Crispy, sesame-studded Gujarati savory cupcakes made from fermented rice-lentil batter packed with grated vegetables. Naturally vegan and gluten-free — perfect for lunchboxes, tea-time, and make-ahead snacking.
Equipment
- 12-cup muffin tin
- Blender or wet grinder
Ingredients
For the Handva Batter
- 1 cup raw rice any short or medium grain
- ½ cup chana dal split chickpea lentils
- ¼ cup urad dal split black lentil, without skin
- ½ cup plain yogurt use coconut yogurt to keep it vegan
- 1 cup warm water for blending
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon green chili paste adjust to taste
For the Vegetables
- 1½ cups grated bottle gourd lauki / dudhi; excess water squeezed out
- ¼ cup grated carrot
- 2 tablespoons fresh coriander leaves finely chopped
For the Tempering
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon carom seeds ajwain
- 8 to 10 curry leaves
- A pinch of asafoetida (hing)
Instructions
Soak and Ferment the Batter
- Rinse the rice and both dals. Soak together in plenty of cold water for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Drain and blend with yogurt and warm water to a thick, slightly grainy batter. Transfer to a large bowl, cover, and leave at room temperature for 8 hours or overnight. The batter should smell slightly tangy with a few bubbles.
- No-ferment shortcut: add ½ teaspoon baking soda and 1 teaspoon lemon juice to fresh-blended batter and use immediately.
Prep the Vegetables
- Grate the bottle gourd and squeeze it firmly through a clean kitchen cloth until as dry as possible.
- Fold the bottle gourd, carrot, and coriander into the fermented batter along with salt, sugar, turmeric, ginger paste, and chili paste.
Make the Tempering
- Heat oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and wait for them to pop.
- Add sesame seeds, ajwain, and curry leaves — they will sizzle immediately. Add asafoetida.
- Pour the entire tempering into the batter and fold through quickly.
Bake
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Brush a 12-cup muffin tin generously with oil.
- Spoon batter into each cup, filling about two-thirds full.
- Bake for 22 to 25 minutes until tops are golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool in the tin for 5 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges and lift out gently.
Notes
- Squeeze the lauki well — this is the most important step. A wet vegetable makes the batter loose and the cupcakes dense. Wring it out like a wet cloth.
- Do not skip the sesame seeds. They create the signature crispy crust that makes handva handva.
- Veggie swaps: shredded zucchini, raw banana, or chopped fresh methi (fenugreek leaves) all work. Squeeze any high-water vegetable before adding.
- Make ahead: bake fully, cool, and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in an air fryer at 350°F for 4 to 5 minutes or oven at 375°F for 8 to 10 minutes for a crispy result. Microwave makes them soft.
- Freeze: cool completely, freeze on a tray first, then bag. Keeps for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen in an oven or air fryer — no thawing needed.
Storage: room temperature 1 day, refrigerator up to 3 days, freezer up to 2 months. - For gluten-free: use certified GF asafoetida (hing) — many commercial brands contain wheat flour.
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