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Delicious and healthy dishes that can be made even by first timers.

Instant Khaman Dhokla

 Published 2008-Jun-12   Updated 2019-Mar-19

- Submitted by Dahlia

(Gujarathi Besan Dhokla, Soft and Spongy Dhoklas)

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Khaman Dhokla is a traditional Gujarati dish made with chickpea flour(besan) in which the besan is traditionally mixed with sour curd and allowed to ferment. It is then spiced with green chillies, steamed, cut into small pieces and finally an aromatic season is added. This requires little planning ahead. For working ladies who do not have the time to let the batter ferment, there is a solution. This recipe that I am sharing today is an instant version of dhokla in which we use baking soda which makes the dhoklas light and spongey. We also add citric acid or lemon juice that gives the sour taste instantly. The same recipe can be used to make rava dhokla(sooji dhokla) made with semolina. It is usually served with green chutney and had as a snack or a complete meal.

Recipe for Khaman Dhokla

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

  • Gram flour(Besan) - 2 cups
  • Sugar - 2 - 3 tbsp 
  • Oil - 2 tbsp
  • Citric acid - 3/4 tsp (or Lemon Juice - 2 tsp)
  • Soda-bi-carb (Baking Soda) - 3/4 tsp
  • Salt - 1 tsp
  • Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
  • Green Chilies - 3 (finely chopped)
  • Ginger - 1/2 " piece (finely chopped)
  • Asafoetida - a pinch
  • Water - about 1 cup

For Seasoning

  • Oil - 2 tbsp
  • Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
  • Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
  • Sesame seeds - 1/4 tsp
  • Asafoetida - a pinch
  • Curry leaves - 5-6
  • Green Chilies - 3 (slit)
  • Water - 1/2 cup
  • Sugar - 1 tbsp
  • Salt - 1/2 tsp
  • Lemon Juice - 1 tsp

For Garnishing

  • Cilantro - handful (finely chopped)
  • Grated coconut - 2-3 tbsp 
  • Sev - 3 tbsp

Instant Khaman Dhokla Ingredients

Method

  1. Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl - besan, citric acid, salt, sugar, asafoetida, turmeric, finely chopped green chilies and grated ginger.
  2. Add 1/2 cup water and mx everything without any lumps.
  3. Add another 1/2 cup water and oil. Add more water if needed. It should be enough to make a thick batter (like idli batter). 
  4. Whisk it well with a hand blender or electric mixer. We need to incorporate air into the batter to make it light and fluffy.
  5. Let the batter rest for about 10 minutes. 
  6. Now mix in the baking soda. You can see that almost immediately it reacts with the citric acid and lot of air bubbles are formed. 
  7. Pour the batter into a greased cake tin or any deep dish. If you have a dhokla stand, use it.
  8. Steam it for 20 - 25 minutes on medium-high flame. Insert a knife or toothpick in the middle and it should come out clean.
  9. Switch off and let it rest for 5 minutes. Cut it into square pieces.
  10. In the meantime prepare the tempering. Heat 2 tbsp oil, add jeera (cumin seeds), rai (mustard seeds), til (sesame seeds), hing (asafoetida), slit green chilies and karipatta(curry leaves).
  11. When it splutters add 1/2 cup water, salt, sugar and lemon juice. When the water gets heated up, switch off.
  12. Pour this water slowly on dhokla pieces. The seasoned water gets absorbed by the dhokla making it juicy.
  13. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves, fresh grated coconut and sev. 

Detailed Steps to make Khaman Dhokla

Take all the dry ingredients - besan, citric acid, salt, sugar, asafoetida, turmeric, finely chopped green chilies and grated ginger in a bowl. I like to pass the besan through a sieve to remove any lumps.

Khaman Dhokla Preparation Steps Khaman Dhokla Preparation Steps

Add 1/2 cup water and mix everything without any lumps.

Khaman Dhokla Preparation Steps

Add another 1/2 cup water and oil. Add more water if needed. It should be enough to make a thick batter (like idli batter). 

Khaman Dhokla Preparation Steps

Mix it well with a hand whisk to incorporate air into the batter. Let the batter rest for about 10 minutes. 

Now mix in the baking soda. You can see that almost immediately it reacts with the citric acid and lot of air bubbles are formed. 

Khaman Dhokla Preparation Steps Khaman Dhokla Preparation Steps

For cooking, you can use a dhokla stand with a steamer. If you do not have one, you can use any high edge pan or cake tin inside a big vessel.

