I was wondering whether ‘Blogging Block’ or ‘Blogging Break’ camouflages the word ‘laziness’ better. We have entered 2012 and when the entire world is taking new resolutions to get more things done, I prefer to pull the blanket over my head and ask my husband to keep the milk inside the fridge and go when he leaves for work.

I tried blaming my thyroid glands for my laziness (and my bulk too). Didn’t work, thyroid is good, in fact a bit too fine. So now I have only my laziness to blame. Hubby suggested working out.

Now, the very mention of the word ‘exercise’ does to me things that’s supposed to happen after an hour of exercising – my heart beat raises, my body breaks into a sweat and I feel tired!

So this year, my friend has taken the New Year Resolution for me. A leaner, meaner me is the target. Armed with work out DVDs, we have started the exercise routine, which is telling each other every night ‘From tomorrow morning, we are going to workout’.

Ten days have gone by into 2012, but I am happy to announce that we are strictly following this routine. Now doing the actual work out, lets talk about that in 2013!

Its time for Radhika’s Blog Hop Wednesday again and this time I am paired with the talented Pradnya of  The Pumpkin Farm. Her blog is a repository of interesting recipes and I found myself picking and choosing a lot of recipes before landing on the Handvo recipe. Since it sounded interesting, I tried it out and loved the result. It tasted very similar to adai dosa that we make in the South.

Ingredients:

• Idli Rice                         :     2 cups
• Toor Dal                         :    1 cup
• Bottle gourd                 :    2 cups, peeled and  grated
• Sour Curd                      :    1 cup, beaten
• Green Chillies              :     2-3, per taste
• Ginger                             :    1 ½ inch
• Sesame Seeds               :    2 tsp (optional)
• Eno  Fruit Salt              :    1 tsp (Eno 1 packet)
• Turmeric Powder       :    1 tsp
• Salt to taste

Tempering

• White Sesame seeds   :   1 tsp
• Mustard Seeds              :   1 tsp
• Curry Leaves                 :   2 sprigs
• Asafoetida                      :  a pinch o
• Oil                                       :   1 tbsp

Method:

1. Soak the rice and dal together for 4-5 hours or overnight. Drain the water off, add the chillies and ginger to the rice. Grind to an idli batter consistency adding the sour curd.
2. Add the grated bottle gourd, salt, turmeric powder, sesame seeds and let it sit in the fridge overnight or until required.
3. Once the batter is fermented, heat a thick, flat bottomed kadai that is not very deep (I used a non stick pan with lid). Heat oil and add the mustard seeds, sesame seeds, asafoetida and curry leaves.
4. Add eno fruit salt to the batter ( I used only half the batter, since my pan was small), mix well and pour the batter in the pan. Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes.
5. Once the bottom is cooked (thick brown layer) and the top is kind of set, flip over using a wooden spoon or even take a plate, if required. This is a step that needs attention, else you will end up serving your handvo on the floor!
6. Once you have flipped it over. cover and cook for another 8-10 minutes or until its cooked.
7. Serve with coriander chutney, ketch up or curd.
8. I made some dosas too, with the rest of the batter (morning emergency!). They tasted good with chutney and sambar. This tastes very similar to our Adai Dosa.

Linked to:

• Blog Hop Wednesdays
• Let’s Cook : Rice
• Veggie/Fruit a Month, for this month’s veggie Bottle Gourd
• New You!

I have posted some Black and White photos with the theme Street Vendors here. Please check them out, if you are interested.