Dhokla is a vegetarian culinary dish that is found mainly in the Indian state of Gujarat and parts of adjacent states. It is made with a fermented batter derived from rice and split chickpeas. Dhokla can be eaten for breakfast, as a main course, as a side dish, or as a snack.
Ingredients for making the Dhokla
- 1 Cup Gram flour (besan)
- 1/2 Cup water, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon chopped green chili
- salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
- 1 teasppon cooking oil
- Juice of half a lemon
- 1 teaspoon eno fruit salt or baking soda
Ingredients For Tempering the spices
- 2 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1 tablespoon mustard seeds (rai)
- 5 to 6 curry leaves
- 2 to 3 green chilies slit into half lengthwise
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoon granulated white sugar
- 1 Cup water
Method of making the Dhokla
- Combine 1 cup water with grated ginger and chopped green chili. Set aside till required.
- Add gram flour in a bowl. Add salt, turmeric powder, sugar, baking powder and mix nicely.
- In small quantity add the ginger water, oil, lemon juice to the sifted flour and stir to combine. Whisk the mixture nicely for next 5 – 10 minutes.
- Cover the batter and set aside to rest for 5 – 6 minutes.
- Prepare a microwave safe bowl by greasing with a teaspoon of oil. Keep aside.
- Add fruit salt or baking soda to the dhokla batter and mix nicely. The batter will rise and turn frothy. Do not whisk the batter for too long, once combined stop whisking.
- Pour the batter into the greased microwave-safe bowl and arrange it in a large bowl. Fill 1/4 of the large bowl with water. Cook dhokla in the microwave for 5 minutes.
- Insert a toothpick in the center to check the doneness. Once cooked, allow the dhokla to cool down for few minutes before inverting and cutting into pieces.
Dhokla Tempering/ flavoring
- Heat oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add mustard seeds, once seeds crackle, add curry leaves, green chilies. Sauté for few seconds and then add the white sugar. Mix nicely.
- Pour water and stir to dissolve the sugar nicely. Once sugar is dissolved, turn off the heat.
- Allow tempering to cool down a bit. Squeeze lemon juice and mix.
- Pour this tempering over the dhokla. At this stage, you can keep Dhokla in the fridge to chill down and soak the syrup flavors or you can serve it immediately.
- Garnish dhokla with grated coconut and chopped coriander leaves.
- Serve instant dhokla with chutney/ green chutney for a teatime snack.
Please Note
- Do not add lemon juice in the piping hot tempering. The taste of sugar syrup can be turn bitter. This is very tempting and unique dish which every one on the family love to have during evening snacks. Best option with you friends during hi-tea.
Chefs Nectar 