Handvo / Lentil & Rice Cake

I received a surplus of zucchini from a family friend who could not keep up with her garden and the amount of zucchini it was providing to her. I shredded a few, made koftas, and froze them. As I was shredding I thought to make Handvo.

Handvo is a very delicious snack from Indian state of Gujarat. It’s kind of like a cake prepared from various lentils, rice, wheat and bottle gourd. Although, it can be made with the other vegetables, bottle gourd imparts the required softness to the handvo. Zucchini has pretty much the same neutral flavor and texture, hence it’s a great substitute for bottle gourd in this recipe.

Update September 9, 2023 – Video uploaded on YouTube.

Handvo preparation begins a day before, with soaking the daal and grains for couple of hours, grinding them to a coarse batter and allowing the batter to ferment. This is the most traditional way of preparing it. Nowadays, instant handvo flour mix is available in markets and it just needs some unflavored yogurt and veggies and then pop into the oven.  These mixes contain wheat and are not suitable for people with gluten allergies and celiac disease.

After the batter has been rested overnight it is enriched with the additions of vegetables and spices, It is then cooked in a special handvo cooker. Since everyone doesn’t have that cooker this one has been baked in a mini loaf pan in conventional oven.  Even though, it’s called a cake and baked like a cake it doesn’t typically rise like a cake.

The best part is that this cake is wonderfully nutritious, and the perfect way to sneak in some veggies and lentils for those picky eaters. You can serve it as a snack with sweet and spicy mango chutney or even a light lunch with salad!

If you are bored with usual zucchini dishes try this savory lentil and rice cake. This savory cake can also be baked in an 8″ round or square tin if serving for breakfast.

Handvo (Fermented Lentil and Rice Cake)

Ingredients:

1 cup rice

1/4 cup bengal gram daal

1/4 cup toor daal (split pigeon peas)

1 tbsp skinned and split urad daal (black lentil)

1/2 cup unflavored yogurt

1 1/2 cup grated and squeezed zucchini or squash or cabbage

1/4 cup thinly sliced carrot

1 tbsp coarsely ground flax seeds

1/4 cup pumpkin or sunflower seeds

2 finely chopped green chilies

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp ajwain (carom seeds)

1 tsp ENO powder ( you can find this is pharmacy)

3/4 tsp salt

sesame seeds for garnish on top

Ingredients for tempering

3 tbsp canola oil (can put up to 1/3 cup then use less water while grinding)

1 tsp black mustard seeds

2-3 dry whole red chilies (optional)

Ingredients for Topping a round or square handvo

sesame seeds

thinly cut carrot

Update Feb 1, 2014:

Instead of ENO I used 2 tbsp lemon juice+1 tsp baking soda

Method:

1. Wash rice and all lentils. Soak them in water for 8 hours or overnight. Drain all the water.
2. In a bowl of food processor, pulse lentils for 30-40 sec, add rice and process everything together, adding just enough water (about 1/4-1/3 cup) to grind coarsely.
3. Transfer the coarse mixture to a big bowl, stir in yogurt. Cover and let it ferment overnight in a warm place.
4. After it has been rested, add the remaining ingredients leaving ENO or if using baking soda and lemon juice. Mix them well.
5. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a petite loaf pan or a muffin tin or a 9×9 spring form pan, set aside.
6. Ina small pan, heat oil for tempering. add mustard seeds and broken whole dry red chilies. When the seeds pop and red chilies are fried, pour it over handvo batter and mix well.
7. Add ENO and mix really well to make the batter foamy (alternately mix baking soda in lemon juice, as soon as the mixture starts bubbling, stir into the batter). Immediately pour in the prepared greased pan. Sprinkle sesame seeds (optional).
8. Bake in preheated oven for 25-35 minutes or when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
9. You can broil the top until golden if making in muffin or spring form pan. (I skipped this part as I sliced the loaf and served with salad).
10. Remove the loaf pan from oven and let it rest for 10 minutes. To remove handvo loaves from pan, insert knife between loaf and pan, then slide around the edge to loosen it. Place wire rack upside down over the pan. Invert carefully so that all loaves come out. Invert onto another rack and flip right side up.
11. Serve sliced with mango chutney or ketchup.

Note: If using 8 or 9″ pan sprinkle sesame seeds and thinly cut carrot on top. Bake until the skewer inserted comes out clean. You can broil for 1 -2 minute for a darker top.

You may have to cover edges with aluminum foil (like a pie shield) to prevent the lentil cake from over browning from sides because you may have to cook a little longer than smaller loaves.

I now have a mango chutney recipe posted here.