Dhokla is a Gujarati dish prepared from besan. It has a very soft, spongy, and fluffy texture. It draws together spicy, sour, and sweet flavors, making itself an irresistible treat. The best thing is that every bite of dhokla is filled with nutrition. Make these easy-to-prepare dhoklas and enjoy them with green chutney.

ALSO READ: Indian Desserts In Winter: Delicious Homemade Desserts To Enjoy During Winter

Ingredients

For the batter

2 cups besan (gram flour), ¾ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon turmeric, 1 cup water, ½ cup curd, 1 teaspoon green chili paste, 1 tsp ginger paste, 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, 2 tablespoon oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon baking soda

For the tempering

3 tablespoons oil, 3 teaspoons mustard seeds, 2 teaspoons hing, 3-4 green chilies, 8-10 curry leaves, 2 cups water, ¼ cup lemon Juice, 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, 1-2 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon coriander leaves (optional)

Steps To Follow

For the batter

1. Add water to your steamer, cover the lid, and bring the water to a boil. 
2. Grease a cake tin with refined butter and line it with butter paper. Keep it aside. 
3. Take a bowl and use a sieve to sift in besan. Sifting the besan helps to remove lumps. Add salt and turmeric to the besan and mix them well.
4. In a separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients- curd, water, green chili paste, ginger paste, sugar, lemon juice, and oil.  
5. Pour the curd and water mixture into the besan. Add it in batches and whisk the besan. Don’t add all the water at once. 
6. Whisk the batter in one single direction. It would help to incorporate air into the batter and makes the dhokla soft and fluffy. The batter should have pouring consistency. So, you may add a little more water if needed. 
7. Whisk the batter for about 5-7 minutes, and then add baking soda. When you add baking soda, bubbles will appear in the batter. It is important to add baking soda at the end, about 15-20 seconds before transferring the mixture to the mold. 
8. Pour the batter into the mold and put the mold in the steamer right away. Cover the steamer. 
9. Cook the dhokla for about 30 minutes. 
10. Turn off the flame. Check if the dhokla is done and cover the lid again. Let it rest in the steamer for 10 minutes. This will help the dhokla to absorb the moisture from the steam and become softer.  
11. After 10 minutes, de-mold the dhokla and place it on a plate. Cut the dhokla into pieces.  
12. When the dhokla is warm, pour the warm tempering on the dhokla. Cover the dhokla and let it rest for another 30 minutes. 
13. After 30 minutes, refrigerate the dhokla for around 2 hours. After that, the dhokla will be ready to be served. Garnish this dhokla with grated coconut and serve it with green chutney.

For the tempering

1. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, hing, curry leaves, and slit green chilies. Let it splutter for about 20-30 seconds. 
2. Add water, lemon juice, salt, sugar, and coriander leaves. Use coconut water here if it is available. It gives a nice flavor to the tadka. 
3. Turn off the flame a few seconds after the water comes to a boil. 
4. Allow the water to cool down a little. When the water is warm, pour it over warm dhoklas.

Tips or Benefits for Dhokla

Sifting the besan removes lumps and ensures that the final dhokla turns soft and fluffy. Don’t add the baking soda at the start. Add it in the end, and don’t let the batter rest for more than 30 seconds after adding baking soda. Also, don’t pat the baking tin as that will remove the air bubbles from the batter. And if you don’t have baking soda, you can use ENO. 

Dhokla is not only tasty but also healthy. It is gluten-free, steamed, and not fried and is made with besan. Besan is rich in iron, fibers, and several micros like potassium and magnesium. Dhokla is light, easy to digest, and healthier than most other snacks.