Handvo Recipe

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Handvo recipe with step by step pics – Gujarati handvo is a savory baked snack made with a mixture of lentils and rice, veggies, and flavorful seasonings. This tasty snack can be enjoyed any time of day.

handvo recipe in pan

In this recipe I am sharing how to make handvo in a pan. Since handvo is made from lentils and is fermented, it is a healthy snack.

This Gujarati handvo recipe comes from my sister’s friend. Her mom makes excellent handvo and my sis got this recipe from her. I tried and it gave good results. So I thought of sharing it.

It is one of the popular Gujarati recipe. Usually there is a special handvo cooker that is used in making handvo. But it can be baked even in an oven or pressure cooker. I even baked this handvo recipe in a stovetop pressure cooker and the baked handvo was also good.

A few more popular Gujarati recipes shared on blog are:

  1. Khandvi
  2. Rava dhokla
  3. Chana Dal Dhokla
  4. Methi muthia
  5. Khaman dhokla

The uniqueness of this recipe is that it has more proportion of moong dal and does not use chana dal. Though chana dal can be added if you want. Bottle gourd (lauki) is also used in the recipe. But you can use other veggies like carrots, peas or spinach.

It can be served as a breakfast or even an evening snack. You can serve it with coriander chutney or even papaya chutney.

Step-by-Step Guide

How to make Handvo Recipe

A) soaking rice and dals:

1. In a bowl or pan take 1 cup rice and ½ cup moong dal.

making Gujarati handvo recipe in pan

2. Add 1 tablespoon tuvar dal (pigeon pea lentils) and 1 tablespoon urad dal (split and husked black gram).

You can add 1 tablespoon chana dal if you want.

Gujarati handvo recipe in pan

3. Rinse a couple of times with water and then drain the water. Soak the rice and dals for 4 to 5 hours in enough water.

Gujarati handvo recipe in pan

B) grinding & fermenting handvo batter

4. Later drain all the water and add the rice and dals in a grinder jar.

Gujarati handvo recipe in pan

5. Add ½ cup curd (dahi).

Gujarati handvo recipe in pan

6. Grind to a batter where you get a rava like consistency in the rice.

Gujarati handvo recipe in pan

7. You can grind the batter in batches also. Do not add any water while grinding.

making Gujarati handvo recipe in pan

8. Add ¼ teaspoon baking soda.

Gujarati handvo recipe in pan

8. Stir and mix very well. Cover the pan and ferment the batter for 8 to 9 hours or overnight.

Gujarati handvo recipe in pan

9. Below pic is of handvo batter the next day. The batter will have tiny bubbles and faint sour aroma. Since proper fermentation depends on a warm room temperature, keep for a few hours more, if you live in a cool climate.

handvo recipe

Preparation and tempering for handvo batter

10. In a small grinder take 1 teaspoon chopped ginger, 1 teaspoon chopped garlic and 2 teaspoons chopped green chilies.

Gujarati handvo recipe in pan

11. Then add 1 tablespoon of water and grind to a smooth paste. Keep aside. You can even crush ginger, garlic and green chilies in a mortar-pestle.

Gujarati handvo recipe in pan

12. Rinse, peel and grate 1 small bottle gourd (lauki, ghia, dudhi, opo squash). You will need 1 cup tightly packed grated bottle gourd.

Gujarati handvo recipe in pan

13. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small pan. Add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds. Keep the flame to a low.

Gujarati handvo recipe in pan

15. Let the mustard seeds crackle.

Gujarati handvo recipe in pan

16. Then add 5 to 6 fenugreek seeds, 1 pinch asafoetida (hing) and 1 teaspoon chopped curry leaves.

Gujarati handvo recipe in pan

17. Fry for a few seconds.

making Gujarati handvo recipe in pan

18. Then add the ginger+garlic+green chilli paste. Be careful as the mixture can splutter if you have added more water when grinding the paste.

