Dhokla By Sadhana Saxena

The Gujarati snacks Dhokla is an easy to make dish. I am sharing a recipe that I follow. What led me to this recipe is the fact that it is l healthy, light for the stomach and can be made without much ado using simple ingredients easily available in Indian pantry.

 

 

Dr. Sadhana Saxena is currently based out of New Delhi where she has lived for the past 35 yrs. She was groomed in Kolkata and has a PhD in Botany from Calcutta University. Her hobbies include music and needle work, although she appreciates all art forms.

 

 

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 cup besan (Bengal gram flour)
  • 1 cup curd
  • Water
  • A pinch of citric acid
  • Salt to taste
  • A pinch of hing (asafoetida)
  • 1/2 spoon grated ginger
  • 1/2tea spoon haldi (turmeric powder)
  • Oil
  • Green chillies
  • Curry patta (leaves)
  • Mustard seed. Heat oil put tarka
  • 1 spoon sugar
  • 1 lemon juice
  • A small spoon of baking soda

 

Method: 

 

  • In a bowl, take 2 cups of besan and 1 cup of curd, and add water to make a thick yet flowy batter.
  • Keep overnight to allow it to ferment. A pinch of citric acid may be added for better fluffy texture.
  • In the morning, mix again, adding salt + pinch of hing + 1/2 spoon grated ginger, 1/2 teaspoon haldi and 1 teaspoon oil. Mix well.
  • Add 1 small spoon regular soda just before steaming and mix well again.
  • Pour in a oil greased vessel.
  • Steam cook for 30 mins. You may boil water in a steamer and put the vessel with water in it and steam cook. Or you may use microwave to cook the same.
  • To check doneness, prick a toothpick — if it comes out clean, you are done.
  • Take the vessel out, take the steamed concoction out on a plate, and cut it into small squares.
  • Now make the temper (tadka) — heat oil in a tadka pan, and add green chillies, curry patta, & mustard seeds. When it starts to crackle, add 1/4 cup water, 1 spoon of sugar & juice of 1 lemon. Be careful when you add water, since the oil shall be sizzling hot.
  • Pour this tadka over the dhokla you cut into squares.
  • Serve.

 

 

 

Tips:

  • While making batter stir in one direction only (either clockwise or anticlockwise) and ensure there are no lumps.
  • Add soda just before steaming, mix well but don’t beat much. The batter will look light and fluffy.
  • After adding the soda to the batter,  don’t keep it aside. Prepare the steaming pot beforehand with boiling water & keep the vessel in which you plan to pour the batter ready to go into the steaming water.
  • Keep the quantity of turmeric low or it reacts with the citric acid and soda and gives your dhokla a reddish colour (instead of yellow).
  • Some people also prefer to add grated coconut as garnish.