Tuesday 27 March 2007

Gujarati Series: Infused Khatta-Meetha Khaman Dhokla

Infused Khaman Dhoklas......I call them that because these spongy khamans have been infused with a sugar-lime juice solution to give it that authentic street taste....all the credit goes to my Mil for teaching me this trick. I had been making this the regular way, by adding tadka on top...but by letting the sugar-lime solution soak in the khaman, it takes on a whole new flavor...one that you're sure to enjoy.

You will need:
  • 1 cup - Besan Flour
  • 1 tsp - Citric Acid Crystals, you can use lemon juice instead
  • Pinch - Soda Bicarb or ENO
  • 2 tsp - Sugar
  • 1 tsp - Salt
  • 1 cup - Water
  • 1 tbsp- warm oil
For the tadka and solution:
  • 1 tbsp -Oil
  • 1 tsp - Mustard Seeds
  • Handful of Chopped Cilantro
  • Some grated coconut,
  • Curry Leaves
  • 2 large - jalapenos - chopped
  • 1.5 tbsp- Lime juice
  • 1 tbsp -Sugar
  • 4-5 tbsp - water
Mix the besan, water,oil, salt, sugar, citric acid/lemon juice really well until no lumps remain. Now add the soda bicarb, mix lightly,and and set aside for 15 minutes. You will see bubbles forming on top. After 15 minutes, lightly grease a "dibba" instead of a steel dish. Cooking these khamans in a Dibba or a cake pan (deep steel container)will give you fluffier and lighter results.

Meanwhile, heat some water in a pot, put a little stand so that the pan can rest on it to be steamed. Cover and let steam for 20 minutes.

Once the dhoklas are steamed, let them cool down. While the khamans are cooling, prepare the solution and tadka. Chop the jalapenos into small pieces.Mix the sugar,lime juice in the water and stir, make sure all the sugar dissolves. In a small pan, heat the oil. Add the mustard seeds and jalapenos. When they pop, quickly add the sugar-lime water.

Make slits while they are still in the pan. Slowly pour the solution in the slits and on top and let them soak up the solution for a few minutes. Slowly take them out of the dibba. Garnish with Cilantro, and serve.

Here is a closeup.......Light, airy and spongy, with a hint of sugar and lime....they literally melt in the mouth...try it this way and see for yourself sometime.

Enjoy with a hot cup of tea, perfect for snack time or anytime...

65 comments:

SJ said...

Trupti! I LOVE khaman dhokla. This looks great! I'll try this for sure sometime. BTW, do you also know how to make khandvi?

musical said...

Ekdum mast-my weekend b'fast idea is right here. The infusion packs the right punch.

Send some over, NOW :))

J said...

Yum, I prepare dhoklas when someone lands in suddenly....kinda easy breezy to make and chat with guests all the time isn't it?

Mishmash ! said...

Trupti, I just had my lunch but that picture is tempting me...and I wish I could have that with a cup of tea in another 2 hours but i dont have besan in my pantry now :(

Prema Sundar said...

Yummm spongy dhokla. I have tried making dhokla once but it was a failure.. urs look great..
like Sj suggested do post a khandvi recipe if u have .. I love khandvis.

hetal said...

Wow,I love khaman dhokla but have always made out of ready Gits packet. I must try this one.

Saju said...

Yummy yummy again! I will be posting my family recipe soon, I am definately going to try the infusion - may be only lemon, as I am diabetic and sugar is a no no for me!

Richa said...

the sponginess of ur dhokla looks grrreat!
I once heard about some 'dunlop dhokla' which is supposed to be the softest. this is one dish which is easy to make, yet difficult to get that fluffiness. for a variation you can add sesame in the tadka (just like ur muthia), tastes very good.
thanks.

Inji Pennu said...

What is dibba?

Anusha said...

the fluffy dhoklas are leaping off the screen! I have bookmarked this yummy recipe...
ok this may be a silly q, but what does khaman really mean?

bee said...

my mom's trick as well.

Priya said...

I have tried the usual method and knew there was some flavor missing in the dhokla's. Even increasing the amount of tadka did not work. I am going to try your version this time.

swapna susarla said...

wow trupti
the dhokla is looking so fluffy!!
nice picture.

