Zucchini Muffins (Handvo)

Nothing to munch on? Then try this recipe out! Who would ever say no to this savoury and spicy dish!

Zucchini is available almost all year round at any grocery store but mainly cultivated in summer and it has a similar texture to bottle gourd. Even though you can find zucchini all year round, the summer. Summer squash is very soft and full of vitamin A and potassium. The water content in zucchini makes your food very moist. I like to grill it with other vegetables and I found it very healthy and yummy.

My mom used to make this dish with the use of bottle gourd, mixed lentils (daal) and was really good but I found zucchini is easily available and semolina is quick solution and replacement of soaked lentils. I have made this dish couple of weeks ago. So I thought that I should share it with all of you today!

In replacement of zucchini, you can try any vegetables like potatoes, onion, that contain more water and have a soft texture.

Ingredients (serves 5-6):

2 cups semolina
1/2 cup flattened rice (poha)
1/2 cup zucchini
2 tablespoon grated onion
2 tablespoon grated potatoes
3 tablespoon  fenugreek (methi) leaves fresh or frozen
1 tablespoon ginger paste
1/2 tablespoon green chili paste (you can add more if you like to make it more spicy)
1 cup yogurt
2 1/2 cup water
2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/4  tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt or as per your taste
1 1/4 tablespoon ENO fruit salt
1/2 cup oil

Tempering:

1/4 cup sesame seeds
4-5 cloves
1 stick cinnamon


Directions:

1. Add all dry ingredients in big bowl except ENO fruit salt. Whisk well.
2. In a mixer, crush the flattened rice and add in to dry mixture.
3. In another bowl mix all wet ingredients, green chili paste, ginger paste, water, butter milk and lemon juice and whisk to incorporate well.
4. Add grated zucchini, potato, onion and fenugreek leaves and mix well, make sure no lumps are remaining.
5. Preheat oven at 350 degrees F.
6. Spray cooking oil in a 15" x 10" x 2" rectangular baking tray and dust with flour.
7. Mix wet and dry ingredients and whisk well.
8. Heat oil in separate pan on medium heat and add cinnamon stick, cloves and sesame seeds 
9. Remove oil from heat and add into above mixture and whisk properly.
10. Add ENO's fruit salt into mixture and quickly whisk so batter becomes fluffy.
11. Immediately pour this batter into baking tray
12. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top of this batter and bake for 40-45 minutes until golden brown.
13. Cool it down at room temperature and cut into pieces.

OR

You can use muffin tray and spray oil in each muffin cups and pour batter into cup upto 3/4 level. Sprinkle sesame seeds on each cups and bake them for 40-45 minutes until golden brown. 

Serve with green coriander-mint chutney.

Enjoy!

P.S.

I used muffin tray to make these zucchini muffins for easy serving.