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Cook Time 1 hour
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 +1/2 cups Handvo flour
  • 1 cup yogurt
  • 3 cups watermelon rind
  • 1/3 cup leftover rice/khichri/grated carrot
  • 1 large onion finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon haldi/tumeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon dhana-jiru/coriander-cumin powder
  • 1/4 cup jaggery chopped
  • 3 tablespoons peanuts
  • 1 teaspoon methio/Gujarati achaar masala
  • 2 teaspoons red chilli powder
  • 1/3 cup oil approximately ( have used groundnut oil)
  • 1 teaspoon rai/mustard seeds
  • 1 spring curry leaves
  • 3-4 whole red chilies
  • 2 inch piece of cinnamon
  • 5-6 peppercorns
  • 1/4 teaspoon asafetida
  • 1/2 teaspoon Eno

Method
 

  1. To begin prepare the Handvo batter 8-10 hours before you plan to make Handvo.
  2. In a large mixing bowl place the Handvo flour, 1 tablespoon oil.
  3. Massage the oil well into the flour.
  4. Add the yogurt, mix well, cover and let it rest/ferment for 8-9 hours.
  5. Once the Handvo batter has rested for the the mentioned time we begin to prepare the batter.
  6. First grate the watermelon rind (white part of the melon) discard the green peel. Transfer the grated rind over a sieve and let the excess juice drip off. Do not squeeze jut allow it to drip off for 5-7 minutes.
  7. To the flour+yogurt batter add turmeric powder, salt, dhana-jeeru, jaggery, achaar masala.
  8. Now add the leftover rice/khichri or carrot and the grated watermelon rind.
  9. Mix well.
  10. In the meanwhile pre heat the oven to 170 degrees centigrade. Grease two 8 inch baking pans (shape does not matter). Or you can bake just half the batter and keep the rest for next time.
  11. Prepare the tempering that will go in the batter.
  12. Place a small pan on medium flame, heat 1 tablespoon oil, add the peanuts and fry them till they begin crackling.
  13. Add the peanuts along with its oil to the batter.
  14. Place the same skillet on flame, heat 3 tablespoons oil add mustard seeds, sesame seeds, whole red chilies, cinnamon, red chili powder, hing and curry leaves taking care not to burn the chili powder and curry leaves. Add this tempering mix to the batter. Mix well.
  15. If you are using the entire batter add 1/2 teaspoon Eno to the batter and mix well and quickly transfer the batter to the prepared pans.
  16. In the same skillet heat 1-2 tablespoon oil and pour it over top and sprinkle some more sesame seeds.
  17. Bake at 170 degrees for 40-45 minutes or a tooth pick inserted in the center of the handvo comes out clean.
  18. At the end of the bake, broil for 7-10 minutes to give the top a perfect crust (do keep a watch).
  19. Let the Handvo cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before inverting to a serving plate.
  20. Slice and serve with piping hot tea.

Notes

I drained the juice from the rind because the sweet juice would have imparted the melony sweetness to the Handvo, which I was not looking for. The batter of the Handvo will be like a cake batter not very tight nor very runny. Never shy from using good amount of oil because it lends the Handvo softness otherwise once the Handvo bakes it might get get dry. Any Handvo tastes better the next day. We also use oil from the mango pickle but I did not have it here so haven't included it in this recipe, if you have it use a couple of tablespoons of it instead of normal oil. If you are baking only half the batter remember to halve the Eno to 1/4 teaspoon.