Anonymous said...

What is a dibba?? Can I make this in the idli stand??

Sia said...

aha... i had heavy dinner(loved ur chole recipe). so i am not that tempted;)
MIL's tips and recipes always work. never made dhokla at home. so gonna start with ur guidelines:)

Anonymous said...

They look SUPERB Trupti... so soft and spongy :-)

-Sushma

FH said...

I remember that tangy sweet taste in the Dhoklas.Citric acid and sugar do the job well sprinkled on them I knew that.
Some Southern cakes are poked with a knitting needle and poured thin syrup so they can soak in and then frosted on top!Same idea,isn't that cool?Looks great T! Thanks for the quick recipe.

TNL said...

Sj: thanks...yes, I do make khandvi...will post it sometime.

Surili: sending some right away!

Jyothsna:oh yeah....guests love these...and I do too, cos they are so quick!

Mishmash: awww..hope you make them soon!

Prema: thanks..and will post the khandvi soon,

Hetal: yeah...try them!

Sajeda: looking forward to your post!

Richa: yes, some ppl do add sesame seeds...that tastes good too. Dunlop Dhokla is a nice name!

Inji: sorry my dear...I should have clarified that..a dibba is a deep stainless steel container..the ones you get in the pressure cookers...

@: thanks..I don't know what it really means, I think it means soft and spongy..will ask my grandma!

Bee: yep, moms know all the tricks

Priya: yes..do try that sometime..

Swapna: thanks my dear

Anon: Dibba is a deep steel container..you can make this with idli plates, that works.

Sia: heheheh....glad u liked the chhole...try this sometime for K and you.

Sushma: thanks !!

Ashaji: yes, it's the same idea...I love the tangy sweet taste...am so used to it now, I can't eat dhoklas the plain way now.

Anonymous said...

a neighbour gave me that tip once to make it sweet and sour and I love it ! She also gave me the recipe for microwave dhokla, I made it once and it turned out really good but then stopped making it for a loooooooooooong time and thought of making it again in MW sometime back, but it was disaster, they turned hard like stones :-( I never wrote down the recipe - If you have one for soft and fluffy dhoklas in MW pls I want it.

And like others, I looooove khandvi too and will love a simple recipe for that too, Trupti !!

BTW, forgot to tell you that I have blogrolled you, hope thats ok :-)

Menu Today said...

Hi Trupti,
Nice recipe to try, thanks for the tips. I will let you know when I make this, thanks..

Pravs said...

I wanted to learn how to make dhokla...now i can :D

Aahaar Vihaar said...

Hi Trupti,
I haven't tried making dhokla.Will sure try your recipe. Looks yummy.

Mandira said...

Trupti - this looks absolutely gorgeous. will try the sweet and sour version of the dhokla

Manasi said...

I love dhokla and hv been meaning to try for a long time (my earlier attempt was a soggy mess!!ewww!!),but,this, is mouth watering! must try.... too good!!!!!!!

Viji said...

Nice presentation Trupti. The way you explained, it looks so simple. Will follow your hints when I prepare. Viji

Shilpa said...

Besan here, too? :) and a sweet-salty combination at that! yummy! nice picture with Rahul Sharma, by the way, but yes, who won in the end? :)

Sia said...

now i am drooling over....u know who!!! ;) he he he...

Sharmi said...

oh thanks for the recipe Trupti. I was waiting for it. Btw can I steam it in cooker? soda bicarb is baking soda right? just want to verify.

sharmi

Bong Mom said...

Arre wah..ek dum Rahul Sharma ke saath pose wose, kya baat hai ?

Love dhokla, till date "Maine Banaya Gits se". This will be way better I am sure

Latha said...

Hey Trupti,
I love Dhoklas! I always use the Gits mix to make these at home. Will try your recipe from scratch sometime. Thanks for the authentic gujju recipes!
Cheers
Latha

Deepa Hari said...

Doklas are soft and great...i love them...thanks for sharing...will try them...

Anonymous said...

Your solution id different than the way I make it. also, we add curry leaves to it. I like your suggestion of lime juice and dibba...

