Gujarati Handvo Without Oven/OTG Recipe: Doodhi/Lauki Handva Recipe

Gujarati Handvo Without Oven/OTG Recipe: Doodhi/Lauki Handva Recipe

Handvo or Handva is a traditional Gujarati Farsan(Snack) and it tastes so delicious! Traditionally, women in Gujarat prepare the Handvo Flour (mixture of rice & many pulses) in large quantities and use it as required. It is also easily available in any local shop, market, super market in Gujarat. But for those, like me, who don’t stay in the state & still want to enjoy Handvo, here is a recipe from scratch where I soak the required the pulses & rice to make the batter. By this method too, the end result will be same as it is obtained while making Handvo from flour. Also, for those who do not own an Oven or OTG, I will show you how you can make it on burner! The procedure is a bit lengthy but at the end its all the worth!

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You will need:

1 Cup Rice (long or short grain)

1/2 Cup Tuvar Dal/Toor Dal/Pigeon Peas Split Pulses

1/4 Cup Chana Dal/Bengal Gram Whole

3 Tbsp Curd (Preferably Sour Curd)

1/4 Tsp Turmeric Powder

1/2 -1 Cup Water or as needed

2 Tbsp Oil

3 – 4 Tsp Green Chillies & Ginger Paste

2 Tsp Garlic Paste

2 Cups Grated Doodhi/Lauki/Bottle Gourd

1/2 Tsp + 1/2 Tsp Eno Fruit Salt (Non Flavoured)

Salt to taste

For tempering & cooking:

6 Tbsp + 6 Tbsp Oil

1 Tsp + 1 Tsp Mustard Seeds/Rai

1/4 Tsp + 1/4 Tsp Asafoetida/Hing

2 Dry Red Chillies Slit in half

1 Tsp + 1 Tsp Sesame Seeds/Til/Taal

Serving: Makes 2 Large Handvo. For 4-6 persons

Steps to Make Gujarati Handvo Without Oven/OTG:

1. Wash and soak rice and all the daals in ample of water for 6-8 hours.
2. Completely drain water from soaked rice & daals mixture.
3. Add rice & daal mixture in a blending jar & grind it to a coarse paste using water. Consistency should be like a thick dosa batter.
4. Pour the batter in a wide & deep vessel. Add Salt to taste – including for doodhi/bottle gourd which we will add later.
5. Add turmeric powder, curd, oil. Mix well.
6. Cover with a plate or lid & allow it to ferment for 7-8 hours.
7. After the batter is fermented add, green chillies & ginger paste, garlic paste, grated doodhi/lauki/bottle gourd. Mix everything well.
8. We are 2 handvo from this batter. So divide the batter in two equal portions.
9. Add eno fruit salt to one portion which you will cook first & mix.
10. Heat oil in a flat pan and add mustard seeds & allow it to crackle.
11. Add asafoetida, dry red chilli split in half, sesame seeds/til/taal. Give it a quick stir.
12. Pour half of the batter in which eno fruit salt is added in the pan. Spread it evenly with a spoon or spatula.
13. Turn the heat to low setting & cover the pan with a lid. Cook for 20-25 minutes. Check after 25 minutes, it should have golden brown crust.
14. Turn the gas off. And flip the handvo with the help of a plate.
15. Turn the gas on. Set the flame again to a low setting.
16. Place the pan back on the burner & add 1 Tbsp oil.
17. Slide the handvo in the pan slowly. Cover it with a lid & cook for 20 -25 minutes other side as well.
18. After 25 minutes, it should be cooked & ready to served.
19. Cook another Handvo from the remaining batter in the similar way.
20. Cut into desired shape pieces & serve with Green Chutney & Sauce.

Important Pointers:

• For soft & fluffy Handvo, add Eno fruit salt just before you pour it in the pan for cooking. If you will let it sit for long, Handvo can turn out hard.
• Handvo batter takes time for cooking, so the heat should be always on low setting or else it can be raw from the middle. You need atleast 25 minutes on both the sides.
• For the batter, make sure the rice & daals mixture is grinded coarsely. You won’t get nice grainy Handvo if you grind it to a fine paste. So it is best if you soak everything in one bowl & grinding it together unlike dosa batter, where you grind rice & daal separately.

If you want to see how I made this Gujarati Handvo Without Oven/OTG, then head over to video recipe by clicking this link:

https://www.youtube.com/v/RW2g6vJ1y8s?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata

Click “Print” or “PDF” button below to save this recipe!

Chana Dal Khaman Recipe: An Authentic Gujarati Snack!

I have stayed in Gujarat for a long period  of my life and there is a saying ,”When in Gujarat, eat what Gujjus eat!”Well… I made it up! But truly gujarati cuisine is so tempting that you just can’t ignore it. Khaman holds a special place in hearts of gujarati people and it is made often & with different techniques & variations. Today, I am sharing Khaman Recipe which is made from Chana Dal/Bengal Gram Whole which is packed with proteins! With just little tips & tricks it is easy to make soft & fluffy Khaman…Yummm!!

