Everybody loves this sweet n sour spongy delight. Thanks to the Gujarathis for this delicious food item. Until you get the recipe right it is a real challenge to make dhokla. Time: 25 mins Makes: 15-16 pieces * tsp-teaspoon, tbsp-tablespoon Ingredients 1. 1 cup (100g) Chickpea flour (Besan) 2. 1 cup water. 3. 2 tsp fine semolina (Baarik rava) 4. ¼ tsp turmeric powder (Haldi) 5. Green chilli paste to taste (paste of 2-3 green chillies) 6. 1/3 tsp ginger paste 7. Salt to taste 8. 3 tsp sugar 9. ½ tsp citric acid crystals (or lemon juice) 10. 1 sachet of regular ENO fruit salt 11. 2 tbsp oil. Seasoning 1. 2 tbsp oil 2. ½ tsp mustard seeds 3. ½ tsp cumin seeds 4. 4-5 curry leaves 5. 2 lengthwise slit green chillies 6. a pinch of asafoetida 7. 2 tsp finely chopped coriander leaves 8. 1 tbsp grated fresh coconut(optional) 9. 2 tsp water. Method 1. Mix all the ingredients except fruit salt and prepare a lump free batter. 2. Place a cooker with 3 cups of water on a stove or heater. Keep the flame low and let the water boil. 3. Grease dhokla plates (Dhokla stand/ tatte idli stand in Kannada) or use any flat-bottomed shallow vessel (cooker plate) and grease it. 4. Now open the fruit salt sachet and pour the contents (5g) into the prepared batter. Mix quickly and thoroughly. 5. Quantity doubles up. 6. Pour this batter into the greased vessel. (There is no need to close the vessel with a plate) or into the Dhokla plates, arrange them in the stand and place inside the cooker. 7. Close the lid of the cooker and steam on high heat without whistle for 15-17 minutes. Switch off the flame. 8. When dhokla is fully cooked do a knife test. (A knife inserted into the dhokla comes out clean if the cooking is complete if not, cook for 3-4 more minutes) 9. Let dhokla stay for 5 more minutes in the cooker. 10. Remove the vessel and cut the whole dhokla into square or diamond shaped pieces. 11. Heat oil for seasoning. Crackle mustard and cumin seeds. Add other ingredients and fry for a minute. 12. Switch off the flame. Add 2 tsp water to the seasoning. 13. Pour this seasoning evenly over dhokla and allow the water to be absorbed. 14. After 2-3 minutes carefully lift dhokla pieces and arrange on a serving plate. 15. Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves and scraped coconut over dhokla. Serve with green chutney. Note 1. Semolina helps to hold the structure of dhokla. 2. Don’t reduce oil content. Since dhokla is made of besan it tends to choke you. Oil and water added to seasoning help to maintain moisture and help the easy passage of dhokla through the throat. 3. Fruit salt has to be fresh and it has to be mixed well otherwise brown spots will form on dhokla. 4. Although lemon juice works as a substitute, citric acid crystals give the right punch. 5. I have mentioned coconut as optional as coconut tends to spoil quickly in summer months. 6. If the thickness of the batter you are pouring into the dhokla plates is just about a cm or less, 10-12 minutes steaming would be sufficient. In case you pour the batter into the vessel thickly, i.e, more than 1 ½ cm thickness, then you will have to steam for 18-19 minutes and ensure to do the knife test before taking the vessel out. Upon steaming, dhokla’s thickness increases. 7. Dhokla is always served at room temperature or slightly cooler. 8. Serve with tea or any cold beverage. Green Chutney Ingredients 1 cup-Chopped coriander leaves 3-4 green chillies Salt to taste Lemon juice to taste (optional) Water To thicken the chutney, you may add the broken pieces or scraps of dhokla Method Grind everything together into a smooth paste.
That Dhokla looks so soft and spongy! I tried making it once and it was a bit of a disaster . Should give your recipe a try.
@Sandycandy , 1. Take care of the water to besan proportion(1:1) 2. The steaming time is very important 3. . Don't make it very thick.Structure tends to collapse.
