Dhokla

Dhokla is a healthful snack from Gujarat in Western India and extremely popular across the country. It doesn't really suits to my taste buds but my family members are mad about it.

Green chutney

4-5 Green chili

4- 5 pieces coconut

1 bunch coriander leaves

few mint leaves

1/2 Cumin seeds

1 big Lime

Salt to taste

Direction:

• Take all the ingredients except coriander in a food processor. Grind to a smooth paste.
• Then add the coriander and again grind. Remove to a bowl, add the remaining lime and serve with Dhoklas.

Makes 20 medium sized pieces

For Batter:

250 gms Bengal Gram flour / Besan 1 & 1/2 cup

1/2 cup Curd

1/2 cup Water

1/2 tsp Cooking Soda

For seasoning to be mixed to the batter (to be added just before cooking)

1 tbsp Oil

1 pinch Turmeric Powder

2 green Chili paste (as per taste)

1 tsp Sugar

1/2 lime or 1/3 tbsp Citric acid

1/2 tsp Sodium bi carbonate or Eno - 1 packet

For tempering

Mustard Seeds

Curry leaves

Grated coconut

Coriander leaves

Oil

Direction:

• First, mix 1/2 cup curds with 1/2 water. To this add the besan and stir well to get a lumpless batter, the uniformity should be like idli batter.Add the soda. Set it aside to ferment for approximatly 1to 2 hrs.
• If you are using a pressure cooker, fill the pan with water, place a plate over which you will have use a plate for steaming the dhoklas. or you can use ovan.
• Just before pouring to plate put the lime, sugar,oil, salt,green chili paste and turmeric powder into the batter and mix well.
• In the meantime put the pan on stove, and let the water start boiling. When the water boils, you can mix the eno to the batter (Save little of eno for dusting on the plate), mix gently and you will see bubbles coming out.
• Sprinkle the plate with eno. And immediately pour the batter to the plate. Place the plate carefully inside the pressure pan and cover with lid. whistle is not required. After covering you will find steam coming out of the outlet, simmer and don't disturb for almost 4 -6 minutes.You can use ovan also.
• Remove the lid and confirm it using knife or anything sharp.If it comes out clean and does not have any batter sticking, then it is done. Cover back and let it remain on flame for 1 min and switch off the gas and allow it for 5 minutes.
• In a seperate bowl, mix 3 tsp of water with 1 tsp of oil.
• Remove the plate from the pan, pour the water and oil mix over the top.
• For seasoning, heat a pan with oil, add curry leaves, mustard seeds and finely chopped green chilies. When mustard starts popping, remove and pour over the dhokla.
• The batter should be filled 1/2 to avoid collapse as it will rise up. After adding eno the batter should not rest. Amount of sugar can be increased on preference.
• Let it cool for sometime then cut into big cubes to avoid crumbling.
• Garnish it with coriander leaves n chillies
• Serve with green chutney