This baked delicacy has a beautifully crisp and golden brown crust on the outside, while remaining soft, fluffy, and moist inside. Handvo is usually not enjoyed on its own – it tastes best when served with green chutney or a flavourful shaak (curry).
In this recipe, I served handvo with delicious khumb shaak (mushroom curry), and the combination turned out absolutely satisfying and comforting.
Ingredients Required
🔸 To Make Handvo Batter
- ½ cup raw rice
- ¼ cup tuvar dal
- 1 tsp urad dal
- 1 tsp moong dal
- 1 tsp chana dal
- 2 tsp whole wheat
- ½ tsp rock salt
- ½ cup sour curd
🔸 For Tempering (Tadka)
- 4 tsp oil
- ½ tsp mustard seeds (rai)
- ½ tsp sesame seeds
- ½ tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
- 2–3 dried red chillies
- 7–8 curry leaves
🔸 Other Ingredients
- 2 green chillies, finely chopped
- 1 tsp crushed ginger
- ½ cup grated bottle gourd (squeezed)
- ½ tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 1½ tsp coriander powder (dhaniya)
- 1 tsp ENO (fruit salt)
Method of Preparation
Step 1: Prepare Batter
Soak rice, all dals, and whole wheat for 2–3 hours. Grind into a slightly coarse paste.
(Alternatively, you can dry roast and grind into flour.)
Add curd and salt to the mixture and leave it aside to ferment for a few hours or overnight for best results.
Step 2: Prepare Tempering
Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, sesame seeds, cumin seeds, red chillies, and curry leaves. Let them splutter and release aroma. Keep aside.
Step 3: Mix Everything
Once the batter is fermented, add:
- Prepared tempering
- Grated bottle gourd
- Green chillies and ginger
- Turmeric, chilli powder, and coriander powder
Mix everything well and adjust salt as needed.
Step 4: Bake the Handvo
- Preheat oven to 180°C
- Add ENO to the batter and mix gently
- Pour batter into a greased baking tin
- Bake for 50–60 minutes or until the top is golden brown and crisp
🟡 Serving Suggestion
Serve hot handvo with:
- Green chutney
- Pickle
- Or a curry like mushroom (khumb) shaak
This combination makes a wholesome and satisfying meal.
🟡 Tips for Perfect Handvo
- Slightly coarse batter gives better texture
- Fermentation enhances flavor and softness
- Do not overmix after adding ENO
- Squeezing bottle gourd prevents excess moisture
- Bake until the top is nicely crisp
