Kitchen Recipe Collection
Indian Dhokla (Khaman)
A spongy, savory, and sweet steamed cake made from fermented gram flour batter, tempered with mustard seeds and curry leaves.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- medium
- Cuisine
- indian
Ingredients
Scaled for 4 servings
- besan (gram flour)
- semolina (suji - optional)
- lemon juice or citric acid
- sugar
- fruit salt (Eno) or baking soda
- ginger-green chili paste
- mustard seeds
- sesame seeds
- curry leaves
- green chilies
- fresh coriander
- fresh coconut
- oil
Equipment
- Steamer or large pot with a rack
- Cake pan or deep steel plate (thali)
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the Steamer
Add water to a steamer or large pot. Place a stand/rack inside. Bring the water to a rolling boil. Grease a deep steel plate or cake pan.
- 2
Mix Dry Ingredients
Sift besan (gram flour) to remove lumps. Add a tablespoon of semolina (suji) for texture, salt, turmeric, and a teaspoon of sugar.
- 3
Make Batter
Add ginger-chili paste, lemon juice (or citric acid), and a tablespoon of oil. Gradually add water to make a smooth, lump-free batter of pouring consistency.
- 4
The Magic Ingredient
Just before steaming, add 1 tsp of Fruit Salt (Eno) or half a tsp of baking soda to the batter. Sprinkle a few drops of water over the Eno to activate it.
- 5
Whisk Rapidly
Whisk vigorously but briefly in one direction. The batter will instantly froth up and double in volume.
- 6
Transfer and Steam
Immediately pour this frothy batter into the greased pan. Do not let it sit on the counter. Place the pan in the pre-heated steamer.
- 7
Steam
Cover and steam on high heat for 15-20 minutes. Do not open the lid during the first 12 minutes.
- 8
Check Doneness
Insert a toothpick in the center. If it comes out clean, it is done. Remove the pan and let it cool for 5 minutes before cutting into squares.
- 9
Prepare Tempering (Tadka)
Heat oil in a small pan. Add mustard seeds, sesame seeds, slit green chilies, and curry leaves. Let them splutter.
- 10
Make Sweet Water
Add half a cup of water, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and a squeeze of lemon juice to the tempering. Bring to a boil and turn off heat.
- 11
Soak the Dhokla
Pour this hot, sweet, and sour liquid tempering evenly all over the cut Dhokla squares. The spongy cake will absorb all the liquid.
- 12
Garnish and Serve
Garnish with fresh grated coconut and coriander leaves. Serve warm or at room temperature with Green Chutney.
Cooking Tips
- The steamer must be violently boiling BEFORE you add the Eno to the batter. If the batter sits waiting for the water to boil, it will lose its air and become dense.
- Adding a little oil to the batter prevents the dhokla from feeling dry in the throat.
Nutrition Estimate
220 calories · 8g protein · 30g carbs · 8g fat · 4g fiber per serving