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You will need:

1 Cup Chana Dal/Bengal Gram Whole

3 Tbsp Curd (Preferably Sour Curd)

1/4 Tsp Turmeric Powder

2 Tbsp Oil + for greasing plate

1 Tbsp Green Chillies & Ginger Paste

2 Tsp Eno Fruit Salt (Non Flavoured)

Water as needed to grind the paste

Salt to taste

For tempering:

3 Tbsp Oil

1 Tsp Mustard Seeds/Rai

2 Green Chillies Slit in half

1/2 Tsp Sesame Seeds/Til/Taal

Chopped Coriander Leaves for garnish

Serving: Makes about 2 plates of Khaman

Steps to Make Chana Dal Khaman:

1. Wash & soak Chana Dal in water for 6-7 hours.
2. In a mixer, grind the soaked Chana Dal, Curd & Turmeric Powder with the help of water (if needed) to a coarse consistency paste.
3. Transfer the coarsely grated Chana Dal mixture into a bowl, cover with a lid & allow it to ferment for 8 hours or overnight.
4. Once fermented, add Salt, Oil, Green Chillies & Ginger paste & mix well.
5. Divide the batter in two portions & add Eno Fruit Salt to the batter which you will steam first, pour a little water over it to activate the soda. Mix well.
6. Pour the batter in greased plate & spread it evenly.
7. Place the plate in a steamer & cook it for 20 minutes on high flame.
8. After 20 minutes, check with the help of a knife if it is cooked properly. The knife will come clean if its cooked otherwise give it a few more minutes.
9. Once cooked, remove from the steamer & let it cool down to room temperature then cut it into pieces.
10. For tempering, heat oil in a small pan.
11. Add Mustard Seeds, allow it to crackle. Then add, slit Green Chillies & Sesame Seeds. Turn off the gas.
12. Spread the tempering evenly over the Khaman. Garnish with some Coriander Leaves.
13. Its ready to serve.

Important Pointers:

• For soft & fluffy Khaman, add Eno fruit salt just before you put it in steamer. If you will let it sit for long, the Khaman will turn out hard.
• Burner flame should always high when you are steaming, it is possible Khaman will become hard if you switch the flame in between to low or medium.
• For the batter, make sure the dal is grinded coarsely. You wont get nice grainy Khaman if you grind it to a fine paste.

If you want to see how I made this  Chana Dal Khaman, then head over to video recipe by clicking this link:

https://www.youtube.com/v/8Y29rjMsurk?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata

Click “Print” or “PDF” button below to save this recipe!

Khatta Meetha Dhokla Recipe: How to make MTR/Gits Instant Dhokla Mix Recipe at Home!

In the past, whenever I had gone to supermarket for grocery shopping, I always ALWAYS ended up picking up lots of Instant Mix packets of Dhokla, Khaman, Idlis, Dosas etc. I used these instant packets almost everyday for a quick breakfast fix. But soon I realised, these packets actually add a lot to my monthly grocery budget & most importantly, it always kind of scared me to look at those preservatives they mention in their ingredients list! So, I decided no more instant mixes at my home! And true to TGS motto,“Make at Home, here is an easy recipe of Khatta Meetha Dokhla. If you will follow the proportion of ingredients as mentioned below, I promise you will never buy an instant mix packet again. It is easy to make but it takes a little pre-planning for making the batter & allowing it to ferment but it does not end up consuming your time!

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You will need:

1/2 Cup Rice

1/4 Cup White Urad Dal / Split Urad Dal

1/4 Cup Rava/Semolina/Sooji

1/4 Curd

Water as needed to grind the batter

2 Tsp Green Chillies & Ginger Paste

2 Tsp Sugar

1 Lemon Juice

1-2 Tbsp Freshly chopped Coriander Leaves

1 Tbsp Oil + oil for greasing

1/2 Tsp Mustard Seeds/Rai

1/4 Tsp Asafoetida/Hing

8-10 Curry Leaves

1/2 Tsp Eno Fruit Salt per plate (Total 1 1/2 Tsp)

 2-3 Pinch of Freshly Crushed Black Pepper Powder

2-3 Pinch of Sesame Seeds/Til/Taal

Curry leaves for garnish (optional)

Serving: 2-3 Persons

Serving suggestion: Serve with Green Coriander Chutney

Steps to Make Khatta Meetha Dokhla:

