Handvo

Preparation Time : 30 mins.
Cooking Time: 40 mins.
Serves 6 to 8.
Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups rice (chawal)
• 3/4 cup toovar (arhar) dal
• 2 tbsp urad dal (split black lentils)
• 2 tbsp moong dal (split green gram)
• 2 tbsp chana dal (split Bengal gram)
• 2 tbsp wheat (gehun) (optional)
• 3/4 cup sour curds (khatta dahi)
• 10 to 12 green chillies
• 25 mm. (1") piece of ginger (adrak)
• 450 gms bottle gourd (doodhi / lauki)
• 9 tbsp oil
• 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp soda bi-carb
• 4 to 5 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
• 2 tsp mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)
• 2 tsp sesame seeds (til)
• 2 tsp carom seeds (ajwain)
• 1/2 tsp asafoetida (hing)
• salt to taste

Method

1. Wipe the rice, toovar dal, urad dal, moong dal, gram dal and wheat with a wet cloth, mix and grind dry coarsely (like semolina). Alternatively, soak the cereals and pulses overnight in plenty of water and grind in a mixer and the next day.
2. Add the sout curds and hot water and make into a thick mixture.
3. Cover and leave to ferment for at least 6 to 7 hours.
4. Make a paste of the green chillies and ginger.
5. Grate the pumpkin and squeeze out some of the water from it.
6. Now add to the flour and dal mixture 4 tablespoons of oil, the lemon juice, soda bi-carb, sugar, chilli powder, turmeric powder, grated pumpkin, green chilli paste and salt. Mix well.
7. Spread this batter in a greased tin or metal thali (flat metal plate with low rim).
8. Heat 5 tablespoons of oil in a vessel and add the mustard seeds. after 1 minute, add the sesamse seeds, ajwain and asafoetida. When brown in colour, spread this oil all over the batter.
9. Bake in a hot oven at 450°F for 30 to 35 minutes or till the crust is brown jin colour.
10. Cut into pieces and serve with hot pickle and buttermilk.