Comfort Foods ... Handvo

Food is a basic necessity of life. Yet, it is one those things that comforts me the most. Once in a while I like to show off my culinary skills to my husband and relive the role of a traditional Indian woman. Today I’d like to share my favourite recipe of handvo with you. It is adapted from different sources Kokila ben, Tarala Dalal et al, perfected to make it my own …

Steamed Handvo:

Batter:
½ cup split Bengal gram (chana dal)
½ cup split green gram (green moong dal)
½ cup Red gram (toovar dal)
½ cup split Black gram (urad daal)
2 cups rice
½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi)
1 ½ cup plain curds/yogurt
1 teaspoon ginger, grated
4‑5 green chili, minced
4‑5 cloves garlic, minced
3 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon Asafoetida (hing)
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
½ teaspoon powdered coriander & cumin seeds
1 ½ teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon sambhar masala powder (optional)
1 teaspoon baking soda

Tempering:
2 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon panchporan (recipe below)
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida
1 whole, dried red chilly
4‑5 leaves curry leaves
2 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 stick cinnamon

1 tablespoon fresh coriander, chopped

Panchporan:
1 tbsp cumin seeds1 tbsp fennel seeds1 tbsp fenugreek seeds1 tbsp nigella seeds1 tbsp black mustard seeds

Method of preparation:
1) Pick, wash and soak the mixed daals in warm water with fenugreek seeds for at least 5 hours.
2) Pick, wash and soak the rice, separate from the daals, in warm water for the same time.
3) Drain excess water, mix the soaked daal & rice. Add curd
4) Grind to a smooth batter in blender. Mix in the ginger, green chilies, garlic, salt, asafoetida, turmeric, coriander-cumin powder, and sugar and sambhar powder. Mix well and leave it aside for at least a couple of hours.
5) Add the baking soda to the batter and mix it well. Pour into a greased plate, filling it no more than ¾” high.
6) Steam the handvo for 25-30 mins in a steaming vessel or pressure cooker with the whistle removed.
7) Heat oil in a small skillet with pachporan, asafoetida, dried red chilly, cinnamon & curry leaves. When the seeds start popping, add sesame seeds. Keep stirring until the tempering is crisp.
8) When the handvo is completely cooked, spread the tempering over it evenly.
9) Spread chopped coriander over it.
10) Cut into 2” squares and serve.