Ingredients:

• 2 cups – handvo flour (or cornmeal, as a second option)
• 1/2 cup – Bottle Gourd or Zucchini
• 3 tsp – shredded Carrot
• 1/4 cup – Fenugreek leaves
• 1/4 cup – Spinach leaves (optional)
• 2 – green chillies, finely chopped
• 4 to 5 – Garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp – Ginger paste
• 3 cups – buttermilk (or yogurt mixed with water)
• 1 tsp – soda bi carb (fruit salt)
• increase it by 1/2 tsp if you don’t feel its frothy enough
• 1 tsp – each urad and Channa dal
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp – Lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp – Sugar (optional)
• For Tempering:
• 1 tsp – Mustard Seeds
• 2 tsp – sesame seeds
• 2 tbsp – oil

Method:

1. Take buttermilk in a large vessel.
2. Add salt, bi-carbonate of soda and flour and mix well.
3. As the mixture begins to froth, cover and set aside for 6-7 hours for fermentation.
4. Grate the bottle-gourd or zucchini and squeeze out all excess water.
5. Do this after the fermentation is done, as leaving bottle-gourd in air oxidizes it and makes it turn brown.
6. Now add all the vegetables, bottle-gourd, spices and green chillies to the flour mixture.
7. Heat oil in a pan, add urad and channa dals, and the mustard seeds.
8. Allow to splutter, then pour half of it into the batter and mix thoroughly.
9. Pour the mixture into a steel or aluminium container.
10. Place in a steam cooker and cook like idlis, for about 25-30 mins, then check to make sure it’s cooked through.
11. Remove from flame and keep it covered for another 7-10 mins.
12. Once cooled, you can slice it into wedges.

Recipe courtesy of Mansi Desai