Handvo (હાંડવો)
A savoury, oven-baked lentil and rice cake loaded with bottle gourd, carrots, and a crunchy sesame crust — hearty Gujarati comfort food.
Cuisine: Gujarati (Gujarat) · Style: Savory · Protein: Lentils · Total time: · Difficulty: medium · Servings: 6 · Spice: 2/5
Ingredients
- 1 cup rice
- 1/4 cup toor dal
- 1/4 cup chana dal
- 2 tbsp urad dal
- 1 cup yogurt
- 1 cup grated bottle gourd
- 1/2 cup grated carrot
- 1 tsp ginger-green chilli paste
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 tsp Eno fruit salt
- 3 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 10 curry leaves
- A pinch of asafoetida
- Salt to taste
Steps
- Soak rice and dals together for 4 hours, drain, and grind with yogurt into a coarse batter.
- Ferment overnight (or 6-8 hours) in a warm place.
- Stir in grated vegetables, ginger-chilli paste, turmeric, chilli powder, and salt.
- Just before baking, add Eno and mix gently.
- Heat oil in an oven-safe pan, splutter mustard seeds, cumin, sesame seeds, curry leaves, and asafoetida.
- Pour the batter over the tempering, sprinkle more sesame seeds on top, cover and cook on low for 15 minutes.
- Finish in a 180°C oven for 20-25 minutes until the top is deeply golden and crusty.
- Cool 5 minutes, slice, and serve with green chutney.