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DHOKLA

Bread Dhokla

7-8 slices of bread
2 tbsp. grated coconut
1 tbsp. chopped green chilies
1/4 tsp. chopped ginger
1 cup thick yogurt
1/2 tsp. Chili powder
1/2 tsp. Amchur (mango) powder
½ tsp. mustard seeds
Sprig curry leaves
Ghee for shallow frying
Salt according to taste

Remove the edges of the bread slices, cut each into 4 squares. Mix together the yogurt, chopped green chilies, ginger and salt. Spread the mixture onto each square. Join two squares to form a tiny sandwich. Heat ghee in a frying pan, add the mustard seeds and curry leaves. When they splutter, place the sandwiches in pan and fry on both sides. Serve hot.

Dal Dhokli (Dumplings in Lentil Curry)

1 cup tuvar dal
2 tbsps peanuts, soaked in water for 30 minutes
1 tsp cumin seeds
4 cocums (a red sour fruit like a plum)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
l/2 tsp chilli powder

For the dhokli:
1 cup wheat flour (aata)
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp chilli powder
l/2 tsp asafetida
Ghee
Salt to taste

Boil the dal and the peanuts in a pressure cooker till soft. Keep aside. Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a pan and add cumin seeds, asafetida and finally, the boiled dal. Add cocum, turmeric powder, chilli powder, sugar and curry leaves. Boil and add salt to taste. To make the dhokli, mix the flour, salt, turmeric, chilli powder, asafetida and a little ghee and make a stiff dough with water. Knead well and roll out into five inch discs, about ¼ inch thick. Cut the discs into diamonds or squares with a knife and drop them into the boiling dal mixture. When all the dhokli pieces are put in, boil the dal for a further 15 minutes on a low fire. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Dal Ka Dhokla

3 cups rice
1 cup black gram dal
1 cup curd
6 green chilies
1 tsp. grounded ginger
A pinch of asafoetida
Salt to taste
1 tbsp. ghee
1/2 tsp. soda bicarbonate
1/2 tbsp. black pepper (coarse)

Wash dal and rice together. Spread on a cloth and allow to dry in the sun. Grind coarsely. Mix warm water and curd in a bowl. Add the grinded mixture and mix well. Cover tightly and set aside for 6 to 8 hours. When fermented, add ground chilies, ginger, salt and asafetida. Mix well. Mix 1 tbsp. of ghee and soda into the batter. Pour a cup of batter onto a greased thali, sprinkle with black pepper and steam for 15 minutes. When cool, cut into squares and offer.

Dhokla #1

Gram flour 350 gms.
Curd (yogurt) 1 cup
Chopped green chili 1 tbsp.
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp.
Mustard seeds 1 tsp.
Chopped ginger 1 tbsp.
Soda bi-carb 1 tsp.
Chopped green coriander 1 tbsp.
Fresh grated coconut ½ cup
Lemon 1
Ghee 2 tbsp.
Salt to taste

Put gram flour in a bowl. Add beaten curd and warm water. Whisk well to remove all lumps. The mixture should have a thick consistency. Add salt and cover it and leave it to ferment for 3-4 hours. Make a paste of ginger and green chilies. Add this paste to the fermented mixture. Add turmeric powder and correct seasoning. Keep the steamer ready on the flame. Grease a dhokla mold or a shallow cake tin with a little ghee or butter. In a small bowl add soda bi-carb, ghee, and juice of a lemon. Mix well and add this to the gram flour mixture. Pour the batter into the greased mold and steam for 10-12 minutes. Cool for some time. Cut into squares and arrange in a serving platter/bowl. Heat ghee in a small pan. Add mustard seeds. When the seeds begin to crackle, remove and pour over the dhoklas. Serve garnished with chopped green coriander leaves and grated coconut.

