Baked Handvo

Handvo is a traditional Gujarati savory cake made with rice, lentils and lots of vegetables like bottle gourd, fenugreek leaves and carrots. Spiced with fresh ginger and green chilies, tempered with mustard seeds, sesame seeds and dried red chillies. This wholesome dish can be enjoyed as a meal by itself or with a side of pickle or chutney. Generally a thick layer of batter is put on the pan, covered and cooked but this recipe is a baked one

Prep Time: 8 hrs

Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Raw rice

• 1/2 cup Tur dal

• 1/4 cup Chana dal

• 1 tbsp Moong dal

• 1 tbsp Urad dal

• 1/2 cup yogurt

• salt to taste

• 2 tbsp Green chilli-ginger paste

• 1 tsp Chilli powder

• 1 tsp Turmeric powder

• 1 tbsp Jaggery

• 1/2 cup Grated carrots

• 1 cup Grated bottle gourd

• 1/4 cup Finely chopped methi leaves (optional)

For tempering

• 8 tbsp Oil

• 1 tsp Mustard seeds

• 2 tbsp Sesame seeds

• 1 tsp Hing

• 4-5 Halved red chillies

• 1 tsp Baking soda

• 2 tbsp Water

Instructions

1. Wash and soak the rice and dals in the morning

2. Drain the water completely and grind it to a coarse batter along with yogurt. Cover and keep aside overnight to ferment.

3. In the batter, add chilli powder, turmeric powder, jaggery, green chilli-ginger-garlic paste, grated carrots, grated bottle gourd, methi leaves, salt and mix well

4. In a small pan take oil and splutter mustard seeds

5. Add sesame seeds, red chillies and hing.

6. Add half of this to the batter mixture and mix thoroughly

7. In a small cup add water and mix in baking soda (this has to be done just before baking)

8. Add this to the batter and whisk well mixing it through

9. Pour this batter onto a greased baking tray, pour the rest of the tempering on top and spread it with a spoon

10. Bake this in a preheated oven at 180 degrees C for 50 mins to an hour, the top would become golden brown and a toothpick should come out clean

11. Cut them and have it as is or with a chutney of your choice