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4.5 from 222 votes

Handvo {Spicy Rice and lentils cake}

Handvo - A traditional gujarati savory cake made with rice, lentils bottle gourd, fenugreek leaves and carrots. Spiced with fresh ginger and green chilies, tempered with mustard seeds, sesame seeds and dried red chillies.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Resting Time
6 hrs
Total Time
1 hr 15 mins
Calories: 99 kcal
Course: Main Course , Snacks
Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

Dough Ingredients
  • 2½ cups handwa flour
  • ⅓ cup PLAIN yogurt or non-dairy yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1½ cup warm water
Tempering
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • ½ teaspoons mustard seeds
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
  • 2 dried red chilies optional
Vegetables
  • 3 cups bottle gourd peeled and grated
  • 1 cup carrots peeled and grated
  • 1½ cups methi leaves finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon ginger grated
  • 4 green chilies minced
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon Turmeric
  • salt to taste
Other Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
Part I: Dough
  • 1.5 cups Handvo flour available in Indian stores
  • ¼ cup PLAIN yogurt or non-dairy yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • ¾ cup warm water
Part II: Vegetables
  • 1.5 cups peeled and grated bottle gourd
  • 1 cup peeled and grated carrots
  • 1 cup methi leaves chopped
  • ½ tablespoon ginger grated
  • 2 to 3 green chilies minced
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon Turmeric
  • kosher salt to taste
Part III: Tempering
  • ½ tablespoon oil
  • ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • ½ tablespoon brown sesame seeds
  • 1 to 2 dried red chilies optional
Part IV: Final Ingredients
  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ tablespoon brown sesame seeds

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Mix all dough ingredients in a large mixing bowl and keep in warm place for 6-8 hours.
  2. Prepare a 7-inch cake pan by greasing the bottom and the sides.
  3. Make tempering by heating oil in a small sauce pan. Add mustard seeds and once they start spluttering, turn the heat off, add sesame seeds and dried red chilies.
  4. Mix all ingredients from part I in a large bowl and keep in warm place for 6-8 hours.
  5. Add the lauki, carrots, methi, ginger, green chilies, sugar, turmeric, and salt to the dough. Pour over the tempering and mix well.
  6. Make tempering by heating oil in a small pot. Add mustard seeds and once they start spluttering, turn the heat off, add sesame seeds and dried red chillies.
  7. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a baking pan by greasing all the sides.
  8. Add all the ingredients from Part II and the tempering to the dough. Mix well.
  9. Add baking soda to the batter and mix well. Pour the batter in the cake pan, I used a spring foam pan but a bundt cake pan or any baking dish works well. Garnish with sesame seeds from part IV on top.
  10. Add 1 cup of water to the Instant Pot insert.
  11. Bake at 350 F for 30-45 mins, checking after first 25 minutes. For my convection oven it takes exactly 25 mins and then I broil for the last 5 mins to get a crispy browned top.
  12. Add baking soda to the batter and mix well. Pour the batter in the cake pan. Garnish with sesame seeds from part IV.
  13. Cover the cake pan with aluminum foil. This will prevent from any steam/water from getting in the handvo.
  14. Place the cake pan on the trivet, carefully put the trivet with the cake pan in the Instant pot.
  15. Close Instant Pot lid with pressure value to sealing. Cook on Manual(Hi) for 30 mins followed by NPR.
  16. Open Instant Pot and carefully take out the trivet with the handvo.

Notes

  • Broil in the oven for 5 minutes to get a crispy browned top.
  • Instead of using Handvo flour you can also soak ½ cup rice and ½ cup mixed lentils. Grind and then allow the batter to sit for 6-8 hours or overnight.
  • Vegetables used in part II can vary - You can substitue zuchinni or cabbage for dudhi. 

Nutrition Information

Calories 99kcal (5%) Carbohydrates 12g (4%) Protein 3g (6%) Fat 4g (6%) Sodium 173mg (7%) Potassium 211mg (6%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 3g (6%) Vitamin A 1860IU (37%) Vitamin C 13.2mg (15%) Calcium 84mg (8%) Iron 1.3mg (7%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 99

% Daily Value*

Calories 99kcal 5%
Carbohydrates 12g 4%
Protein 3g 6%
Fat 4g 6%
Sodium 173mg 7%
Potassium 211mg 4%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 3g 6%
Vitamin A 1860IU 37%
Vitamin C 13.2mg 15%
Calcium 84mg 8%
Iron 1.3mg 7%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.