BESAN DHOKLA (DOUBLE SUPERFINE)

Khaman dhokla or khaman as itscalled is a savory steamed cake made from gram flour

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Total Time 20 mins

Course Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine Gujarati, Indian

Servings 6

1.5 cups gram flour (besan)
1 tablespoon rava (or semolina) - optional
3 teaspoon ginger-green chilies paste, 1 inch ginger + 1 or 2 green chilies crushed in a mortar-pestle
2 to 3 pinches turmeric powder
1-2 pinch asafoetida (hing)
2 teaspoon eno or fruit salt ½ to ¾ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt or as required
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 cup water or add as required- theamount of water required depends on the quality of gram flour. so add asrequired to make a thick yet flowing batter

Grease a steamer pan with 1/4 to 1/2 tsp oil.
Take 1.5 cups besan or gram flour in a mixing bowl or pan.
Add 2 to 3 pinches of turmeric powder, a generous pinch of asafoetida, 1 tsp lime juice and 3 tsp ginger-green chilies paste and salt.
Add 1 cup water or as required to make thick yetflowing water. The amount of water required depends on the quality of flour, soadd as required
Stir and then add 1 tbsp rava or sooji.
Stir to a smooth thick batter without any lumps.
The batter should be thick yet flowing. A quick tip is that if the batter become thin, then add 1 to 2 tbsp more sooji or rava or besan.
Also bring to a boil 2 to 3 cups of water in a steamer pan or electric cooker or pressure cooker.
The amount of water to be added depends on the size of the steamer or pressure cooker.
Then add 2 tsp eno or fruit salt.
Stir briskly and quickly. The fruit salt should be mixed evenly with the batter. Or else you get uneven texture in the dhokla.
The batter would froth and become bubbly, so youhave to be quick
Pour the batter in the greased pan.
Here's the dhokla batter ready to be steamed

Place the pan in a steamer or electric rice cooker or pressure cooker. The water should already be boiling or hot when you place the pan with the dhokla batter. When using pressure cooker, remove the vent weight/whistle from the lid and cover the cooker tightly with its lid.
Steam for 15 to 20 minutes in an electric cooker. If using a pan or pressure cooker, steam for 12 to 15 minutes on a medium to high flame. Here the khaman is ready after 17 minutes.
To check the doneness, insert a toothpick and if it comes out clean, the dhokla is done. If the toothpick has the batter on it, then you need to steam for some more time.
When the khaman become warm, with a butter knife gently slid along the edges. Keep a plate or tray on top of the pan.
Invert the pan. If greased well, the khaman will easily get inverted on the plate. Slice and keep aside.

Grease a microwave safe bowl or pan with oil.
Cover and microwave the batter for 2 minutes onhigh
Check the doneness by inserting a toothpick in thedhokla. If not done, then microwave again on high for 30 seconds to 1 minute.Still, if not done, then microwave again for some more seconds
Remove the dhokla from the pan once warm or cooled.

In a small pan, heat 2 tbsp oil.
Add 1 tsp mustard seeds and allow them to crackle.
When the mustard seeds are crackling, add the 1 tsp cumin seeds (optional), 8 to 10 curry leaves and 1/2 to 1 tsp chopped green chili (optional).
Stir and then add 2 tsp sesame seeds
Fry till the sesame seeds change color. Don't brown them.
Then add 1/3 cup water. Be careful while addingwater as the mixture sizzles
Add 2 tsp sugar. Stir and allow the tempering mixture to come to a boil.
Then pour this tempering mixture evenly on the khaman dhokla.
Garnish with 2 tbsp chopped coriander seeds and 2 tbsp grated coconut.
Serve khaman dhokla straight away or you can store them in an air tight box and then serve later.
If serving dhokla later, then don't add coconut. You can also refrigerate them and while serving besan dhokla, just sprinkle some water and heat them in a microwave for few seconds.

Tips for making khaman dhokla

I used plain eno without any flavors.
For making khaman dhokla gluten free, skip the asafoetida and semolina.
The Ingredient which we use to leaven the khaman dhokla batter is fruit salt. eno is a popular indian brand of fruit salt. You can also use baking soda. However baking soda gives the soapy aroma if used in excess. Again both eno and baking soda react with turmeric powder and gives a red tinge or red spots in dhokla. So add little turmeric powder or skip it completely.