Will try it soon and btw, Rahul Dravid, even down and out, beats Rahul Sharma anyday :D

Sangeeta said...

Trupti, Bas that it ... I am moving to be close to you, so I can have all these goodies :) :) I love, love love dhoklas and your recipe is such an easy breezy one. Thanks for sharing this yummy recipe :)

musical said...

Threadjack:

But had to say this, Rahul looks so cute in that picture :)

Anonymous said...

Hi Trupti,

Thanks for the incredibly simple recipe of Khaman Dhokla.Surely gonna try.Love your site!!I keep revisiting it to see what's new.Cheers.

Sharbani

Anonymous said...

The painting of Damyanti talking to Null is made by Raja Ravi Varma.. isn't it?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damayanti

http://www.kamat.com/kalranga/art/raviverma/

TNL said...

Anon: you may be right about the artist, but I don't think this is the original one...It might be a reproduction, the artist's name is listed as Chadraprakash on Art Legends site. Thank you though for pointing it out.

Trupti

Seema Bhat said...

Oh look at these spongy and super soft dhokla's. I am sure they are just gonna melt in my mouth. Trupti, my mouth is so much wanting to taste these right away. Thanx for sharing.

Pdk said...

Hey trupti,
Yet to make my lunch.. looking at ur dhoklas ,i cant wait to grab something soon!! just love Khamman Dhokla..

vasilisa said...

This looks very original. Never tried it... What is besan flour (and where do you get it?)

PS: MILs can be so helpful! My MIL showed me some amazingly easy dishes that are now family favorites :-)

Manjula said...

Love the dhokla, never made at home till now. Sounds easy, will find out soon when I try this. Need to find out some alternative for the dibba.

Anonymous said...

Trupti, this ones my favorite. Thanks for the recepie. Thakkar, Yogesh, Shriji, Payal naa khaman e baddhaa tamaaraa khaman aagar vaasi laage chhe. Thanks again

Samir

Anonymous said...

Trupti,

I am a regular reader of your blog. This dhokla looks lovely, I will definitely try it out. I wanted to request a recipe for authentic shikanji. I know that they put some shikanji masala, could you please post the recipe for this?

Thanks,
Nisha

Alan said...

Hi Trupti, Thanks for stopping by my blog and for the link. I was pleasently surprised, as I was totally unaware of the link. A lady named Pintoo send me an email and mentioned it.

I like your blog as well. The photos are very good and the food looks appetizing. Meri Biwi is always buying these sponge cake type items at the local chat shop which contain cilantro, a peppery spice, and a flavor I can't quite place. They look quite similar to the Dholka in your post. I can never remember the name of the item, but they're good.

We do a fair amount of Indian cooking, have several cookbooks, and have attended one class. Things have been very busy lately, so take-out is usually the way to go.

Menu Today said...

Hi Trupti,
I tried your method and it came out very well. thanks for your tip. I will try to post the picture soon. Thanks a lot trupti...

Dr. Soumya Bhat said...

Lovely trupthi.I had tried it once but my color did not look so good.Will try your version for sure the next time.Thanks for sharing.

Lotus Reads said...

Mmmmmmm, yes, dhoklas are my favorite food to eat and my daughters' too! Thanks so much for showing us how to make it!

Trupti, where and when did you meet Rahul Sharma? Darn it, I am SOOOOO jealous! It is a gorgeous picture! His dad is going to be playing at the "Small World" music festival in Toronto in April and I might go. If Rahul were coming I would have been on cloud nine, but sadly he won't be there.

Shivapriya said...

aha lovely khaman dhokla's. my fav's. I have added it to my to-do list will get back to u with results:D.

Mallika said...

Hi Trupti

These look so good and even better, sooooo easy to make.

Can you tell me how much lemon juice should be used in the dhokla?

I must try this soon. thx so much for sharing...

Coffee said...

Oh O!!!!! I just made this today and clicked the pics to put it up on the blog!!!!! :( Will keep that for a later date.....

Kribha said...

Trupti,
I absolutely love dhoklas. I have never had it in India. After coming to US, I had in a sardarji shop. Ever since I'm hooked on it. So far I never found a trust-worthy recipe. But now my search has ended. will try your version soon. Thanks for sharing.Picture looks YUM YUM.

