy recipe full of nutrients and is particularly a protein-packed filling spicy bread. 

Now, let me share a few tips and suggestions to make this overwhelming Handvo. First, make sure to ground the lentils to a thick batter with very less water on grounding as later the vegetables also release some moisture. Second, bottle gourd is generally added to this lentil-vegetable cake, but it completely optional and you can add any vegetables of your choice like pumpkin, sweet potato, cabbage etc. Third, I have used eno fruit salt for hastening the process of fermentation. However, you can also use baking soda or ferment it overnight. Also make sure to add the eno/baking soda right before baking, else the handvo will not be spongy. Finally, handvo is generally served for breakfast but can also be served for snacks or dinner with coriander chutney and tamarind chutney. 

Servings:- 3-4 people

Course:- Breakfast, Snacks, Dinner

Cuisine:- Gujarati

Ingredients:-

For Handvo Batter:

1 cup rice

1/2 cup chana dal

1/4 cup toor dal/masoor dal

2 tbsp urad dal

1/2 cup curd

1 cup bottle gourd/lauki, grated

1/4 cup carrot, grated

1/4 cup coriander leaves, finely chopped

1/2 tsp ginger, crushed

1 green chilli, finely chopped

1/2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp red chilli powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp oil

Salt as per taste

1 tsp eno

For Tempering:

3 tsp oil

3/4 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp sesame seeds

A few curry leaves

A pinch of asafoetida

Method:-

1. Firstly, in a large bowl take rice, chana dal, toor dal/masoor dal and urad dal. Rinse them with water a couple of times and allow them to soak in enough water for 3-4 hours.

2. Next, drain off the water and transfer the lentils to a blender. Further add curd to it and blend them to a smooth but slightly coarse paste. Transfer the batter to a mixing bowl. 

3. Now, add the grated bottle gourd, grated carrot and chopped coriander leaves. You can even add in vegetables of your choice like pumpkin, sweet potato and cabbage. 

4. Further add crushed ginger, finely chopped green chilli, sugar, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, oil and salt. Mix them very well making sure that the batter is like a idli batter consistency. 

5. Next, add eno and mix gently. Alternatively you can also use 1/4 tsp baking soda or ferment it overnight. Further transfer the batter into the greased cake mould.  

6. Now, to prepare the tempering, heat oil in a small pan. Once the oil gets hot, add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, sesame seeds, a few curry leaves and asafoetida. Allow them to crackle and pour the tempering over the handvo batter. 

7. Further bake the handvo in a pre-heated oven at 180 degree Celsius for 30-35 mins. You can bake till the toothpick inserted comes out clean and a crisp top layer is formed.

8. Finally, serve Gujarati handvo or vegetable lentil cake with coriander chutney and tamarind chutney.