Handvoહાંડવો
Handvo is a savoury baked cake of fermented rice and lentils mixed with grated bottle gourd, crisp on the outside from a sesame crust and soft inside. It is filling enough to serve as a light dinner, and travels well in a lunchbox.
Ingredients
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- 2 cups handvo flour (or fermented rice-and-lentil batter)
- 1 cup grated bottle gourd (dudhi), squeezed dry
- ½ cup sour yoghurt
- 1 tsp ginger-chilli paste
- ½ tsp turmeric, 1 tsp sugar, salt to taste
- 1 tsp Eno or a pinch of baking soda
- For the tempering: 3 tbsp oil, mustard seeds, sesame seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves
Method
- Mix the flour, yoghurt and water into a thick batter and leave to ferment for 6-8 hours.
- Stir in the bottle gourd, ginger-chilli paste, turmeric, sugar and salt.
- Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and crackle the mustard seeds, sesame seeds, asafoetida and curry leaves.
- Add Eno to the batter, mix half the tempering into it and pour the batter over the rest in the pan.
- Cover and cook on low heat for 20-25 minutes, then flip and cook the other side for 10-15 minutes.
- When both crusts are golden and firm, cut into wedges and serve with green chutney.
Tips
- Squeeze the bottle gourd well or the handvo stays damp inside.
- Keep the heat low. High heat burns the crust while the middle is still raw.
- It also bakes well at 180°C for 35-40 minutes.
Storing and reheating
Handvo keeps a day at room temperature and three in the fridge. It is good cold, which is why it travels so well in a lunchbox. To reheat, give it a few minutes a side on a tawa with ghee and the crust crisps up again. A microwave only makes it soft.
What you can swap
- No ready handvo flour? Soak and grind 2 parts rice, 1 part chana dal, ½ part tuvar dal and ½ part urad dal.
- No bottle gourd? Carrot, cabbage or grated ivy gourd all work.
- No time to ferment? Use Eno, though you lose the sourness.
- It also bakes: 180°C for 35-40 minutes.
What to serve with it
Handvo is eaten with green chutney and curd — with tea in the evening, or sliced into a lunchbox.
Mistakes to avoid
- Squeeze the bottle gourd properly or the middle stays wet.
- Keep the heat low. High heat burns the crust before the centre sets.
- Let the base set fully before flipping, or it breaks apart.
- Do not forget the sesame underneath; that is what makes the crust.
Questions people ask
Why is my handvo raw in the middle?
Either the heat was too high or the batter too deep. Cook it covered on low for 15-18 minutes and test with a knife: it should come out clean.
How long does the batter need to ferment?
Five to six hours in summer, eight to ten or overnight in winter. It is ready when it has risen slightly and smells faintly sour.
Does handvo work in a lunchbox?
Yes, that is its great virtue. It holds its texture when cold and goes well with chutney.