Anonymous said...

Hi Trupti, I tried your Khaman recipe today...however, they were no where close to the ones you show on your blog. I followed your recipe pretty much the same way....but my results were disastrous. The khaman was not spongy at all nor really edible :( I wonder if I messed up something. I do have some questions. My batter did not have many bubbles in it after 15 mins....should I have let it rest for some more time for more bubbles to show up? Also, when you steamed the khaman, was it on low or medium heat? I had a square aluminium cake pan (from yester years) that I used....maybe that was the culprit? I should've used steel dibba....may have to buy one. I want to try it again...as yours looks so yummy :) but want to make sure I identify where I fouled up so as not to make the same mistake(s). Any insights you offer may be helpful...thanks for sharing your recipes....all of them are fabulous. Nis

Anonymous said...

Hi Anon:

I am so sorry your khaman didn't turn out right.....did you add the soda bicarb in it or baking powder? If the sida bicarb is too old, it won't froth in the batter, try using ENO instead and, yes, I think using a square aluminum pan could have been a reason....use a round,cake pan or a masala dibba the next time, the dhoklas need that much room to fluff up with support at the egdes all around.....and steam on medium high heat for at least 10-15 minutes. This recipe is quite accurate and many have tried it with excellent results, so don't lose hope! Try again :)

trupti

Anonymous said...

Hi Trupti, Thanks for the recipe. The taste was good and the Tadka part was tasty too, however, the Dhokla itself did not rise much. It did cook well but did not rise much at all and was just quite flat. I followed your recipe to the word. What could I do to make it swell nice and fluffy? Do I have to add any yogurt or ferment for a longer while?

Ashwini Vanmali said...

Hi,
Could u plz tell me how much of lemon juice do we need to add instead of citric acid?

Anonymous said...

Ashwini,

Add 1-1.5 tsp of lemon juice.

trupti

Kay said...

Thanks Trupti for this recipe. I tried this and ended up nice khaman dhoklas. Not as nice as yorus because I forgot to put 'hot' oil in the besan mixture. But still pretty good. My daughter loved it too.

Anonymous said...

Trupti,

You have a gift!! All your recipes are mouth watering!! For this one, do you cook in the cooker without the whistle? Or for one whistle?

Thanks!
Kajal

Nikita said...

Hello,
I tried out this dhokla recipe but I think I did something wrong. I tried this recipe twice, the first time I think the baking soda was old so the dhoklas were very hard. Next time I used almost an entire pouch of eno and I did get a lot of bubbles almost immediately. So I set it aside for just 5 mins instead of 15 mins. Also I used a round steel container without a lid. But the dhoklas kind of fell flat after taking them out of the container. Is it important to use a container with a lid? Maybe I used more eno than required. If you have any inputs to help me make better dhoklas, I would be really grateful. :)

TNL said...

Nikita,

You only need a little bit of Eno...about a pinch, a tsp at the most, I think that is why they fell flat...do let it sit for about 15 minutes,and don't stir too much. Grease a cake pan with some cooking spray and pour gently. You can put the lid on the steaming container you're using, but not on the pan that the batter is in. Also, after steaming them, let them sit for 5 minutes before doing the tadka and cutting them.

I hope this works for you!

Anonymous said...

you haven't specified how to make liquid which has to be poured on dhokla. i have tried this receipe but dhokla fall flat everytime. what i am missing?

kavita

TNL said...

the recipe for the liquid is already given, and its really not that much of liquid that needs to be poured on top, around 4-5 tbsp of water is enough. Please go through the recipe again.

As for the dhoklas falling flat, you can try just stirring it a little, when you stir it a lit, you'll release all the air pockets, and they will be flat.

i hope this works for you.

Anonymous said...

Hi Trupti,
I tried your recipe for Khaman Dhokla ,it came out well ,especially the lime juice and sugar infusion....Thankas to your MIL........ Get Going
Priya

Anonymous said...

Hi Trupti,
I tried your recipe for Khaman Dhokla ,it came out well ,especially the lime juice and sugar infusion....Thankas to your MIL........ Get Going
Priya

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