1. Mix rice & urad dal in a vessel, wash & soak it in water for 4-5 hours.
2. After 5 hours, grind it coarsely using water, consistency should be like dosa batter. For grinding, I used approximately 1/4 cup water.
3. After grinding, take the batter in a bowl & add rava/semolina & curd. Mix well, cover with a lid & allow it to ferment for 5-6 hours.
4. After 6 hours, once fermented, add salt to taste, Green chillies & ginger paste, sugar, lemon juice, freshly chopped coriander leaves. Mix it well & keep aside.
5. In a small pan, heat oil add mustard seeds or rai, allow it to crackle.
6. Add hing, curry leaves & switch off the gas.
7. Add tempering to the batter & mix.
8. Divide the batter into 3 equal portions. Add Eno only to the portion you are about to steam.
9. In a steamer, place your greased Dhokla plate & allow the water to come to a boil.
10. Pour the batter in the plate evenly. Use a spoon if required or just tap the vessel once
11. Sprinkle black pepper powder & sesame seeds over the batter.
12. Cover with lid & let it steam on high flame for 10-12 minutes
13. After 12 minutes, remove the Dhokla plate from the steamer, allow it cool, then cut into pieces, garnish with curry leaves & serve with Green Coriander Chutney. 

Important Pointers:

• Do not add eno to entire batter or it will harden. Add just before placing the plate in the steamer.
• You can use long grain or short grain rice. I generally use short grain rice for dokhlas, dosa etc. as it is much cheaper.

If you want to see how I made this Khatta Meetha Dhokla Recipe, then head over to video recipe by clicking this link:

https://www.youtube.com/v/BY8qK6zPIWg?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata

Click “Print” or “PDF” button below if you want to save this recipe! 

Gujarati Kadhi Recipe: Khatti Meethi Kadhi Recipe

Gujarati Kadhi Recipe: Khatti Meethi Kadhi Recipe 

One recipe that you will frequently find in any Gujarati household is ‘Kadhi Khichdi’. At my home, I atleast make this ‘Khatti Meethi Kadhi’ once a week. It is a perfect accompaniment to ‘Khichdi’, be it of any kind. Sometimes, when I am in doubt about my lunch menu, I quickly make this ‘Gujarati Kadhi’ to accompany ‘Plain or Jeera Rice’ or even a simple ‘Pulav’. Being a Gujarati origin Kadhi, it has a perfect balance of sweetness from sugar & sour or tangy taste from curd.  Again, true to our Motto at TGS it is a quick to make recipe & you will probably find all the ingredients in your pantry!

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You will need:

½ Cup Sour Curd (you can use fresh curd if you don’t have 2-3 days old curd)

4 Cups Water

3 Tbsp Gram Flour/Besan

Salt to taste

2 Tbsp Oil

1 Tsp Mustard Seeds / Rai

½ Tsp Cumin Seeds / Jeera

1 Inch Piece of Cinnamon / Dalchini

3-4 Cloves / Laung / Laving

8-10 Curry Leaves

¼ Tsp Asafoetida / Hing

2 Tsp Green Chilli & Ginger Paste

3 Tbsp Sugar (or as per your taste)

2 Tbsp Chopped Coriander Leaves

Serving: 4 – 5 persons

Steps to Make Gujarati Khatti Meethi Kadhi:

1.       In a deep vessel, add curd, whisk it well making sure there no lumps.

2.       Next add in Gram Flour/Besan & mix again.

3.       Add water & mix. If you think there are small lumps then strain the mixture at this point once.

4.       Season the mixture with some salt & keep it aside for a while.

5.       In a separate sauce pan, heat oil & add mustard seeds/rai. Allow it to crackle.

6.       Add cumin seeds/jeera followed by cinnamon/dalchini, cloves/laving, curry leaves, asafoetida/hing.

7.       Turn off the gas immediately & let this mixture cool for about 2 minutes.

8.       After 2 minutes, add the curd mixture to the sauce pan.

9.       Bring it to a boil & keep on stirring it continuously.

10.   Now add green chilli & ginger paste and cook it for 2-3 minutes on medium to high flame, stirring it continuously.

11.   Add in sugar to add some sweetness to Kadhi.

12.   Now stirring it occasionally, let it cook on medium to low flame for about 4-5 minutes. You will see it to start thickening.

13.   Check for salt & if required add more as per your taste.

14.   Turn off the gas.

15.   Add in some freshly chopped coriander leaves.

16.   Serve hot with Khichdi or Rice.

Important Pointers:

·         Adding salt in curd & water mixture will prevent it from curdling later when it is cooked.

·         Similarly, pouring curd mixture on hot tempering will curdle it, so allow it to cool for 2-3 minutes.

·         Stirring continuously after adding the curd & mixture till it comes to boil, will prevent curdling as well as sticking of the mixture on the bottom of the pan.

·         If you do not have sour curd & you are using fresh curd, then add 1 Tbsp lemon juice in the end after turning off the gas, for some tangy-ness

If you want to see how I made this Khatti Meethi Gujarati Kadhi, then head over to video recipe by clicking this link:

https://www.youtube.com/v/y_Otc0qx0Sw?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata

Click “Print” or “PDF” button below if you want to save this recipe!