Foxtail Millet Handvo (Gujarati style Millet-Lentil Cake)

 

          Handvo is a very popular and a traditional healthy Gujarati snack, which can be either had as an appetizer, tea-time snack or for breakfast. It can be cooked through various methods - by baking, steaming or pan frying. This is the latter method.

         It is typically made from a fermented batter consisting of rice and mixed lentils. However, I substituted rice with Foxtail millet. So it is a diabetic friendly recipe that can be had guilt free. Grated veggies are added to the batter to make it more healthy and wholesome. So if you are craving for some nutritious snack, then go ahead and dish out this simple protein rich delicacy by following a step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

         Millets in general are very popular these days. This wonder grain is both diabetic and heart friendly. It is a great substitute to rice and has a lot of health benefits and antioxidants. It helps in reducing blood sugar levels, has healthy carbs, dietary fiber, calcium, iron, etc. So do try this amazing and wholesome millet recipe and introduce something new to your dear ones. 

          Easy, hassle free and simple to prepare, it is ideal as a tea-time snack, appetizer, brunch or breakfast. They can also be relished as an after-school snack or as a lunch box meal. This recipe can be considered as a wholesome meal. You can serve as it is or with mint chutney.

• 1/2 cup foxtail millet
• 1/4 cup chana dal (Bengal gram lentil)
• 2 tbsp. tuvar dal (Pigeon pea lentil)
• 1 tbsp. urad dal (split black lentil)
• 1 tsp ginger, grated
• 1-2 green chilies, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp. fresh grated coconut
• 1/2 cup bottle gourd, grated
• 1/2 cup cucumber, grated
• 1/3 cup green peas
• 2-3 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp, turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. cumin-coriander powder

Tempering - 

• 1 tbsp. oi
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 tsp. sesame seeds
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 sprig curry leaves

          Wash the millet and the lentils well and soak for 5-6 hours Grind to a smooth paste and leave it to ferment overnight, Add rest of the ingredients to the batter and mix well. 

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, sesame seeds and asafoetida. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Pour the batter and cook, covered, on a low flame for 4-5 minutes or till the top layer turns dry. 

           Flip it over carefully and cook the other side too, till well browned. Transfer to a serving plate.

          Cut as desired and serve with mint chutney as an appetizer, for a tea-time snack, brunch or breakfast. They can also be relished as an after-school snack or as a lunch box meal.

                                 Take Foxtail millet & all the lentils.

                                  Wash well & soak for 5-6 hours.

                                  Grind to a smooth paste.

                                  Ferment overnight.

                      Add grated veggies, coconut, ginger, green chilies, green peas & coriander 

                      leaves.

                                  Combine everything well. 

                                   Then add all the dry spices.

                                  Give it a stir so that everything is well mixed.

                      Heat oil & temper with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, sesame 

                      seeds and asafoetida. Sauté for a few seconds. 

                                Pour the batter.

                     Cook, covered, on a low flame for 4-5 minutes or till the top layer turns dry. 

                           Flip it over carefully & cook the other side too, till well browned. 

                       Cut as desired & serve with mint chutney as an appetizer, for a tea-time                                             snack, brunch or breakfast. 

                   They can also be relished as an after-school snack or as a lunch box meal.

Pan Fried Mixed Lentil Handvo

 

           Handvo is a traditional Gujarati snack that can be had as an appetizer, tea-time snack or for breakfast. It can be cooked through various methods - by baking, steaming or pan frying. It is generally cooked with a rice-lentil combo with various grated veggies added to it. However, I skipped rice and made with mixed lentils along with some cabbage and cucumber. So it is diabetic friendly recipe that can be had guilt free. 

          In this recipe, the Handvo is first steamed and then pan fried with little oil. So if you are craving for some healthy and nutritious snack, go ahead and dish out this simple delicacy. 

• 1/2 cup mixed lentils
• 1/2 cup grated cucumber
• 1/2 cup finely sliced cabbage
• 2-3 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 1-2 green chilies, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• 2-3 tbsp. fresh grated coconut 
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. roasted coriander-cumin powder
• juice of 1/2 lime

Tempering - 

• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds 
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida

           Soak the the lentils overnight. Grind to a slightly coarse paste. Add rest of the ingredients and mix well. 

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds, cumin seeds and asafoetida. Sauté for a few seconds. Pour this tempering over the batter and mix well.

          Transfer the batter to a greased container and steam for 20 minutes. When cool, cut as desired and keep aside. 

          Heat remaining oil in a pan and fry them till light brown. Drain on a kitchen towel and serve as an appetizer with green chutney. 

          They can also be relished as a tea time snack, after-school snack or as a lunch box meal.

Baked Handvo - Healthy Gujarati Snack

           Handvo is a traditional Gujarati snack that can be had as an appetizer with green chutney, tea-time snack or for breakfast. It can be cooked through various methods - by baking, steaming or pan frying. So this is the former method. It is generally cooked with a rice-lentil combo with various grated veggies added to it. 