Khaman Dhokla Preparation Steps Khaman Dhokla Preparation Steps

Pour the batter into a greased cake tin or any dish you use. Place it inside the bigger vessel. You could even use a pressure pan and the vessel that come inside.

Khaman Dhokla Preparation Steps Khaman Dhokla Preparation Steps

Cover with a lid and steam for 20 - 25 minutes on medium-high flame. Insert a knife or toothpick in the middle and it should come out clean.

Khaman Dhokla Preparation Steps Khaman Dhokla Preparation Steps

Switch off and let it rest for 5 minutes. Run a knife along the edges and turn it upside down onto a plate.

Khaman Dhokla Preparation Steps Khaman Dhokla Preparation Steps

In the meantime prepare the tempering. Heat 2 tbsp oil, add jeera (cumin seeds), rai (mustard seeds), til (sesame seeds), hing (asafoetida), slit green chilies and karipatta(curry leaves).

Khaman Dhokla Preparation Steps Khaman Dhokla Preparation Steps

When it splutters add 1/2 cup water, salt, sugar and lemon juice. When the water gets heated up, switch off.

Khaman Dhokla Preparation Steps

Pour this water slowly on dhokla pieces. The seasoned water gets absorbed by the dhokla making it juicy.

Khaman Dhokla Preparation Steps

Cut into squares.

Khaman Dhokla Preparation Steps

Garnish with fresh coriander leaves, fresh grated coconut and sev. 

Khaman Dhokla Preparation Steps

Serving Khaman Dhokla

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Comments (13)

Person   ()
nice and easy to make dishes
Person   ()
Thanks
Person   ()
dhokla is a tasty recipe
Person   ()
True.
Person   ()
what is khaman dhokla
Person   ()
Its a Gujarathi savory cake.
Person   ()
My dhokla came out good only it turned red after steaming. How come?
Person   ()
more chilly paste
Person   ()
add as per your taste.
Person   ()
how much water to be added?
Person   ()
water to make a thick batter.....
Person   ()
can citric acid be replaced with something?
Person   ()
yes, you may use lemon.
Its better to avoid the citric acid & baking soda as they only make the Dhokla fluffy, but no improvement in taste.

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Old Comments

Comment by ramya prabhu
hi!
it is necessary to pour 1/2 cup of water to dhokla pieces..

Reply :-
The water makes the dhokla really moist. You can skip it too.

Comment by deepti tyagi tyagi
hi,i want to add if you soak dhokla batter for 30 minutes u will get better results and if u use eno powder when keeping it for steaming u'll get better results.One thing more use grated radish, green chutney n tamarind chutney with corriender or radish chpped leaves.

Reply :-
Nice tips. Thanks for sharing.

Comment by shmi Shenoy
hi,
the receipe taste was awesome.. .but it was hard. can you give me tips on making it very soft like you at it in restaurant.
do i have to blend it for a long time till ... give me tips on how long i need to blend....
thanks in advance

Reply :-
The baking soda should make it really soft. I'm not sure why yours tuned hard.

Comment by Ritambhara pathak
please give meanings of cilantro &the meaning of splutters
needless to say your dishes are superb

Reply :-
Cilantro is also called dhanya or corriander leaves. Splutters means popping the seeds. It is also called thadka or bagar.

Comment by  Shweta Bongale
I tried this recipe just now for my little daughter (13 months).. and she enjoyed eating it.. wowww!!!!! .Thanks a lot for this recipe.
Could you please add some more instant recipes..
 
Reply :-
Good.. I'll surely add more instant recipes.

Comment by  Aarthi Prasanna
interested

Reply :-
Thank You

Comment by rita rodrigues on 27 November 2009 15:18PM
hi, i want to know if we can replace citric acid with white vinegar
Rita

Reply :-
I am not sure.

Comment by Aparna Ranish on 27 July 2009 09:44AM
hi dahlia Can we miss out citric acid .. cos i don have them ... i have been longing to make this .. i had once in a gujju party.
or can u gimme the procedure for that traditional one soaking in curds for long.
tx a ton
appu

Reply :-
Hi Aparna, Without the citric acid you will not get the tang that is needed for the dhoklas.          

Comment by anju sharma on 31 July 2009 11:11AM
hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

 Published by on and last updated on 2019-03-19.