Handwa (phalahari)

• Servings: 3-4
• Preparation time: 5 minutes.
• Fermentation time: 6-7 hours.
• Cooking time: 10 minutes.
• Total time: 15 minutes.

The pooja of ‘Devi Kushmanda’ is going on the fourth day of navratri in Durga pooja. This is very important day. This day’s pooja improves one’s health and strength.

This “Handwa (phalahari)” is delicacy prepared especially during fasting days like Navratri, Ekadashi, or other vrat occasions.

Traditionally a popular Gujarati dish, Handwa is a spiced, lightly baked cake made from lentils and rice, but in its phalahari version, grains and pulses are avoided, making it vrat-friendly. Instead, ingredients like Samba rice, singhara or rajgira flour, and curd are used to create a soft, fluffy texture with a mild tangy flavor.

Tempered with cumin, green chilies, and curry leaves allowed in fasting, this dish is both nourishing and easy to digest. Phalahari Handwa offers a wholesome balance of taste, tradition, and nutrition, making it a delightful addition to fasting meals.

Jai Mata Di…

Ingredients:

For batter:

• Samba rice flour: 1 cup
• Sabudana flour/sago ka Aata (tapioca pearl flour): ½ cup
• Curd/yogurt: 2 tablespoon
• Bottle gourd:  50 gm. (grated)
• Peanut: 50 gm. (roughly grind)
• Ginger paste: 2” piece
• Green chilli paste: 2 no.
• Sugar: 1 teaspoon
• Sendha namak (Rock Salt): 1 teaspoon

For seasoning:

1. Curry leaves: 8-10 no.
2. Cumin: ½ teaspoon
3. Ghee (clarified butter): 2 tablespoon
4. Roasted and crushed peanut: 2 tablespoon

Preparation:

1. Take mixing bowl, put Samba rice flour along with Sabudana flour, Curd, Bottle gourd, Peanut, Ginger , Sendha namak , Curry leaves , Sugar  and Green chilli, make batter with water. Keep this batter in warm place for fermentation.

Method (Seasoning):

1. Take a nonstick fry pan, heat ghee; add cumin and peanut, when they sputter, pour the batter on it, cook it on low flame till it get solidified (about 6-7 minutes), put some more ghee and flip off the side of  solidified (Handwa), cook till become light brown on both sides,  put off the flame.
2. Transfer this into serving plate. Cut it into 4-6 part and serve hot with Date-Tamarind Chutney or Peanut Chutney.

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

Handwa (phalahari) by Nag Ratna Sahu is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.