Oats Handvo

Ingredients

• 1 cup (90 g) rolled oats, ground to a coarse powder
• ¼ cup (23 g) besan (gram flour)
• 2 tbsp (21 g) fine semolina (rava)
• ½ cup (122 g) sour curd, whisked
• 1 cup (150 g) grated bottle gourd (lauki), lightly squeezed
• 1 small carrot (50 g), grated
• ¼ cup (35 g) sweet corn kernels or green peas
• 1 tsp (5 g) grated ginger
• 2 green chillies (10 g), minced
• ½ tsp turmeric, ½ tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp (4 g) sugar
• 1 tsp (5 ml) lemon juice
• Salt, to taste (about 1 tsp)
• 2 to 4 tbsp (30 to 60 ml) water, to adjust
• ¾ tsp (3 g) baking soda, or 1 tsp Eno fruit salt
• For the tadka: 2 tbsp (28 ml) oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds, ½ tsp cumin seeds, a pinch of hing
• 1 tbsp (9 g) white sesame seeds
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

Method

1. 1In a large bowl, mix the ground oats, besan, semolina, curd, bottle gourd, carrot, corn, ginger, green chillies, turmeric, chilli powder, sugar, lemon juice, salt and coriander.
2. 2Add water a spoon at a time until you have a thick batter that drops heavily from a spoon, like a cake batter. Cover and rest 20 minutes so the oats and rava soften.
3. 3Set a heavy 20 to 22 cm non-stick or cast-iron pan with a lid on low-medium heat and add 1½ tbsp of the oil. Add mustard seeds; when they pop, add cumin, hing, half the sesame seeds and the curry leaves.
4. 4Quickly stir the baking soda into the batter with 1 tsp water. It will turn lighter and slightly foamy. Pour it straight over the tadka and spread it level, about 1.5 cm deep; it rises as it cooks.
5. 5Sprinkle the remaining sesame seeds on top. Cover and cook on low heat for 15 to 18 minutes until the top looks set and the base is deep golden and crisp at the edges.
6. 6Slide the handvo onto a plate, add the remaining oil to the pan, and flip it back in, cooked side up. Cook uncovered 8 to 10 minutes until the second side is golden and a skewer in the centre comes out clean.
7. 7Rest 10 minutes before cutting into wedges. Serve warm.