Bhavna
Handvo (Gujarati:હાંડવો) is a vegetable cake made with Rice and lentil. It is a part of the Gujarati cuisine. It is often made with a bottle gourd (Hindi: लौकी, Gujarati દુધી), though many other vegetables can be added. Sometimes crushed peanuts are also added. In this post you will learn to make Handvo with Cabbage, carrot, and Zucchini.
There are two ways to prepare the Handvo. First method: Soak rice and daals for few hours, grind to a paste and let it ferment. That’s traditional recipe to prepare handvo batter. I learn little different from my mother. My mom always prepare her own flour mixes of Dhokla, Handvo, Idli, Dosa in bulk and store. So I started following the same method. All I have to do then is just prepare batter from flour mixes, let it ferment 6-8 hour or overnight and steam or bake. You can learn to make flour mixes here.
Handvo cups can be prepared for mini handvos using cupcake baking tray.
Did I say that my son Aakash takes many Indian food in his lunchbox like Handvo, Dhokla, Khaman, Kapuriya, Khandvi, Idada, Khichu Papadi Lot, Pudlas, and more.
One week, I would prepare Handvo, and he would take three days, Monday, Wednesday and Friday happily. The other week, I would prepare Dhokla, Idra and again he would take three alternate days. Then Kapuriya or Khichu Lot and I don’t have to worry much about his lunchbox at all. So I have to have all the mixes ready in my pantry for making all these delicacies.
Now, most people like Handvo’s crispy crust, specially top and bottom. So I prepare thin handvo in a big wide 13″ by 9″ baking tray. And Handvo is eaten crazily when I make thin.
Handvo II – Mix Veg. Steamed Cake
Ingredients
For Handvo Batter
- 1 +1/2 cup Handvo Flour Mix
- [Rice flour 1 cup , coarsely ground fine
- ½ cup Daals (I use mix of Chana, Tuvar and Urad) coarsely ground fine]
- Curd 1/2 cup
- Oil 4 tbsp
- ½ tsp Sugar if desired
- Hot Water as required - Batter should not be too thin , It should be paste kind.
For Handvo
- ¼ tsp Turmeric powder (Haldi)
- Ginger 1 tsp or as per your taste
- Green chili 2 tsp or as per your taste
- 1 tsp Coriander Cumin powder (Dhaniya Jeera)
- 1 tbsp Ground Peanut (Mumphali)
- 1 tbsp Sesame seeds to sprinkle
- Soda bi carbonate 1/4 tsp - I use 1/2 tsp ENO fruit salt
- 1 cup Vegetables such as Cabbage , carrot, Zucchini or your choice, shredded
- Salt to taste
For tempering:
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp mustard seeds (rai)
- A pinch of hing (Asafoeitida) if available
- curry patta
Instructions
- Take Handvo flour mix in a big bowl(if using rice and daal then wash and soak the rice and dals together for 4 to 5 hours. Drain and keep aside. Grind to a paste)
- Add all ingredients except Vegetabe, ENO and tempering ingredients and mix everything very well to make kind batter consistancy.
- Allow to ferment overnight or at least 6-8 hrs.
- Next day or after fermentation is complete, add ginger, green chili, Haldi, Salt, ground peanut, Coriander cumin powder, grated zucchini or any vegetable that you like, also at this time, add ENO and mix very well. (ENO or Baking soda/powder should be added right before baking)
- Preheat oven to 400F if baking.
- Pour the prepared batter into baking tray.
- Now prepare tadka(Tempering)-Heat oil into wok or small pan, when oil is done add mustard seeds. When mustard seeds are spluttered completely, turn off the stove and put the wok on side and let the tadka get little warm or cool. When warm enough or cool, add asafoetida and curry patta.
- Pour tadka onto batter.
- Bake for about 45-60mins(If cooking on tava, then heat oil in the big pan. Add mustard seeds. When mustard seeds are spluttered completely, add asafoetida and curry patta , and then spread batter evenly only 1" thick and cook till both sides are brown. Cover the tava with lid to cook nice and even)
- When done serve hot or cold. It taste great anytime.
