Handvo

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BM#85 Week 4 Day 1

 updated 23/02/2018

What is Handvo?

The Gujarati Cuisine is well known for its huge variety snack dishes. Dhokla, Khandvi, Muthia, Gota, Idra, Kachori, Samosa, Arvi na paan, thepla, dhebra are some of the most popular snacks or farsan as they are called. These snacks are served as a light meal or along with the main meal.

Every Gujarati household will have their version of handvo. Some add only bottle gourd(doodhi) and fresh fenugreek. Some love it extra chili and sweet. Some love it with more oil. Handvo is one snack that is made when one is traveling, going for picnics or as a light meal or snack to be enjoyed any time of the day. Some like their handvo soft but my family loves it when there is a crust at the bottom and top. Everyone fights for the side pieces and the inner soft ones get left till the next day.

Serve Handvo at Parties

Whenever I prepare handvo for tea parties I like to bake them like muffins. However, please do not use cake paper cups. I prefer using the silicon moulds as the handvo comes out easily. First time when I tried baking them like muffins, I used the normal aluminum moulds and though I had oiled them, it was a struggle to remove the handvo. I left them in the mould and we spooned it out when we had it.

Serves 6 to 8 or 25-30 pieces

2 cups rice
¾ cup yellow moong (split green gram) or chana (chickpea) lentils
¼ cup tuvar (split pigeon pea) lentil
1 cup sour yogurt
¼ cup warm water
¼ cup semolina (sooji) (omit for gluten free option)
¼ tsp fenugreek seeds
2 cups chopped fresh fenugreek (methi)
1 cup grated carrot
1 medium onion, chopped finely
2 to 3 cups lightly packed grated doodhi (bottle gourd)
1 tsp cinnamon powder
½ tsp clove powder
½ tsp soda bicarbonate (baking soda)
2 tsps salt
2 to 3 tsps sugar
2 tsps ginger paste
1 tsp green chilli paste
½ tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
½ to 1 tsp red chilli powder

for tempering (vaghar):

1 to 2 whole dry red chillis (optional)
¼ tsp asafoetida (hing)

2 tbsps oil for greasing
¼ cup sesame seeds (tal)

1. Soak rice and lentils separately for 6 to 8 hours in lukewarm water.
2. Drain out the water, wash the rice and lentils.
3. Process the rice and then the lentils in a food processor into a grainy and coarse consistency.
4. Mix both the pastes.
5. Add yogurt, warm water and ¼ tsp methi seeds to the mixture and mix well.
6. Cover the mixture and leave it to ferment in a warm place for 6 hours.
7. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
8. Once it is fermented add the sooji, vegetables, salt, sugar and spices except for the  baking soda.
9. Mix the batter well.
10. Heat oil for tempering in a small pan.
11. When it is hot add cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns, methi, dry chillis, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, carom seeds and finally hing.
12. Pour the tempered oil into the batter and mix it well.
13. Finally add  soda bicarbonate and mix well.
14. Grease a tray about 16X12 inches with the oil.
15. Pour the batter into the tray and level it out with a spoon. The batter should be a bit runny.
16. Sprinkle the sesame seeds over it.
17. Put the tray into the hot oven and bake the handvo for 30 minutes.
18. After 30 minutes increase the temperature to 200°C and bake further for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the top to becomes brown or place it under the hot grill or broiler for 5 minutes.
19. Remove the handvo from the oven.
20. Let it cool down a bit in the tray before you cut it into pieces.
21. Serve with nice masala tea or milk.

A little request:

If you do try this recipe then please either

• add a comment below,
• send a picture to my email mayuri.ajay.patel62@gmail.com
•  tag me as #mayuri_jikoni on Instagram
• or tag me on Twitter as #Mayuri1962