Handvo

Craving something savory? Try out this Indian savory cake! Traditionally made using yogurt, this dairy-free handvo skips the yogurt culture altogether in favor of overnight fermentation.

Cook Time55 mins

Course: bread, brunch, Lunch, Side Dish

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: allium free (no onions, no garlic), corn free, nightshade free, nut free, soy free, Vegan, gluten free Handvo

Servings:

Calories: 353kcal

Ingredients

Fermented Handvo Batter

1/2 cup urad dal
1 cup toor dal
2 cups brown rice
2 cups water Plus more for soaking

Handvo Spices and Oil

1 tbsp freshly grated ginger or more, to taste
1/4 tsp celery seeds or more, to taste
1 tsp turmeric to taste
4-1/2 tbsp oil
3 tsp salt to taste
1 tsp sugar
1-2 cups grated vegetables Optional. cabbage, bottle gourd are commonly used.

Vagar

1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp white sesame seeds (optional)
dry red chili
curry leaves

Instructions

Prepare the Fermented Handvo Batter. Combine the toor, urad dals (split lentils) and rice in a large mixing bowl. Rinse until the water runs clear. Soak in 2-3x as much water overnight or for about 6 hours.
Strain and rinse the dal(split lentil)-rice mixture. Blend into a coarse, cake-batter consistency using only as much water as absolutely needed. I usually require about 2 cups of water to do this in a high powered blender.
Transfer the blended batter to a large mixing bowl and cover. Let ferment overnight or about 12 hours, stirring every 6-8 hours. This step can also be done in an Instant Pot under the Yogurt setting.
Fermented batter will have the same color as the original batter but will have a slightly pungent aroma and fluffy texture. Combine the Handvo Spices and Oil and any grated vegetables into the Fermented batter.
Prepare the Vagar. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to a pan at medium heat until it shimmers. Add the dry red chili pepper and mustard seeds. Saute until the seeds begin to pop. Add the sesame seeds and curry leaves and cook for another 10 seconds. Remove from heat and set to the side.
To create a soft-crusted handvo mix the vagar into the batter and pour into a greased/floured pan (I use tapioca starch for flouring the pan but you can use any flour you like).
To create a crispy-crusted handvo, pour the batter into a greased/floured pan and pour the vagar on top in a circular motion. Use a spatula or spoon to swirl it over the whole surface, being careful not to scrape the flour off the edge of the pan.
Cover with foil or a heat-safe lid and bake at 450F for 20 minutes. Remove the cover and let bake at 400F until the handvo pulls away from the edges and an inserted knife comes out clean, about 30 minutes. To get optimal crispiness, spread another tablespoon of oil onto the handvo crust, broil for another 2-5 minutes and remove from heat, being careful not to burn the the crust.
Let cool for 5-10 minutes. Serve with jam, chutney, achar/athanu, cream cheese, etc.

Notes

Fermentation times for the batter will vary depending on the soak time for the rice-lentil mixture, temperature, humidity, etc. It can happen sooner than 8 hours or in about 24 hours. Just keep stirring it every 8 hours to make sure it's moving in the right direction.

Water content is the key step to controlling the texture of your handvo. Some people like a more dense handvo. If that's you, you can eyeball the ingredients in this recipe and leave the measuring spoons and cups to the side. I prefer a more moist-yet-fluffy texture and this requires diligence with measurements and bake times. Either way you choose, handvo tastes best when served immediately since it has a tendency to dry out with time.

Without vegetables, this handvo should be moist but not dense. Adding excess ginger and/or vegetables will increase the water content of the batter and make the handvo more dense/moist on the inside. Of course...if the handvo turns out too moist for your preference don't toss it. It will slowly become the way you like it in a few hours. You can reheat it gently and serve at that point.

Covering and baking the handvo at 450F for the first 20 minutes helps create a better rise and a more fluffy texture on the inside.

Handvo batter is multi-purpose and awesome to have on-hand. This is easy to do since plain batter (without ginger or vegetables) can last for 4+ weeks in the fridge and about 2 months in the freezer! So, I'll be posting other ways to transform stored handvo batter in the coming weeks. :)

Nutrition