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.


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


1/2 cup curd
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
1/2 tsp sugar
2 tsp baking soda or eno
1/4 TSP hing (asafoetida)
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. With curd grind in batches to make smooth paste.

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

5. After 10 hours.  Divide batter in 2 parts.









6. Take grated vegetables. 

7. Add in one part of batter, vegetables,salt, turmeric, hing, 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.

PIZZA SANDWICH

This post is inspired by my cheese french toast post, where in I gave a different and yummy twist to french toast. 

Many followers wrote in to post non-egg version. So here I am with no-egg version of pizza sandwich.

This is one of the simplest and quickest lunch box recipe for your kids school. It took me just 10 minutes to prepare it and the best part is kids come home happily with their smile on face.

Do try..... it's simply awesome recipe . In case you don't want to add more cheese, either use half of cheese slice or you can make it without cheese slice also, I will recommend to use at least half of slice for mesmerizing taste.


INGREDIENTS 
1 medium sized chopped onion
1 medium sized chopped tomato
1 medium sized chopped capsicum


1/4 cup boiled corn
1/2 cup grated cheese (I used processed cheese)
4-5 cheese slices
1/2 cup pizza sauce
1 tsp oregano or mixed herbs
salt to taste
8-10 bread slices
softened butter for toasting bread

METHOD
Mix together all the vegetables. Add grated cheese, oregano and mix.

Trim the edges of the bread slices. Spread pizza sauce.


Keep generous amount of vegetable. Keep one or half cheese slice.

Cover with another bread slice.

Spread butter on one side of bread and toast on pan or tawa till crisp and brown.

Before flipping spread butter on top slice. Flip and toast on other side too.

Slice and serve in breakfast. I like to pack in kids lunch box.

Pictorial:




 1. Mix all the chopped vegetable, add oregano, salt and cheese.









2. Trim the edges of bread, spread pizza sauce. Keep vegetables. 

3. Spread butter on bread and toast from both the sides.

 4. Slice and serve.

5. Cheese sandwich is ready to go in tummy. 

6. My kids enjoy in their school.

HOMEMADE PANEER / SUPER SOFT FRESH PANEER

Store bought paneer is a big NO these days due to adulteration, and preservatives being added to increase it's shelf life. 

There is nothing like fresh homemade Paneer.

This recipe is very very simple, quick to make which will result in  no fail soft homemade paneer. 

Only make sure to use ice-cold water and before wrapping it under heavy weight make sure that the paneer is not hot. It should be cold or at room temperature before setting. That's it and you will have super soft paneer. 

I recommend to use whole fat milk, in case it's not available, add 200ml fresh cream (Amul cream) before boiling it and continue with the same steps.

I used citric acid for best result, you can use vinegar or lemon juice. 


INGREDIENTS 
2 litre whole fat milk

1 tsp citric acid or vinegar or lemon juice
1/3 cup water
1- 1 1.5 litre cold water

METHOD
Take 1/3 cup water and dissolve citric acid in it. Just add in water and keep aside for 20-25 minutes, if any granules are settled down, mix with spoon.

Bring milk to boil, reduce the flame to low and then simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the flame.

Add 1/2 cup of ice-cold water to it, to bring the milk temperature down. Mix well. After 30 seconds add citric acid water in 3-4 batches mixing in between.

Once milk curdle and whey separates immediately add ice-cold water in it (around 500ml). Here it's very important to cool down paneer.

Strain in muslin cloth, wash with ice-cold water and squeeze out the water.

Before wrapping in cloth make sure paneer is not at all hot, else it will be hard.

Now keep this cloth in perforated bowl or plate and keep heavy weight over it, enough weight that can squeeze out the water and can help in holding the shape. I used chakla (rolling board) which is made of marble and is very heavy. Underneath keep a pan which can collect the water.

Keep this aside for 45 minutes to 1 hour hours.

Remove the cloth and enjoy this super soft malai homemade paneer.

Pictorial:

  








1. Bring milk to boil, turn off the flame, add 1/2 cup ice cold water and wait for 30 seconds. 

 
2. Now add citric acid dissolved water little by little and keep mixing.

 
3. Once the milk is completely curdled.

 
4. Immediately add ice-cold water around 500ml.

5. Wash with ice-cold water.

6. Wrap it.










7. Turn it.










8. Keep a dish under perforated plate/bowl and keep heavy weight over paneer.

9. After 1 hour.

10. A perfect super soft homemade paneer.

11. Slice and use.

12. Some cubes.

13. Some more.

14. Closer look of soft homemade paneer.


 Some Valuable Feedback: 
1.

 2.

EGG-LES SUJI COCONUT CAKE / SEMOLINA COCONUT CAKE / RAWA COCONUT CAKE / RAVA COCONUT CAKE

Coconut suji cake is a very healthy and easy to make. This is an absolute treat for coconut lovers.  I like to pack this in kids school lunch box, you can serve with hot glass of milk.

I recommend to use oil than butter as it will keep the cake moist and soft. 

Make sure to set the batter aside for minimum 20 minutes so that suji can swell.

Frosting is optional I did it on kids demand and garnished with pistachios and coconut powder.

Do try this healthy cake and share your valuable feedback in comments section.



INGREDIENTS 
1 cup suji / rawa/ semolina
1 cup whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour
1 cup coconut powder / desiccated coconut

1 cup oil (I used canola oil)
1 cup thick curd or yogurt
1 cup milk
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
2 tsp baking powder

For Frosting: 
1/2 cup whipped or heavy cream

METHOD
1. Mix together suji, flour, cardamom, coconut.

2. In a bowl, whisk curd and keep aside.

3. In other bowl, beat together sugar and oil. Add whisked curd and mix well.

4. Add flour mix. Fold.

5. Add milk. Keep batter aside for 20-30 minutes.

6. Just before pouring batter in cake tin add baking powder. Mix well. Take a taste test, if your find sugar less add 1-2 tbsp more.

7. Bake at 190-200�C for 30-35 minutes or till skewer comes out to be clean. Mine was done in 35 minutes, so check after 30 minutes.

8. Let it cool down completely.

9.  For frosting, whip cream till soft peaks are formed. Spread a layer on top, garnish with almonds and pistachios.

10. Frosting is completely optional. You can serve without that also it tastes really good.


Pictorial:

1. Mix together suji, coconut, flour. Keep aside.

2. Whisk curd till smooth, keep aside.

3. Beat together oil and sugar.

4. Add whisked curd.

5. Beat again.

6. Add in flour mix.

7. Mix well.

8. Add milk.

9. Mix. Keep the batter aside for 20-30 minutes. Just before pouring in cake tin add baking powder and mix well.

10. Pour in greased or lined cake tin.

11. Bake at 190�C for 35-40 minutes.

12. Turn upside down.

13. Slice and pack in kids school lunch box.

14. Or frost with heavy cream and garnish with pista, almonds and coconut powder.\


 Success Story:
Cake tried by Nidhi Kumar and her valuable feedback.

Sujata Rani too tried and shared her valuable feedback.