Khaman Dhokla: An ideal tea snack

Looking for a tea snack.....why not try 'Dhokla'?

Dhokla is an easy to make, less-oily, delicious Gujarati snack. It can be made with different lentils (daals) like chana daal, chawla daal(lobhia) and moong daal. Also, you can make instant khaman dhoklas with gram flour(besan) and sooji.

INSTANT KHAMAN DHOKLA:

Ingredients: Gram Flour (besan) - 1 cup, Sooji - 2 tablespoons, turmeric powder, salt - 1 teaspoon/ as per taste, sugar - 1 to 1 and a half tablespoon, black pepper powder, citric acid crystals(nimbu ka sat) / lemon juice, a pinch of asafoetida, Eno fruit salt(non flavored), water.

For Seasoning: Mustard seeds(rai), green chillies, curry leaves, white sesame seeds(til), 1 tablespoon sugar, lemon juice, a pinch of salt, 1 tablespoon oil, water.

For garnishing: Coriander leaves, grated coconut or grated cheese.

Method: Take 1 cup gram flour(besan) in a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons sooji, 1 teaspoon salt/ as per taste, 1 and a half tablespoon sugar, few crystals of citric acid (nimbu ka sat)/ 1 tablespoon lemon juice, a pinch of black pepper powder, a small pinch of asafoetida, a pinch of turmeric powder, 1 cup water and mix well into a smooth batter with no lumps.
Now take a greased flat dish. On the other hand, put the steamer on flame. You can use a pressure cooker, a steamer, a khaman maker, a rice cooker or a microwave for cooking. Pre-heat the appliance.
Now add 1 teaspoon eno to the mixture and mix well till the foam rises. Immediately pour it into the greased dish and transfer to the steamer. Cover the lid and heat on high flame for 10 minutes.
Now check the consistency by inserting a knife/spoon and see if it doesn't stick to the knife. If it still sticks, heat it more. If it doesn't stick, take the dish out. With a knife, clear its edges and take this out on another plate.
On the other hand, when the khaman is getting prepared, make the seasoning. Take a tablespoon oil in a pan and heat it. Add mustard seeds(rai) and heat till they splutter. Add sliced green chillies, sesame seeds(til) and curry leaves to it. Now add 1/2 cup water, 1 tablespoon sugar, salt and boil. Put off the flame. Now add 1 tablespoon lemon juice/ few crystals of citric acid. Mix well and pour this over the khaman dhokla cake. Garnish with coriander leaves and grated coconut/grated cheese. Now cut the cake into pieces and serve with imli chutney or green chutney. You could also eat this with fried and salted green chillies.
This dish can also be made in a microwave. Pour the above prepared mixture in a greased flat-bottomed microwavable dish and microwave for 3-5 minutes with the lid closed. Other steps remain the same.

MOONG DAAL DHOKLA:

Ingredients: Soaked moong dal (for 4-6 hrs)- 1 cup, turmeric powder, salt - 1 teaspoon/ as per taste, sugar - 1 tablespoon, ginger-chili paste, citric acid crystals(nimbu ka sat) / lemon juice, a pinch of asafoetida, Eno fruit salt(non flavored), water.

For Seasoning: Mustard seeds(rai), green chillies, curry leaves, white sesame seeds(til), 1 tablespoon oil, water.

For garnishing: Coriander leaves, grated coconut or grated cheese.

Method: Take 1 cup soaked moong daal and grind it. Add 1 teaspoon salt/ as per taste, 1 tablespoon sugar(optional), few crystals of citric acid (nimbu ka sat)/ 1 tablespoon lemon juice, ginger-chilli paste, a small pinch of asafoetida, a pinch of turmeric powder, and mix well.
Now take a greased flat dish. On the other hand, put the steamer on flame. You can use a pressure cooker, a steamer, a khaman maker, a rice cooker or a microwave for cooking. Pre-heat the appliance.
Now add 1 teaspoon eno to the mixture and mix well till the foam rises. Immediately pour it into the greased dish and transfer to the steamer. Cover the lid and heat on high flame for 10 minutes or microwave for 4-5 minutes. Now check the consistency by inserting a knife/spoon and see if it doesn't stick to the knife. If it still sticks, heat it more. If it doesn't stick, take the dish out. With a knife, clear its edges and take this out on another plate.
On the other hand, when the khaman is getting prepared, make the seasoning. Take a tablespoon oil in a pan and heat it. Add mustard seeds(rai) and heat till they splutter. Add sliced green chillies, sesame seeds(til) and curry leaves to it. Now add 1/2 cup water and boil. Pour this over the moong daal dhokla cake. Garnish with coriander leaves and grated coconut/grated cheese. Now cut the cake into pieces and serve with imli chutney or green chutney. You could also eat this with fried and salted green chillies.
The recipe for CHAWLA DAAL DHOKLA remains the same as for Moong Daal Dhokla.