Name: Handvo/Savory lentil cake recipe by Pallavi Purani at BetterButter
Prep time: 300 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 345 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 2 cups Rice; 1 cup Tuvar Dal; 1/2 cup Chana Dal; 1/2 cup Dhuli Urad Dal; 2 Bottle Gourds/Ghiya/Lauki/Doodhi [Peeled and grated]; 4-5 Green Chillies [Chopped finely]; 2-1/2 tbsp Jaggery; 1 tsp Turmeric Powder.; 1 tsp red Chilli Powder; 2 tbsp Curd; Salt to taste; 3 tbsp plus more oil; 1 tbsp Rai [Mustard Seeds]; 2 tbsp + more sesame seeds

ABOUT Handvo/Savory lentil cake RECIPE

It is essentially a pan cooked savoury tid bit. It comes quiet handy when you do not know what to make for people travelling, it comes helpful when you have loads of guests visiting. It is hit with a super masala tea. Gujju's love their handvo. And it is a perfect balance of spicy and sweet. Needless to say I love it. Please don't be shocked to see the amount of oil that this takes, it is worth it. Gujarati families use the readymade Handvo mix with Kakra Gahu ka loth [Coarse wheat flour].

Ingredients Serving: 4

2 cups Rice
1 cup Tuvar Dal
1/2 cup Chana Dal
1/2 cup Dhuli Urad Dal
2 Bottle Gourds/Ghiya/Lauki/Doodhi [Peeled and grated]
4-5 Green Chillies [Chopped finely]
2-1/2 tbsp Jaggery
1 tsp Turmeric Powder.
1 tsp red Chilli Powder
2 tbsp Curd
Salt to taste
3 tbsp plus more oil
1 tbsp Rai [Mustard Seeds]
2 tbsp + more sesame seeds

Instructions

Soak the lentils and rice for 4-5 hours. Grind them into a fine paste with little water.
Take the grated bottle bourd in a big bowl. Add the handvo spices [jaggery, green chilly, salt, chilli powder] and curd and mix well while squeezing the lauki. Let the water of the gourd come out.
Add the lentils and rice paste, mix well. It should be of a consistency like that of a pan cake but it shall be lumpy due to the lauki. Taste and adjust the jaggery and salt. It should taste like a sweet-salty batter with a hint of chilli.
Heat the 3 tbsp oil for tempering, add the mustard seeds and sesame seeds. Add it to the mixture and mix well. Cover it and put it aside for 3-4 hours.
In a non stick pan, heat 1/2 tbsp oil and add 2 tsp sesame seeds. let them splutter. Swirl it around to distribute the seeds. Add about 4 ladle full of the mixture and level it straight on the pan.
Reduce the heat to low and cover and cook for 12-15 minutes. Once done, put a thali on the pan and turn the handvo over [uncooked side down. Add another tempering layer of oil and sesame seeds and slide the uncooked side of the handvo in.
Cover and cook for another 10 mins. Once it if lovely brown, take it out of the pan and let it cool for 2-3 min. [It shall set even more once cooled. Repeat for the remaining batter.
Alternatively, bake it in a lined cake tin at 180 degrees celsius for 20-25 mins.
Serve it with tea.

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