Handvo

You'll need

• 1 cup rice, soaked 4 hours
• 1/2 cup mixed lentils (chana, toor, urad), soaked 4 hours
• 1 cup grated bottle gourd or mixed vegetables
• 1/2 cup curd
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp ginger-chilli paste
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• A sprig curry leaves
• 1 tsp oil
• Salt, to taste

Method

1. Blend the soaked rice and lentils with the curd to a thick, slightly coarse batter, and let it ferment 4 to 6 hours.
2. Stir in the grated vegetables, turmeric, ginger-chilli paste and salt.
3. Temper the mustard seeds and curry leaves in oil, and pour half into the batter, reserving the rest for the top.
4. Pour into a greased baking dish, top with the remaining tempering, and bake at 180°C for about 35 minutes, until a knife comes out clean.

Why this dish

The lentil-rice ferment is a building, protein-rich base that Pitta tolerates well, and baking rather than frying keeps the dish from turning too heavy for Kapha.