Khaman Dhokla a Savory Steamed Cake

Dhokla can be eaten for breakfast or as a main course or as a snack. It is fluffy spongy and porous and a signature dish of gujarati cuisine. I served the dhokla with a sweet, spicy, tangy ginger tamarind chutney.

Ingredients

• 1 cup chickpea flour/besan
• 1/2 cup curd
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• 2 green chillies fine chopped
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp cooking soda or baking soda
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 sachet eno powder
• salt to taste

For tempering

• 1 tsp oil
• 1/4 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp sesame seeds
• 1-2 springs curry leaves
• 1 tbsp grated coconut
• 2 chopped green chilli
• pinch of asafoetida/hing
• 1/4 cup water

Procedure
Mix the besan with curd and water until it is lump free with a consistency like idli batter, it should not be too flowy.Now add turmeric powder and soda and mix nicely, let is rest for 20 min

After 20 min the batter will rise, to this mix oil, lemon juice, salt, sugar, chopped green chillis and mix nicely. Meanwhile prepare your steamer or pressure cooker (place a bowl with water and then a plate which will hold the batter, I used baking tray instead of a plate).

Once the water starts bowling prepare the batter by mixing the eno to it nicely and pour into the plate immediately, because of adding eno you will find lot of bubbles in batter.

Steam for 5-7 minutes, remove the lid of pressure cooker and check with tooth pick, if it comes out clean your dhokla is ready for tempering. Switch off the gas and let it cool for 5 min, in the meantime prepare your tempering

Heat oil in a pan, add sesame seeds, mustard seeds, curry leaves, chopped green chilles, when mustard start spluttering remove from gas and add 1/4 cup water to this and pour this tempering over the prepared dhokla and also sprinkle the grated coconut. 

Let it rest for five more minutes and cut it into a desired shape and size and serve with tamarind chutney or hari chutney

Ginger Tamarind Chutney

Ingredients

• 1 lemon size tamarind
• 1 lemon size jaggery chunk
• 2 green chilli
• 1 spring curry leaves
• 1 tsp chopped coriander/cilantro
• 1/2 inch ginger
• 1/4 tsp jeera/cummin seeds
• pinch of turmeric
• pinch of asafoetida
• salt to taste

Make a smooth paste of all the above ingredients if required add little water and serve

Note:
1. Batter should not rest even for a min after adding the eno
2. If you prefer more sweetness in your dhokla then while preparing the tempering add 1 tsp of sugar to it. 

Savory Patra For A Special Evening Snack

Patra is a popular snack in the western region of India. It is known as Aluchya Vadya in Marathi, Patra in Gujarati and Patrode in the Konkan region of India.It is similar to a japanese sushi but made with taro leaves and filled with delicious chickpea stuffing.

This recipe was prepared by my SIL when I visited her recently. It was a lovely snack and got to pack some of these for my hubby back in chennai.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups chickpea flour
• 1/2 finely chopped onions
• 1 tbsp chopped green chillies
• 4 tbsp chopped coriander/cilantro
• 1/4 tsp garam masala
• 1 tbsp chopped garlic
• 2-3 tsp lemon juide
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• salt to taste

Procedure
Clean the leaves and mix all the ingredient and make a smooth thick paste and keep aside.

 

Reverse and flatten the taro leaves and remove the center vein lightly.

Take a lump of paste and spread evenly over the leaf, put another leaf on the top and continue the same with three leaves. 

Then roll the leaf from the pointed side until the other end and finally close the two ends and steam for 10 minutes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once cooled cut them into one cm thick rolls and shallow fry with tsp oil until light golden brown and crispy.

Serve hot

Note:
1.This dish is a lovely side for steamed rice
2.You can store them in a freezer box for 2-3 months and fry when you need to.
3.You can also deep fry them if you want