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Savory baked squares of cream of wheat, gram flour, cabbage and carrots, finished with a hot mustard-cumin-sesame tempering before baking.

Gastronomy

Endvo Savory Squares

Endvo is built in layers even though it bakes as one pan.

There is a grain-and-vegetable batter, then a separate hot spice tempering, then baking in two temperature stages.

Ingredients

Makes 16–24 squares

For the batter:

  • 2 cups cream of wheat
  • 3/4 cup gram flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • chili powder to taste
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric
  • 2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 1/2 tsp fresh green chili, finely chopped, optional
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 3 1/2 cups cabbage, grated
  • 2 cups carrots, grated
  • 2 tsp curry leaves, chopped
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 tsp baking powder

For the tempering:

  • 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 2 tsp sesame seeds
  • 2 tsp curry leaves, chopped
  • 3 dried red chilies
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds, for the top

Method

Preheat the oven to 400°F / 200°C and lightly oil a 12-inch oblong baking pan.

Combine the batter ingredients except baking powder. Stir in buttermilk and water until loose, adding more water if needed.

Heat the oil in a small frying pan. Add the dried chilies and cook until very dark. Add the remaining tempering spices. When the seeds begin to pop, pour the tempering into the batter.

Mix well, then stir in the baking powder.

Pour into the prepared pan, sprinkle sesame seeds over the top, and bake 20 minutes. Reduce the oven to 350°F / 180°C and bake about 50 minutes more, until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.

The tempering goes into the batter

The hot oil carries the mustard, cumin, sesame and curry-leaf aroma through the entire bake.

Two oven temperatures do different work

The hotter start helps set the structure; the lower second stage finishes the interior more gently.

The squares are the result of batter, tempering and baking rhythm working together.

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