Baked Spicy Lentil Cake (Handvo)

April 30, 2022 / Lyn Jones / 0 Comments

A popular Gujrati snack. This is a baked, spicy lentil cake made with rice and different lentils fermented batter mixed with spices. This is served with chutney. Handvo is crisp outside and soft inside.  serves 8

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup rice – small grain
  • 1/4 cup chana dal (split chickpeas)
  • 1/4 cup urad dal** split with skin (**use mung beans or azuki beans instead)
  • 1/4 cup toor dal*** (***use yellow lentils or any beans)
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • About 1 inch piece ginger chopped
  • 1-2 green chilli adjust to taste
  • 1-3/4 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon asafetida^ (use garlic or onion powder instead^ )
  • 1/2 cup yogurt
  • 2 tablespoon oil
  • 1 cup laucki* shredded (subs zucchini, yellow squash, butternut squash, pumpkin)
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Eno fruit salt (contains bicarb, citric acid and salt or use baking powder
    or whipped egg or cashew white perhaps

For Seasoning

  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1/8 teaspoon asafetida*
  • 1 Tab sesame seeds

Also need

  • 2 teaspoon oil to grease the baking pan
  • 8×8 baking pan (preferably glass)

Method

TO FERMENT – or instead buy handvo flour already made up

  1. Wash and soak rice, chana dal, toor dal, and urad dal in about four cups of water for at least four hours.
  2. Drain the water and in a blender, or processor, blend the soaked rice & lentils, ginger & chilli to a lightly coarse texture (no water).  Add yogurt, turmeric, salt, sugar and asafetida* and blend it again for few more seconds. Transfer the dal mix into a bowl and let the mix ferment for about 10 to 12 hours.
  3. Add the squash, 2 tablespoons of oil and lemon juice to the fermented dal mix – mix it well. Add ENO to the mixture and mix (this will make the handvo mix light & fluffy)
  4. Grease the 8×8 baking pan generously and pour the handvo mix into the greased pan.
    Tap the pan; it will help to spread the mix evenly.
  5. Sprinkle the sesame seeds over the batter.SEASONING –
  6. Heat the oil for seasoning in a small pan over medium heat – after oil is moderately hot, add the mustard seeds and asafetida*. As the mustard seeds crack, turn off the heat.
  7. Drizzle the seasoning over the top of the sesame seeds. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees C.
  8. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and place it on middle oven rack and bake for 20 minutes.
  9. Remove foil and bake for another 20 minutes until top of the handvo is light golden brown or until knife inserted in centre of cake comes out clean.
  10. Let the handvo cool off for about 15 minutes. Cut into sixteen pieces and serve.*  A ½ teaspoon of the asafetida powder can be substituted by 2-minced garlic gloves or 2/3 of a cup of minced onion. Tiny amounts of asafetida give a gentle lift to cheese dishes, egg, salad dressings and fish.

Roasted Eggplant Wedges with Herbed Pistachio Millet

October 16, 2021 / Lyn Jones / 0 Comments

Serves: 4-6

INGREDIENTS
for the quick pickled red onion
  • half of a red onion – thinly sliced
  • apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp coconut sugar (optional)
for the herbed pistachio millet
  • 1 cup millet – soaked in purified water w/ a splash of apple cider vinegar
  • 1 Tab neutral coconut oil or ghee
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1½ tsp turmeric – fresh or ground??
  • sea salt – to taste
  • 1 cup mixed chopped herbs like dill, parsley, cilantro, basil, mint
  • ⅓ cup pistachios – chopped (or try peanuts)
for the eggplant wedges
  • 2 medium eggplants – sliced into wedges
  • 1 Tab coconut oil
  • sea salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • za’atar – or use ground thyme
for the tahini sauce
  • ¼ cup tahini
  • 1 tsp maple syrup or honey
  • ½ teaspoon sriracha or Tabasco (optional)
  • pinch of sea salt
  • freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon
  • ¼ cup purified water

    to make the quick pickled red onion

    1. Place the sliced onion in a small bowl and generously drizzle it with apple cider vinegar. Add the coconut sugar, if using, and toss to coat. Let marinate while cooking the millet and roasting the eggplants.

    to make the herbed pistachio millet

    1. Drain the millet and thoroughly rinse it in a strainer.
    2. Warm the oil over medium heat in a medium pot, add cumin seeds and toast for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant. Add turmeric and stir it around for a minute. Add the millet and toast, stirring, for a few minutes.
    3. Add 2 cups of purified water and salt. Increase the heat to a medium high and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer the millet for 15-20 minutes, covered, but stirring occasionally. Let the millet cool a bit and stir in the herbs and pistachios.

    to roast the eggplant wedges

    1. Preheat oven to 200° C. Prepare a parchment paper-covered baking sheet.
    2. Place the eggplant on a the baking sheet. Drizzle with the coconut oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and mix to coat.
    3. Roast for 20 minutes, then flip the wedges and roast for another 15 minutes until soft and golden on both sides. Let cool a bit and sprinkle with za’atar when serving.

    to make the tahini sauce

    1. Combine the tahini, maple syrup, sriracha (if using), salt and lemon juice in a small bowl, mix until smooth. Add water gradually, while mixing, until you achieve a smooth sauce consistency.
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