making Gujarati handvo recipe in pan

19. Saute till the raw aroma of ginger and garlic goes away.

making Gujarati handvo recipe in pan

20. Add 1 cup of tightly packed grated bottle gourd.

making Gujarati handvo recipe in pan

21. Also add ½ teaspoon turmeric powder and ½ teaspoon coriander powder.

making Gujarati handvo recipe in pan

22. Mix well and then switch off the flame.

making Gujarati handvo recipe in pan

23. Now add ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves.

making Gujarati handvo recipe in pan

24. Mix well again.

making Gujarati handvo recipe in pan

25. Add the tempered bottle gourd mixture to the handvo batter.

making Gujarati handvo recipe in pan

26. Add salt as required.

making Gujarati handvo recipe in pan

27. Mix very well.

making Gujarati handvo recipe in pan

Making handvo in pan

28. Heat a pan and spread 1 to 2 teaspoons of oil in it. Spread on the sides too. Keep the flame to a low. I have added less oil. If you add more oil, the base of the handvo becomes crisp and golden.

making Gujarati handvo recipe in pan

29. Now pour 1.5 to 2 ladles of the handvo batter in the pan. Keep a thickness of 1 to 1.5 inches. You can add more also, but then the handvo will increase in size and take a long time to cook. 

Gently shake the pan, so that the batter spreads neatly or you can level the batter with the spoon.

making Gujarati handvo recipe in pan

30. Sprinkle some sesame seeds on top all over the batter.

making Gujarati handvo recipe in pan

31. Cover the pan with a lid and then cook handvo on a low flame.

making Gujarati handvo recipe in pan

32. Do check a couple of times.

making Gujarati handvo recipe in pan

33. When you see the sides golden, then with a spatula gently lift and turn over. The top will also look cooked. You will also see some golden spots on the base.

If you use more oil, the entire base will be crisp and golden. If less oil is used, then some golden spots will be visible.

making Gujarati handvo recipe in pan

34. Cook the second side too. If you want you can drizzle some oil from the sides. When cooking the second side, no need to cover with lid.

making Gujarati handvo recipe in pan

35. Cook till you see golden spots on this side too and the handvo gets cooked well.

making Gujarati handvo recipe in pan

36. Remove and Serve handvo hot with coriander chutney, sesame chutney or papaya chutney. This way prepare handvo with the rest of the batter. If there is leftover batter, then refrigerate it and use it the next day.

Gujarati handvo recipe

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handvo recipe, gujarati handvo recipe in pan

Handvo Recipe

Handvo is a delicious savory baked snack made from mixed lentils & rice. Handvo is a staple Gujarati snack made in many Gujarati homes.
4.93 from 14 votes
Prep Time 8 hours
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 8 hours 50 minutes
Cuisine Gujarati
Course Snacks, Starters
Diet Vegetarian
Difficulty Level Moderate
Servings 4
Units

Ingredients

for soaking & grinding

  • 1 cup regular rice
  • ½ cup moong dal (mung lentils)
  • 1 tablespoon tuvar dal (pigeon pea lentils)
  • 1 tablespoon urad dal (split & husked black gram)
  • enough water for soaking
  • ½ cup Curd (yogurt)
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda

for paste

  • 1 inch ginger or 1 teaspoon chopped ginger (adrak)
  • 4 medium garlic cloves or 1 teaspoon chopped garlic (lahsun)
  • 1 to 2 green chilies or 2 teaspoons chopped green chilies
  • 1 tablespoon water for grinding

for tempering

  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 5 to 6 fenugreek seeds (methi dana)
  • 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
  • 1 teaspoon chopped curry leaves
  • 1 cup tightly packed grated bottle gourd (lauki or ghia or dudhi or opo squash)
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • ½ teaspoon Coriander Powder
  • ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves

other ingredient

  • salt as required
  • 4 to 5 teaspoons oil for greasing pan
  • white sesame seeds as required

Instructions
 

soaking rice and dals

  • In a bowl or pan take 1 cup rice, ½ cup moong dal. 1 tablespoon tuvar dal and 1 tablespoon urad dal
  • You can add 1 tablespoon chana dal if you want.
  • Rinse a couple of times with water and then soak rice & dals for 4 to 5 hours in enough water.

grinding & fermenting handvo batter

  • Later drain all the water and add the rice & dals in a grinder jar.
  • Add ½ cup curd (dahi).
  • Grind to a batter where you get a rava like consistency in the rice. You can grind the batter in batches also. Do not add any water while grinding.
  • Remove the batter in a bowl. Add ¼ teaspoon baking soda.
  • Mix very well. Cover the pan and ferment the batter for 8 to 9 hours or overnight.
  • Next day the batter will have tiny bubbles and a faint sour aroma.