            In this particular recipe I added grated green papaya, cucumber and beetroot. So if you are craving for some healthy and nutritious snack, go ahead and dish out this simple delicacy by following a step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

• 3/4 cup rice
• 1/3 cup chana dal
• 2 tbsp. tuvar dal
• 2 tbsp. masoor dal
• 2 tbsp. urad dal
• 1/2 tsp. fenugreek seeds
• 1/2 cup grated beetroot
• 1/2 cup grated cucumber
• 1/2 cup grated green papaya
• handful of coriander leaves, chopped
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• 2-3 tbsp. fresh grated coconut 
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. cumin powder
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• juice of 1/2 lime

Tempering - 

• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds 
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 tsp. sesame seeds
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 dry red chili 
• 1 tbsp. fresh grated coconut to garnish 
• 1 tbsp. chopped coriander leaves to garnish 

          Soak the rice, fenugreek seeds and the lentils overnight. Grind to a slightly coarse paste. Add rest of the ingredients and mix well. 

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with the dry red chilies, mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Saute for a few seconds. 

           Add the curry leaves, asafoetida and sesame seeds. Saute for a few seconds more. Pour this tempering to the prepared batter and mix well.

          Transfer the batter to a greased loaf tin and bake for 30-35 minutes at 180 degrees C. Set aside to cool and them flip it over on a serving plate

           Garnish with grated coconut and coriander leaves. Slice as desired and serve with mint chutney for a tea-time snack, appetizer, brunch or breakfast. They can also be relished as an after-school snack or as a lunch box meal. 

                                  Soak rice, fenugreek seeds & lentils overnight. Grind to
                                  a slightly coarse paste.

                                         Add rest of the ingredients and mix well. 

                                 Heat oil & temper with dry red chilies, mustard seeds &
                                 cumin seeds. Sauté few seconds. Add curry leaves, asafoetida 
                                 and sesame seeds. Sauté for a few seconds more. 

                                          Pour this tempering over the batter & mix well.

                                  Transfer batter to a greased loaf tin & bake for 30-35
                                   minutes at 180 degrees C.  

                      Garnish with grated coconut & coriander leaves. Slice & serve with 
                      mint chutney for a tea-time snack, appetizer, brunch or breakfast. 
                      It can also be relished as after-school snack or as lunch box meal. 

Handvo (Gujarati Snack)

           Handvo is a traditional Gujarati snack that can be had as an appetizer, tea-time snack or for breakfast. It can be cooked through various methods - by baking, steaming or pan frying. So this is the latter method. 

          It is generally cooked with a rice-lentil combo with various grated veggies added to it. So if you are craving for some healthy and nutritious snack, go ahead and dish out this simple delicacy by following a step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

• 3/4 cup rice
• 1/3 cup chana dal
• 2 tbsp. tuvar dal
• 2 tbsp. masoor dal
• 2 tbsp. urad dal
• 1/2 tsp. fenugreek seeds
• 1/2 cup grated beetroot
• 1/2 cup grated cucumber
• 1/2 cup grated green papaya
• handful of coriander leaves, chopped
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• 2-3 tbsp. fresh grated coconut 
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. cumin powder
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• juice of 1/2 lime

Tempering - 

• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds 
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 tsp. sesame seeds
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 dry red chili 
• 1 tbsp. fresh grated coconut to garnish 
• 1 tbsp. chopped coriander leaves to garnish 

          Soak the rice, fenugreek seeds and the lentils overnight. Grind to a slightly coarse paste. Add rest of the ingredients and mix well. 

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with the dry red chilies, mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Saute for a few seconds. 

           Add the curry leaves, asafoetida and sesame seeds. Sauté for a few seconds more. Pour 2-3 ladleful of the batter and cook, covered on a low flame for 3-4 minutes or till it is nicely browned.

           Flip it over and cook the other side too till done. Transfer to a serving plate. Garnish with grated coconut and coriander leaves. 

          Cut as desired and serve with mint chutney for a tea-time snack, appetizer, brunch or breakfast. They can also be relished as an after-school snack or as a lunch box meal.

                             Soak rice, fenugreek seeds & the lentils overnight. Grind to a
                             slightly coarse paste. 

                                         Add rest of the ingredients and mix well. 

                                 Heat oil & temper with the dry red chilies, mustard seeds
                                 & cumin seeds. Sauté few seconds. Add curry leaves, asafoetida
                                 & sesame seeds. Sauté for few seconds more. 

                                      Pour 2-3 ladleful of batter & cook, covered on a low
                                      flame for 3-4  minutes or till it is nicely browned.

                                           Flip it over & cook the other side too till done. 

                    Cut into desired shapes & serve with mint chutney for a tea-time snack, 
                     appetizer, brunch, breakfast or as and when desired.