HANDVO / GUJRATI HANDVO

Handvo is a very famous and healthy breakfast or tea time recipe of Gujarat. Initially I tried  instant handvo made with suji / rava which turned out to be very delicious and it is a quick version of traditional handvo.

As promised in that post, I have come up with traditional handvo, trust me it's much more delicious than instant one.

The best part I liked about this handvo is, that it is a natural probiotic which is good for complete well being. Every week I ensure to make a recipe which has natural probiotic and handvo is one of the recipe in list.

Make sure to divide the batter in two parts and add baking soda just before pouring the batter.


 Now you can watch the video of handvo: 


Yields 2 handvo
INGREDIENTS
1 cup rice
1/2 cup Chana Dal
1/4 cup toor Dal/ arhar Dal


1/4 cup ura dal
1/4 cup turmeric powder ( haldi powder)
1/2 inch grated or finely chopped ginger
1/2 cup grated carrot
1/2 cup grated bottle gourd
1 tsp sugar
1  tsp baking soda or eno
2 tsp lemon juice
1 TSP mustard seeds
1 TSP White sesame seeds
1 TSP black sesame seeds
Handful curry leaves
Salt and green chili to taste

METHOD

1. Wash and soak rice and all dals overnight.

2. Drain the water and transfer in blender jar, add curd and blend to make fine paste. It will be difficult to grind the complete mix at one go, so do it in 2-3 batches and then mix all. If required add 2-3 tbsp of water. Make smooth paste.

3. Add salt and keep batter to ferment for 8-9 hours or till it rises well.

4. Once batter is nicely fermented, add grated bottle gourd, grated carrot, finely chopped coriander leaves, ginger, turmeric powder, sugar, hing and lemon juice. If batter is too thick add some water, make sure not to make the batter thin or flowing, I added 1/2 cup water.

5. Divide the batter in 2 equal parts.

6. Heat oil pan, add mustard seeds, sesame seeds, let it splutter on low  flame, add curry leaves.

7. Keep one part of the batter ready. Once you add seeds to splutter, that time add baking soda or eno in it. Mix well, immediately pour over seeds. Reduce the flame to low. Cover and cook it for 7-10 minutes. For me it took 10 minutes. Check after 7 minutes. The upper crust should be cooked and not liquid.

8. Now keep plate on pan and turn the pan upside down to get the handvo out.

9. Now again add oil, let all the seeds splutter. Add curry leaves. Slide the handvo back in pan. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.

10. Transfer in serving plate and enjoy.

Pictorial:

1. Mix together rice and all the dals mentioned above.

2. Wash and soak overnight.

3. Grind in batches to make smooth paste.

4. Transfer in deep bowl and let it ferment for 8-10 hours.

5. After fermentation.  Divide batter in 2 parts.










6. Take grated vegetables. 

7. Add in one part of batter, vegetables,salt, turmeric, sugar and lemon juice.

8. Add half cup water. 

9. This is the consistency we require. 

10. Heat oil in pan, add mustard seeds, sesame seeds and curry leaves.










11. Add soda. Mix well. 

12. Pour the batter.

13. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.

14. It should be cooked from top. 

15. Touch and check, it's not sticky.

16. Keep the plate on top.

17. Turn the pan upside down.

18. Add add some oil in pan, splutter the seeds and slide pack handvo.










19. Cover and cook for more 5-6 minutes.

20. It's done from the other side too.

21. Slice and serve or pack in school lunch box.

22. It's done.

23. Slice and serve.

24. It's super healthy and super yum.

QUINOA HALWA / QUINOA DESSERT

Quinoa is one the healthiest grain with many benefits like magnesium, iron, potassium, calcium and vitamin E with antioxidants.

I have tried pulao version of quinoa but my kids are not very fond of it. So I like to make of dosa out of it, which everyone loves in my family.

This time to give it a sweet twist I tried my hands on making halwa out of it, believe me it came out just perfect!!


INGREDIENTS
1 cup Quinoa
2 tbsp ghee / clarified butter

1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup milk
1 tsp cardamom powder
nuts of your choice

METHOD
1. Wash and soak quinoa for 3-4 hours or overnight.

2. Using 2-3 tbsp water grind quinoa to fine paste.

3. In non-stick pan, add ghee. Add quinoa paste.

4. Cook on low flame stirring continuously.

5. Once it becomes granulated and start releasing little ghee, add milk.

6. Add milk and cook till it's absorbed.

7. Add sugar. Mix well. Cook till it combine like a dough.

8. Turn off the flame. Add chopped nuts and enjoy.

Pictorial:

1. Take washed and soaked quinoa.

2. Using 2 tbsp water grind to make fine paste.

3. Add ghee, add quinoa paste.

4. Cook on low flame.

5. Once it start releasing ghee.

6. Add milk.

7. Add powdered sugar.









8. Once it is mixed well. Turn off the flame and serve.

9. For this granulated texture, let it cool down completely and then separate the lumps using fingertips.

10. Garnish with more nuts.

FRESH COCONUT BURFI / FRESH COCONUT FUDGE

If you want to make a delicious Indian sweet in minutes, then coconut burfi is one of the best option. It is made during many festivals.

I feel it's one of the healthiest sweet as coconut is very beneficial and children don't like to eat it raw or in any savory form, so this sweet version is very popular among kids.

 Do try I am sure your family will love it. For any query and feedback do write under comment section.

INGREDIENTS 
2 cups fresh coconut (after grounding)
1 cup malai (fresh cream) or full fat milk
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup milk powder


1 tsp cardamom powder
1/4 cup chopped pistachio and rose petals



METHOD
1. Peel the brown skin from coconut, wash and grate it.

2. Grind into fine paste. Don't add water, keep mixing in between and grind.

3. Transfer in heavy bottomed pan and saute on low flame till its dried. This will take around 4-5 minutes, don't turn it brown.

4. Now add malai and roast for another 3-4 minutes. I used thick one day old malai as it becomes more thick and little dry.

5. Add sugar and cardamom powder. Let the water from sugar absorb completely. Keep the flame medium to high till water is absorbed.

6. Add milk powder and cook this for another 3-4 minutes. After 3-4 minutes you will see it has become thick and combined.

7.  Place butter paper or grease the pan with ghee and transfer it. Top it with pistachio and rose petals.

8. Let it set for 1-2 hours in fridge.

9. Slice and serve.

NOTES:
1. After grinding you should measure the coconut and and always take half the quantity of sugar.

2. Don't cut the coconut and grind instead first grate and then blend for smooth texture. 

3. I recommend to use non-stick pan for this recipe. 



Pictorial:

1. Discard the brown skin of coconut, wash and grate it.

2. Transfer in grinder and powder it.

3. Roast in pan, till it's little dry. Don't turn it brown.

4. Add malai.

5. Cook for 2-3 minutes.

6. Add sugar.

7. You will see sugar releasing the water.

8. Cook for more 4-5 minutes on medium to low flame till water is completely absorbed.

9. Once water is absorbed from sugar add milk powder.

10. Add cardamom powder. Now cook for final time till it combines well and become thick.

11. Something like this.

12. Even closer look.

13. Transfer in tray or thali greased with ghee or lined with parchment paper.  Garnish with some chopped pistachios and rose petals.

14. Cut into desired shape.

15. You can see from sides how smooth the texture is.

16. Top view.

17. From inside.

18. These are super soft melt in mouth.

19. Ready to go in tummy. 

20. With some simple presentation.















21. Closer look!!