Classic Handvo, an iconic Gujarati Lentil Cake

Talk about Gujarati foods and the first few preparations that immediately get mentioned  are Dhokla, Thepla, Khaman, Khakhra and Handvo. It is an exhaustive list, but these are the few food preparations most associated with Gujarati cuisine. Handvo, that is often referred to as a savoury cake is a slow-cooked fermented mix of rice and lentil batter. The classic recipe is  rather simple,  one that does not include too many vegetables or pulses, rather it calls for the humble  bottle gourd to give Handvo a soft crumb and some everyday spices staple to Indian kitchen. That  is all there is to this iconic preparation.

Bhoomika had once mentioned how they still make Handvo the traditional way over the coal-fired sagri/sigri in the conventional brass pan that is designed for Handvo. Just the mention of it intrigued me because in these times of convection oven and microwave cooking I haven’t heard anyone making Handvo in such traditional way. Apart from baking, the most common way of making it is in a Handvo is in the Angle cake pan shape contraption that comes with a lid and a sand tray for the bottom. The sand promotes even cooking, funnel shape helps with the quintessential Handvo crust to form all around and lid with large holes helps those intend to put coal on the top.

Ever since I began blogging I have been on the lookout for family recipes of Handvo as each family has its way of making this dish. So when Bhoomika shared her family tradition of making Handvo over saghri I couldn’t stop myself from requesting her to share it for the blog, not just the recipe but actual cooking. After a few missed opportunities the cookout did happen on a pleasant winter afternoon in Ahmedabad. Bhoomika and her mother-in-law Minalben cooked up this classic Handvo over a saghri. The skill for many would be to light up the saghri before diving into making the Handvo. The attached video has captured most nuances. Bhoomika’s twins captured the grinding and soaking actions the previous evening when the batter was left to ferment. It is always fun to have a cookout with friends over all the Gupshup and catching up. Always grateful to friends and family who open up their hearts and hearths for such blog features.

There are numerous Handvo recipes on the blog, each different and unique in its own way. It makes one realise how amazingly versatile Handvo is.

This recipe can be made over a stovetop too. Make it in small batches if  you do not have a flat sauce pan like so, do not fill the pan beyond 1/2 level. Yes, there is a lot of oil used in making this Handvo and you should not skimp on it. The oil gives the Handvo a crumb that is soft and doesn’t dry during the hourlong cooking. This kind of Handvo is hard to cut into tubes are you often see on the web. A Hanvdo like this needs to be served as a generous scoop to be enjoyed with some homemade Gujarati pickle and masala chai.

❤️