Handvo

Ingredients:
1 cup Rice
1/4 cup Toor Dal (toovar dal/pigeon pea lentils)
1/2 cup Chana Dal (gram lentils)
2 tablespoons Urad Dal (black)
1/2 cup Curd (dahi/plain yogurt)
1/2 cup grated Bottle Gourd (lauki/doodhi) (or Zucchini)
1/2 cup Green Peas (fresh or frozen)
1 Carrot, grated
1/4 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
1 teaspoon Ginger-Green Chilli Paste, optional
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda (soda bicarbonate)
1 teaspoon lemon Juice
1 teaspoon Oil
Salt to taste
For Tempering:
1½ teaspoons Mustard Seeds
1½ teaspoons Cumin Seeds
3 teaspoons Sesame Seeds
A Pinch of Asafoetida (hing), optional
10-12 Curry Leaves
3 tablespoons Oil

Note:
Steps-1 and 2 below explains how to make Handvo batter from scratch using rice and dals (lentils). However, you can also use readymade handvo flour instead of rice and dals (lentils); use 2-cups readymade handvo flour (do not use instant handvo mix) and skip step-1 and step-2. In step-3, mix flour with yogurt and water to prepare thick batter (similar to Idli batter).

Directions:
Rinse rice and soak in around 1-cup water for 4-hours. Rinse all dals (toor dal, chana dal and urad dal) and soak them in 1-cup water for 4-hours. (You can soak rice and all dals together. No need to soak them separately.) Drain excess water from rice and dals and transfer them to the jar of a blender. Add 1/2 cup yogurt and salt. Blend until smooth consistency. If required, add 1-2 tablespoons water while grinding. Don’t add more water. Transfer the batter to a medium size container. Cover it with a lid and keep in warm place to ferment for around 8-10 hours.
Note that batter doesn’t rise during fermentation as it does for idli/dosa batter as you can see this in the photo.
When you stir the fermented batter, you should see the tiny air bubbles because of the fermentation.
Add grated bottle gourd (lauki/doodhi), grated carrot, green peas, ginger-green chilli paste, 1-teaspoon oil and turmeric powder.
Mix well. Batter should have thick consistency. If it is watery, add 1-2 tablespoons sooji/rava to make it thick. Add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (soda bicarbonate).
Pour 1-teaspoon lemon juice over it. Mix well.
Heat 1-teaspoon oil in a small non-stick pan over medium flame. Add 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds and when they begin to crackle, add 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds, a pinch of asafoetida and 2-3 curry leaves.
Pour approx. 1/2 cup batter (more or less) depending on the size of a pan and spread it evenly with spatula to make 1-inch thick handvo.
Cover the pan with a lid or a plate. Reduce flame to low and cook until top surface looks cooked as shown in the picture and bottom surface turns light brown (this will take around 4-5 minutes). Time required cook greatly depends on the thickness of handvo you are making.
Flip it gently with spatula and cover cook until another side turns golden brown, for around 3-4 minutes.
Transfer it to a plate. Follow the same process for remaining batter. Handvo is now ready for serving with tea or chutney as evening snack.
Pic Courtesy: Google
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