Tillie Doyle
Handvo is a traditional Gujarati savoury cake, made with rice, lentils, and vegetables. It can be enjoyed as a snack or a meal, and is typically served with masala chai, pickle, or chutney.
In this article, we will be discussing how to make handvo in an air fryer.
What You'll Learn
Ingredients and preparation
Handvo is a traditional Gujarati savoury cake made with rice, lentils, and vegetables. It is spiced with ginger, garlic, and green chillies, and tempered with mustard seeds, sesame seeds, and curry leaves.
Ingredients
- Rice
- Lentils (chana dal, urad dal, toor dal, and moong dal)
- Vegetables (bottle gourd, zucchini, carrots, cabbage, spinach, fenugreek leaves, peas, onion, and corn)
- Yoghurt
- Oil
- Mustard seeds
- Cumin seeds
- Curry leaves
- Asafoetida (hing)
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Sugar or jaggery
- Spices (turmeric, red chilli powder)
Preparation
First, prepare the handvo flour by grinding rice, chana dal, urad dal, and toor dal into a semolina-like texture. You can also use store-bought handvo flour.
Next, make the batter by mixing the handvo flour with yoghurt, water, salt, and fenugreek seeds. Cover and keep in a warm place for 4-6 hours or overnight to ferment.
Once the batter is fermented, add the grated or finely chopped vegetables, spices, and baking soda, and mix well.
To make the tempering, heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, and asafoetida. Once the seeds start to splutter, turn off the heat and add the tempering to the batter.
Finally, cook the handvo in an air fryer at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15-20 minutes, or until crispy and golden brown. You can also bake it in the oven or cook it on a stovetop in a pan.
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Cooking methods
There are several ways to cook handvo, a Gujarati savoury cake. The traditional method involves cooking it in a sagdi (clay pot) over a coal stove, but it can also be cooked in an oven, air fryer, instant pot, or on a stovetop. Here is a detailed description of the cooking process in an air fryer.
First, gather all the ingredients, including the dry and wet ingredients, and mix them separately. Preheat the air fryer to 350°C for 5 minutes. Next, heat oil in a separate pan for tempering and add mustard seeds. Once they start to splutter, turn off the heat and set it aside. Now, add the tempering, vegetables, and baking powder to the batter and mix well.
Prepare the mould in which the handvo will be baked, and preheat the air fryer. Pour the batter into the mould and place it in the air fryer. Bake for 15 minutes or until the handvo is crispy on the outside and well-cooked inside. If it hasn't browned sufficiently, bake for an additional 2 minutes.
Finally, transfer the handvo to a cooling rack. Once it has cooled down, remove it from the mould, and it is ready to be served as a snack.
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Fermenting the batter
Firstly, you can either make the handvo batter from scratch or use a ready-made handvo flour mix. If you are making it from scratch, you will need to soak the rice and lentils (chana dal, urad dal, toor dal) overnight and then grind them to form a batter. If you are using a ready-made mix, simply combine the flour with yogurt and water.
Once you have the batter ready, it's time to start the fermentation process. Place the batter in a large mixing bowl and cover it. Keep the bowl in a warm, dark place for fermentation. The ideal temperature for fermentation is around 35-40°C (95-105°F).
The fermentation time can vary depending on the method you choose. The longer you ferment, the more pronounced the flavours will be. Here are some common fermentation durations:
- 4-6 hours or overnight: This is a common duration for fermenting the batter, especially if you are using a ready-made handvo flour mix.
- 10-12 hours: This longer fermentation time is recommended if you are making the batter from scratch and want to develop a stronger flavour.
During fermentation, the batter will undergo several changes. You will notice bubbles forming on the surface, and the volume of the batter may increase. This is a sign that the fermentation is working, and the batter is becoming light and airy.
Once the fermentation is complete, you will need to prepare the tempering by heating oil and adding mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, and asafoetida (hing). This tempering will be added to the batter just before cooking.
Note that fermentation time can vary based on the environmental temperature and humidity levels. It is important to keep an eye on the batter and adjust the fermentation time accordingly.
Now your fermented handvo batter is ready to be cooked in an air fryer!
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Tempering
To make the tempering for handvo, heat some oil in a small pan. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter. You can then add cumin seeds, curry leaves, green chilli, asafoetida (hing) and dried red chillies. Turn off the heat and add sesame seeds. This tempering mixture can then be added to the handvo batter and mixed well.
The tempering process is what makes handvo unique and gives it a distinct flavour. It is an essential step in the handvo-making process and should not be skipped.
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Serving suggestions
Handvo is a versatile dish that can be served in many ways. It is a popular Gujarati snack, often enjoyed with a cup of tea or masala chai. It can also be served as a complete meal, paired with a side of pickle or chutney, such as coriander chutney, garlic chutney, or green chutney.
Handvo is a great option for a lunch box or potluck as it can be enjoyed at room temperature. It can be served as a snack, appetizer, lunch, or dinner and is a delicious and healthy option for kids and adults alike.
- Serve it with green chutney, pickle, or ketchup along with a cup of tea or masala chai.
- Enjoy it as a snack or appetizer with chai, or as a meal with cilantro chutney and cooling masala chaas or mango lassi.
- Pair it with ginger tea or ginger chai for breakfast.
- Serve it with chutneys and pickles, along with a cup of cold milk or chaas for lunch or dinner.
- Accompany it with tomato ketchup and cilantro chutney.
- For a healthier version, serve it with a side of salad or roasted vegetables.
- For a heartier meal, serve it with a side of dal or curry.
Handvo is a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed in various ways, making it a great option for any time of the day!
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Frequently asked questions
Handvo is a traditional Gujarati savoury cake or snack made with rice, lentils and vegetables. It is spiced with ginger, garlic and green chillies, and tempered with mustard seeds, sesame seeds and curry leaves.
You will need handvo batter, grated vegetables (bottle gourd, carrots, cabbage, zucchini, spinach), oil, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, fruit salt or baking soda, and sesame seeds.
First, add the fermented handvo batter to a bowl with the grated vegetables, ginger, garlic, spices and fruit salt or baking soda. Mix well. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves and green chilli. Once they start to splutter, set aside. Transfer the batter to a greased pan and add the tempering, cilantro and sesame seeds. Place the pan in a preheated air fryer at 350 F for 15 minutes.
It takes around 15 minutes to cook Handvo in an Air Fryer, and then it should be left to cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Handvo can be served as a snack or a meal. It goes well with green chutney, pickle, ketchup or masala chai.
