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Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • Fermenting the batter
  • 1 + 1/2 cup Handvo flour
  • 2 tablespoons groundnut oil
  • 1/2 cup sour yogurt
  • 1/2 cup water
  • Adding to the fermented batter
  • 2 cups grated bottle gourd/doodhi
  • 3 tablespoons jaggery more or less to balance the sourness of fermented batter
  • 1/2 teaspoon methi no masala/gujarati achar masala
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder/haldi powder
  • 1 teaspoon coriander and cumin seeds powder/dhana jeeru
  • 1/3 - 1/2 cup water
  • salt to taste
  • Tempering
  • 3 tablespoons groundnut oil plus more to cook the Handvo
  • 1/3 cup raw groundnuts
  • 1 generous teaspoon red chilli powder
  • 1 " stick cinnamon
  • 2 cloves
  • 2-3 red whole chillies
  • 1 spring curry leaves
  • a pinch of asafoetida
  • 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds plus more to cook the Handvo
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Method
 

  1. In a large steel bowl, add Handvo flour and oil.
  2. Rub the oil to the flour.
  3. Mix in the yogurt and water.
  4. Mix well. Cover and keep the batter for overnight or for 8-10 hours.
  5. After the batter fermented add the grated bottle gourd, grated jaggery, achar masala, turmeric powder, coriander and cumin powder and salt. Add water to loosen the batter and bring it to dash batter like consistency.
  6. Mix well and allow it to stand the for 30 minutes.
  7. In a tempering pan add a little oil, once hot add the groundnuts.
  8. Fry till golden brown
  9. Once done transfer it to the batter.
  10. In the same pan, heat 2 tablespoons oil, keep the flame low, add whole red chilies, mustard seeds, sesame seeds, cinnamon stick, cloves, curry leaves. Once the mix starts spluttering add the red chili powder and immediately add it to the batter. Be careful to not burn the seeds and chilli powder.
  11. Mix the batter well.
  12. Add the baking soda and mix it in properly.
  13. Take a 9" nonstick pan.
  14. Place it on a very gentle flame.
  15. Add 1/2 to 1 tablespoon oil, sprinkle a teaspoon of sesame seeds. Oil gives Handvo a good crust.
  16. Once the seeds start spluttering, add the batter. Spread and level it well.
  17. Cover and Cook the handvo on one side.
  18. While the handvo is cooking, the cover will steam and seal the top of the handvo making it easy for you to turn in on the other side.
  19. Remember to keep the flame to a medium low.
  20. Once the Handvo becomes nice and brown on one side, it will separate from the pan.
  21. Take a plate or a tava (same or bigger diameter at the pan) apply a little oil. Place it upside down over the handvo pan.
  22. Invert the Handvo pan on the tawa, add some oil and sesame seeds in the hot oil.
  23. Once the sesame seeds splutter, slide the handva from the tawa into the pan and continue to cook it on the other side until it had golden brown crust.
  24. Once done transfer the handva to a wire rack and allow it to cool down a little.
  25. The Handvo tastes better the next day as flavours mature.
  26. Sever with green chutney, Indian or Gujarati pickle and chai.