Khaman Dhokla

Khaman Dhokla is a very popular sweet and tangy Gujarati snack which is popular through out India.One can easily find it at any sweet shop and is widely in demand and is savored equally by all age groups.It is made from chickpea flour (besan),some spices and some leavening agents added to it which are responsible for giving it a nice soft and spongy texture just like a cake.In a nutshell it is a steamed savory cake made from chickpea flour.Khaman dhokla and dhokla are sometimes mistaken for each other ,but khaman is an instant version made from chickpea flour while dhokla is prepared by fermenting the batter of chickpeas and rice in a certain proportion with some spices added to it and then followed by steaming and tempering .It is dry therefore chutney is must along with it while serving unlike khaman dhokla which is moist and juicy.Khaman dhokla can be easily prepared at home and does not require too much of an expertise.However the dish being so simple,sometimes many of us fail to get the right texture.The recipe that I am going to share is almost fail proof if it is followed properly and I too have succeeded in getting through after so many failed attempts.Many people use Eno fruit salt as a leavening agent and I too have used it, but I have by far got the best results using combination of citric acid and baking soda.There are only few simple tricks involved in churning out a perfect dhokla which I have tried to explain in the recipe section as well as in the tips and tweak section.So hoping that you all like it …..lets move to the recipe of a perfect khaman dhokla but before that have a quick look at ……Some more in vegetarian snacks and appetizers.

• Moong daal Vada( Fritters/Cutlets made from Split Green Gram Daal with Skin)
• Safed Matar ki tikki(Shallow Fried dry Yellow peas Patties)
• Spinach & Cheese rolls
• Samosa Pinwheels
• Spicy & Crispy Colocasia Leaf Pinwheels(Patode)
• Black Chickpea Falafel
• Jack Fruit Fritters(katahal ke pakore)
• Spinach & Cheese stuffed Mushrooms
• Tantalizing Dahi Vadas
• Aloo Tikki Chaat

Recipe

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

For the Dhokla sponge

• 1 cup besan (chick pea flour)
• 1 tbsp suji (semolina) optional
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp citric acid
• 1/2 tsp or little less baking soda
• A pinch of turmeric powder or yellow color (optional)
• 1 tsp minced ginger and green chilies (optional)

For the tempering

• 1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
• Few curry leaves
• 5-6 green chilies slit
• 1-2 tbsp sugar(as per taste)
• Lemon juice( as per taste)
• 1 tbsp oil
• 2 cups water approximately
• Fresh grated coconut and chopped green coriander for garnishing

Method:

Making the Dhokla

• In a mixing bowl sift besan to remove any lumps.
• Mix in cirtic acid,salt,powdered sugar,semolina,green chilies and ginger paste or mince and turmeric or yellow color which is optional.Turmeric reacts with baking soda to give red color hence use very little quantity and ensure even mixing or you can skip.It does not affect the color of dhokla much.
• Add water little by little while mixing with a whisk or a spoon and prepare a pouring batter consistency.Whisk the batter in one direction for 10 minutes to incorporate the air into it.The color of the batter will also become slightly lighter.(This is an important step).
• Keep the batter to rest while you ready your steamer and grease the container in which you want to steam the batter.
• Now add oil into the batter and whisk again.Check the consistency of the batter.It should not be thick otherwise add some more water to make it of pouring consistency.
• Add baking soda just before steaming.Whisk it again for about a minute to uniformly mix in the soda.While mixing you will find the batter becoming frothy and its volume will increase.Immediately pour the batter in the container and steam for about 15-20 minutes .
• Insert the knife or a toothpick at the center of the dhokla.If it comes out clean ,the dhokla is ready.Let it rest for sometime before you take out on a serving dish.
• Cut it into squares running the knife vertically.
  

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Preparing the tempering

• Heat oil in a pan.Crackle the mustard seeds,asafoetida and add curry leaves and green chilies.Fry a bit and add water.Mix in the sugar and boil the syrup.Switch off the flame and squeeze in lime juice.Adjust the khatta meetha (sweet and tangy) taste as per your liking.
  

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How to serve

• Pour the tempering syrup over the dhokla.Let dhokla soak the syrup nicely.Serve garnished with chopped coriander and grated coconut(optional).

Tips & Tweaks:

• Whisking the batter is very important step so do not skip.This results in  incorporation of air into the batter and it also hydrates the proteins resulting in a stronger structure to the batter capable of holding air /carbon dioxide bubbles resulting in spongy texture.
• Do not rest the batter after adding baking soda so the steamer should be ready to steam.
• While adding syrup along with tempering over the dhokla,make sure that the syrup and the dhokla both should be warm and not hot.
• Always allow some time to soak the syrup or else the dhokla will not taste good.
• Dhokla can be prepared well in advance before serving.
• You can serve dhokla along with the chutney also but green chilies in tempering are must.
• Anything decorated looks beautiful,so do not miss out on garnishing however it is optional.

So by the time I am back again……………………………Enjoy this Sweet & Sour snack……………..

Till then……………………Happy Cooking & Eating!!!