Dhokla is a Gujarati food that is absolutely delicious and you cannot miss it. It is a tasty and healthy steamed snack made from ground lentils and chickpea flour. To prepare dhokla, besan flour is mixed with water, turmeric powder, salt, baking soda and mild taste enhancers like sugar. It is then steamed to cook it light and fluffy. It is then cut up into cubes or desired shape and usually garnished with mustard seeds, coriander leaves, curry leaves and green chillies. It is served with tangy chutneys.
Dhokla is a healthy snacking option that makes a scrumptious breakfast or a great evening tea time snack. The simple but aromatic garnishing of curry leaves, coriander leaves, sautéed mustard seeds, green chillies and coconut makes it simply irresistible. Light on the stomach and pleasing on the tongue, dhokla is a delectable snack, loved by all, no one can deny to have it. This dish is a little tricky to cook especially getting the consistency of the batter perfect.
Here is the yummy recipe:
Serves: 6
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 30-45 minutes
Ingredients
Besan: 2 cup
Citric acid: 1+1/2 tsp (levelled)
Sugar: 4 tsp
Baking soda: ½ tsp
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder: 1/3 tsp
Cooking oil: 1 tbsp
Water as required
Mustard seeds: 1 ½ tsp
Curry leaves: 10-12
Green chillies: 6-7
Grated coconut: ½ cup
Coriander leaves: 1 handful
Method
Mix besan, one teaspoon of citric acid, two teaspoons of sugar, salt and enough water to make a thick batter. Beat it for 20 minutes until the batter becomes smooth and fluffy. To check, put one drop of the batter in a cup of water. If it comes up and floats on the top surface of water, the batter is perfectly beaten. If the drop of batter settles down at the bottom of the cup, beat the batter for few more minutes until fluffy.
Heat two glasses of water in a broad pressure cooker. Grease the steaming container with oil. Add baking soda in the besan batter just before pouring it into the greased container and beat for few seconds. Pour the batter immediately into the greased container and place the container in the boiling water of the cooker without a delay. Close the lid of the cooker and remove the whistle. Let the dhokla cook on high flame for five minutes. Then simmer it on low flame for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes turn off the flame. Give a rest of five minutes. Take off the lid. Check whether the dhokla is properly cooked or not. For this, insert a knife in the centre of the dhokla. If it comes out clean then dhokla is properly cooked otherwise cook it for few more minutes on low flame closing the lid of the cooker again.
When the dhokla is steamed properly, let it cool in the same container. When it is slightly warm, take it out from the container by gently scrapping its sides with a sharp knife and turning it around on a plate. Now make the dhokla water. To make it, heat one tablespoon of cooking oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. When they start to crackle, add curry leaves and whole green chillies. Then add one glass of water, two teaspoons of sugar and half teaspoon each of citric acid and salt. Give a boil on high flame and simmer for five minutes on low flame. Turn off the flame. Let it cool. When the prepared dhokla water is slightly warm, pour it on the steamed dhokla cake evenly. This water is absorbed by the fluffy dhokla. Cut it into pieces in your desired shape and size. Garnish it with chopped coriander leaves and grated coconut. Serve it with tamarind sweet and sour chutney.
Cook this Gujarati dish to know what it is all about. It is a snack you cannot say no to. Also a great meal for the health-conscious folks!