Handvo is a traditional Gujarati savory cake made with rice, lentils, and lots of vegetables like bottle gourd, fenugreek leaves, and carrots. Spiced with fresh ginger and green chilies, tempered with mustard seeds, sesame seeds, and dried red chilies. This wholesome dish can be enjoyed as a meal by itself or with a side of pickle or chutney.
Recipe has been updated to include Instant Pot version of this recipe!
I first learned how to make Handvo 12 years ago, when my older son was a baby. We had a nanny who took care of him and cooked amazing meals for us. She would make Handvo at least once a month and I absolutely enjoyed every last bit of it.
I loved it so much that after she was no longer working for us, I called her one day to get the recipe. I have since made it many times and as much as it needs a bunch of ingredients, it is a no-fail recipe and so worth all the time and efforts. The key ingredient in this recipe is the dudhi/lauki/bottle gourd that gives the cake a super moist texture.
Variations
- There are 2 ways of making it. First is a quick method where you simply soak the handvo flour in yogurt, oil, and water overnight. The second method is to soak the rice and 3 types of lentils for 6-8 hours, grind them, and then let the dough ferment overnight. In this recipe, I am using handvo/ondhawa flour that is sold in Indian grocery stores.
- I love adding lauki, carrots, and methi to handvo but you can switch up your veggies by using zucchini or spinach.
Process
Here is a step by step recipe. For a printable recipe card and ingredients scroll down to the recipe card:
Step 1: Prep the veggies for handvo. Peel and grate the bottle gourd and carrots. Prepare the methi leaves by taking only the leaves and discarding the thicker stem. Wash few times and then chop finely.
Step 2: Tempering and batter. Make tempering by heating oil. Add mustard seeds and once they start spluttering, turn the heat off, add sesame seeds and dried red chilies. Add all the ingredients in the batter and mix well.
Step 3: Bake. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a baking pan by greasing all the sides and the bottom. Add baking soda to the batter and mix well. (Note - this should be done just before you are ready to pour the batter into the cake pan). Pour the batter into the cake pan, I used a springform pan, but a bundt cake pan or any baking dish works well. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top.
Bake for 30-45 minutes, checking after the first 25 minutes. For my oven, it takes exactly 25 minutes and then I broil for the last 5 minutes to get a crispy browned top
Let it cool for 20 minutes and then take it out of the baking pan.
Serving
Handvo can be served warm or at room temperature for breakfast, lunch, snack, or dinner. I love to pair mine with some pickle and ginger tea for breakfast. Handvo can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to a week. I like to cut mine into smaller pieces and then reheat each piece for 20 to 30 seconds in the microwave. Handvo makes for a perfect potluck, picnic, or travel food.
Here are some drinks that go well with Handvo:
- Fresh Pomegranate Juice - A sweet and healthy drink made from the pomegranate arils
- Ginger Tea - Classic British tea with a spicy kick of fresh ginger
- Mango Lassi - Smooth and creamy yogurt drink with rich and flavorful aromatic mangoes and saffron
- Mulled Apple Cider - Spiced drink scented with warm flavors of cinnamon and cloves
- Rose Faluda - An ice cream float with rose syrup, cool sweet basil seeds, thin noodles, and chilled milk
Here are some other recipes similar to the Handvo that I know you will love:
- Rava Dhokla - Savory, soft steamed semolina cake lightly spiced with ginger, chilies with a tempering of mustard and sesame seeds
- Muthia - Mixed vegetable casserole cooked in earthy spices, ginger, and chilies
- Kothimbir Vadi - A spicy cake loaded with fresh cilantro, chili, and garlic
- Aloo Chaat - Easy appetizer with spiced potatoes, sweet & tangy chutneys, and lightly sweetened creamy yogurt
- Sabudana Vada - Healthy no-fry spicy tapioca and potato fritters
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Oven Recipe
Recipe
Handvo {Spicy Rice and lentils cake}
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
Instructions
- Mix all dough ingredients in a large mixing bowl and keep in warm place for 6-8 hours.
- 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.
- Add the lauki, carrots, methi, ginger, green chilies, sugar, turmeric, and salt to the dough. Pour over the tempering and mix well.
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a baking pan by greasing all the sides.
- 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.
- Bake 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.
Nutrition
Instant Pot Handvo Recipe
Recipe
Instant Pot Handvo
Ingredients
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
- Prepare a 7-inch cake pan by greasing the bottom and the sides.
- Mix all ingredients from part I in a large bowl and keep in warm place for 6-8 hours.
- 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.
- Add all the ingredients from Part II and the tempering to the dough. Mix well.
- Add 1 cup of water to the Instant Pot insert.
- Add baking soda to the batter and mix well. Pour the batter in the cake pan. Garnish with sesame seeds from part IV.
- Cover the cake pan with aluminum foil. This will prevent from any steam/water from getting in the handvo.
- Place the cake pan on the trivet, carefully put the trivet with the cake pan in the Instant pot.
- Close Instant Pot lid with pressure value to sealing. Cook on Manual(Hi) for 30 mins followed by NPR.
- 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.
Check out HANDVO recipes from of my FAV Indian chefs for variations of this recipe:
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JT says
What size baking pan should we use?
Archana says
I have used a 9" cake pan
Brinda says
Made this today. It was really good! Since it is just two of us, there a lot left over.
Can the left overs be frozen?
Archana says
Thank you! Yes you can but individual portions and freeze in air tight containers.
Anjani says
For how long cooked Handvo can be stored?
Archana says
Easily for upto 2 weeks refrigerated.