Handvo –

This one is all time favourite Gujrati snack, especially tea time snack. It is a savoury and spicy Indian cake made with mix dals, rice and vegetables. Handvo traditionally cook into a special Handvo pot. However these pots are not available in everyone's kitchen and further it requires more oil than we require in this particular recipe. Baking in oven is good option.

Ingredients:

Long Grain Rice – 1 cup

Channa Daal – ¼ cup

Toor Daal – ¼ cup

Urad Daal – 1 Tb-spoon

Yogurt – ½ cup

Green Chilies – 1 t-spoon or to taste

Ginger Paste – 2 tsp

Garlic Paste- 2 tsp (approx 3 large cloves)

Bottlegourd/Doodhi – 1 and ½ cup, shredded and packed

Salt – 2 tsp or to taste

Ajwain/carom seeds – 1/2 tsp

Sugar – 2 tsp

Turmeric Powder – 1/2 tsp

Eno Fruit Salt – 1 tsp

Sesame Seeds – 2 Tbsp

Oil – 3 Tbsp (divided)

Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp

Asafetida (Hing) – 1/4 tsp

Red Chili Powder – 1/2 tsp

Curry Leaves – few

Method:

1. Wash Rice and all Daals and soak them overnight (for at least 7 hours)

2. Drain water from Rice and Daal and coarsely grind them in a mixer grinder with Yogurt (if possible, do not add any additional water while grinding).

3. Take a large bowl, add rice and dal mixture and add ginger, garlic and green chilies paste, Salt, Sugar, ajwain/carom seeds, turmeric powder and bottle gourd, doodhi/Lauki. Mix well.

4. Heat 1 tb-spoon oil. Add Curry Leaves and Red Chili Powder. Add this seasoning to the above batter and mix well.

5. Cover and let this batter rest for 6-7 hours or overnight.

6. Add Eno Fruit Salt and mix well to make the batter foamy.

7. Pour the batter into greased cake pan/muffin pan.

8. Sprinkle Sesame Seeds over the top of the batter.

9. Heat remaining 2 tb-spoons of oil in a small pan.

10. Add Mustard Seeds and let them splutter. Switch off stove.

11. Add Asafoetida to the oil.

12. Drizzle this oil seasoning over the top of the sesame seeds.

13. Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake at 350F (180C) for 40 minutes.

14. Remove foil and broil on High for approx 10 minutes until a light golden crust forms.

15. Let the handvo rest for 10-15 minutes before eating.

16. Serve warm with green pudina chutney, tamarind chutney or sauce or just eat as it is.

Note:

You can bake this in independent muffin treys. It looks good and you can serve it in your kitty party as a Indian savory muffins.