preparation and tempering for handvo batter

  • In a small grinder take 1 teaspoon chopped ginger, 1 teaspoon chopped garlic, 2 teaspoons chopped green chilies.
  • Add 1 tablespoon water and grind to a smooth paste. Keep aside. You can even crush ginger, garlic and green chilies in a mortar-pestle.
  • Rinse, peel and grate 1 small bottle gourd (lauki, ghia, dudhi, opo squash). You will need 1 cup tightly packed grated bottle gourd.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small pan.
  • Add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds and let them crackle.
  • Then add 5 to 6 fenugreek seeds, 1 pinch asafoetida and 1 teaspoon chopped curry leaves.
  • Fry for a few seconds.
  • Then add the ginger+garlic+green chilli paste.
  • Saute till the raw aroma of ginger and garlic goes away.
  • Add 1 cup tightly packed grated bottle gourd.
  • Also add ½ teaspoon turmeric powder and ½ teaspoon coriander powder.
  • Mix well and then switch off the flame.
  • Now add ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves and mix well again.
  • Add the tempered bottle gourd mixture to the handvo batter.
  • Add salt as required and again mix very well.

making handvo

  • Heat a pan and spread 1 to 2 teaspoons oil in it. Spread on the sides too. Keep the flame to a low.
  • Now pour 1.5 to 2 ladles of the handvo batter in the pan. Keep a thickness of 1 to 1.5 inches. You can add more also, but then the handvo will increase in size and take a long time to cook.
  • Gently shake the pan, so that the batter spreads neatly or you can level the batter with the spoon.
  • Sprinkle some sesame seeds on top all over the batter.
  • Cover the pan with a lid and then cook handvo on a low flame.
  • Do check a couple of times when the handvo is cooking. 
  • When you see the sides golden, then with a spatula gently lift and turn over. The top will also look cooked. You will also see some golden spots on the base. 
  • If you use more oil, the entire base will be crisp and golden. If less oil is used, then some golden spots will be visible.
  • Cook the second side too. If you want you can drizzle some oil from the sides. When cooking the second side, no need to cover with lid.
  • Cook till you see golden spots on this side too and the handvo gets cooked well.
  • Remove and serve handvo hot with coriander chutney, sesame chutney or papaya chutney. This way prepare handvo with the rest of the batter. If there is leftover batter, then refrigerate it and use it the next day.

Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)

Nutrition Facts
Handvo Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 385 Calories from Fat 90
% Daily Value*
Fat 10g15%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 4mg1%
Sodium 130mg6%
Potassium 510mg15%
Carbohydrates 62g21%
Fiber 7g29%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 13g26%
Vitamin A 220IU4%
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1mg67%
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1mg59%
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 30mg150%
Vitamin B6 1mg50%
Vitamin B12 1µg17%
Vitamin C 53mg64%
Vitamin E 1mg7%
Vitamin K 5µg5%
Calcium 113mg11%
Vitamin B9 (Folate) 461µg115%
Iron 3mg17%
Magnesium 85mg21%
Phosphorus 199mg20%
Zinc 1mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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This Handvo Recipe post from the archives, originally published in August 2017 has been updated and republished on January 2023.

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Meet Dassana

Welcome to Dassana's Veg Recipes. I share vegetarian recipes from India & around the World. Having been cooking for decades and with a professional background in cooking & baking, I help you to make your cooking journey easier with my tried and tested recipes showcased with step by step photos & plenty of tips & suggestions.

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14 Comments

  1. Hi Dassana, will it be ok if toovar dal is not used ? Can we use some other dal instead of it?

    1. Yes. You can add chana dal or add in a total of 2 tablespoons of urad dal.

    1. curd is added as it helps in fermentation of the batter. you can use vegan curd – like almond curd or cashew curd. in the absence of any curd, use 1/4th cup urad dal and 1/4th cup moong dal. rest of the ingredients is the same. add 2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice in the batter. this will give some sourness to the batter and also help in fermentation. hope this helps.

  2. Hi Dassana,
    Made handvo as explained by you, and it came out very well.
    Thanks for making the recipe seem very simple.
    ???? ???? ???? ???? ????

  3. Hi Dassana,Can you share this in the baked version. Baking temperature,time etc. Thanks

    1. yes suparna i will try to add. for baking most recipes like handvo, you can bake at 180 degrees celsius for 25 to 30 minutes. also preheat oven at the same temperature for 15 minutes.

    1. rashmi, i will share readymade handvo powder recipe. have taken the note of your recipe request.