Handvo (Spicy Indian Vegetable Cake)

Savoury cakes have been a bit of a boom lately, but this dish has been around in Gujarati cuisine for a very long time. It is full of flavour and healthy too, plus it has a beautiful moist texture with a lovely crisp top to it. I've grown up eating Handvo and when I learnt the recipe for it, I was surprised as to how easy it actually is to make! It has a wonderful combination of sweet, sour and spicy that you get a hint of them all in one bite!

There is no one way of making it, but it is traditionally made using bottle gourd as the main filling. You can then add a combination of different vegetables like peas, cabbage, carrots etc. But this recipe is by far my favourite combination. It is super simple and uses easy ingredients, including ready made Handvo flour - which is basically a mix of rice and 3 types of lentils.

Handvo is typically enjoyed with chutney, pickles or even Sev (an Indian snack consisting of small pieces of crispy noodles), and usually eaten as a snack at tea time.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 large carrots - peeled

• 4 baby potatoes - peeled

• 1/2 bottle gourd - peeled

• 1 cup handvo flour

• 4 tbsp natural set yoghurt

• 1 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 tsp coriander cumin powder

• pinch of turmeric

• 1 1/4 tsp Eno (raising agent)

• 2 tbsp soft brown sugar

• 3 tbsp flavourless oil (I use rapeseed)

• 1 1/2 tbsp ginger - finely chopped

• 1 1/2 tbsp green chillies - finely chopped (lessen the quantity if you don't like it hot)

• 1/2 tbsp garlic - finely chopped

• 200ml warm water

For the tempering:

• 4 tbsp flavourless oil

• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds

• 1 tbsp sesame seeds

• 8 curry leaves

METHOD:

1. Chop up the carrots and potatoes in a food chopper and empty into a large bowl.

2. Chop the bottle gourd in a food chopper then empty into a muslin cloth and drain out the water before placing it in the bowl with the rest of the vegetables.

3. Whisk the yoghurt, salt, sugar and cumin coriander powder until mixed together.

4. Place both flours into a large mixing bowl and rub the 3 tbsp of oil into the flour using your fingertips until combined.

5. Mix in the yoghurt mixture into the flour using a large wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Next mix in the ginger, chilli and garlic followed by all of the chopped vegetables.

6. Add in the warm water bit by bit and stir until combined. The consistency should be runny. Taste the mixture and add in anything extra.

7. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees fan. Line a square tray approx 8"x 8" with greaseproof paper.

8. In a small saucepan, heat the 4 tbsp of oil. Once hot, add in the mustard seeds and cover. allow the seeds to pop on high heat. Once they've stopped popping, switch off the gas and add in the sesame seeds carefully, followed by the curry leaves. Leave to a side.

9. Add the Eno into the vegetable mixture and stir in with your hand until you start to see bubbles.

10. Pour in most of the tempering mixture, leaving a little bit of oil and seeds. Mix with a spoon/spatula. Pour the mixture into the baking tray then top with the remaining tempering mixture, pouring it over as evenly as possible.

11. Bake in the oven for 1 hour, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

12. Allow to cool completely before cutting into squares and serving.