Dhokla #2

1 cup rice
1/4 cup black gram skinless (urad dal)
1/4 cup yoghurt
1 1/2 cup warm water
1 one inch piece of ginger
4 green chillies
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoon ghee
2 tablespoon coriander leaves
salt to taste

Dry roast the rice and the dal on medium heat for four to five minutes. Cool and grind into a semi coarse powder. Put the powder in a bowl. Add yoghurt which should be a little sour and to this add warm water. Mix thoroughly so that no lumps are formed and the batter is of pouring consistency. Add salt and let it ferment for eight to ten hours. Make a paste of ginger and green chillies. Once fermented, mix this ginger and green chilli paste with the batter. Grease the dhokla pan or a thali. Boil water in the steamer. Pour half of the batter in another vessel. In a small bowl, add 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, half teaspoon ghee and half tspn. lemon juice. A dd this to the batter and mix well. Repeat this for the remaining batter just before putting it in the steamer/boiler. Pour the batter into the greased pan, put into the steamer and steam for eight to ten minutes. Check with a knife. If the knife comes out clean, it is cooked. Sprinkle some finely chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with green chutney.

Dhokla #3

3 cups Rice
2 cups Bengal Gram (split)
1 cup Yoghurt (sour)
3 Green Chillies
1 pinch Mustard seeds (black)
1 pinch Sesame Seeds
Coconut to taste (ground)
Sprig Curry Leaves
Coriander leaves for garnishing
1 pinch Baking Soda
Salt to taste

Soak the rice and channa dal overnight. Grind it and add the curd and salt. Leave it for 5 to 6 hrs to ferment in a warm area of the room. Mix green chilli paste into it. Boil water in a big container for steaming. Meanwhile grease a thali and put a pinch of soda into batter. Pour batter into thali and steam the dhokla till the cake is set and cooked. Remove and cut into squares when its cold. For tempering, heat ghee and fry the mustard seeds, sesame seeds, curry leaves and green chillies. Spread this ghee over dhokla pieces and decorate it with coriander leaves and grated coconut. Serve with tamarind and green chutneys.

Dhokla #4

1 Cup Besan
1tbsp Sugar
1tbsp Ghee
1tsp each of ginger and green chilli paste
Salt
1 tbsp Lemon Juice
1/2 Tsp turmeric powder
1 Teaspoon Fruit Salt

For Seasoning:
1 tbsp ghee
1 tsp of Mustard seeds
1/4 tsp of asofoetida
¼ tsp of methi seeds

Mix all ingredients except fruit salt and make a smooth batter. Set aside for 10 minutes. Keep a pan of boiling water ready to steam the dhoklas. Grease a plate with ghee. Add the fruit salt to the batter and mix well. It will become frothy. Pour batter into the prepared plate and steam in a closed pan for 10 minutes. Leave to cool for 5 minutes. Cut into pieces and invert plate onto bigger plate, so the pieces will come out. Season and garnish with fresh coriander and coconut.

Dhokla #5

1 cup Rava
1/2 cup Yogurt
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons Eno Fruit Salt
Salt to taste
Ginger paste
Green chillies, finely chopped
Ground red chilli powder or black pepper (or both)

Mix yogurt well to sooth out the lumps. Mix water and other ingredient except rava into it. Slowly add Rava to the mixture. Make sure you mix it well. Set it aside for about 10-12 minutes. Grease a baking dish or thali with ghee/butter. Arrange a pressure cooker or steamer so water won’t splash into the pan while it’s being steamed. Add Eno to the batter and mix it well. Immediately pour the mixture into the greased thali. Sprinkle red chillie or black pepper powder on top to your desire. Let it steam for about 18 minutes. Let it stand cooling for 2-3 minutes, then cut the dhokla in desired shapes.

Dhokla #6

Boiled rice - 1 Cup
Gram flour- 3/4 to 1 cup
Sour Buttermilk - 2 cups
Green chillies - 4-5
Mustard seeds - 1tbsp.
Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp.
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Ghee - 5-6 big spoon

Soak the boiled rice in buttermilk for 1/2 hour. Put ghee in a thick bottom vessel. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, green chillies cut into halves, turmeric powder. Let it splutter. Then add rice with buttermilk. Let it boil for 2 minutes. Now keep the flame low and add Gram flour slowly. Go on stirring, add salt to taste. This as done when the oil separates out.

Dhokla Layered Cake

1 Packet Instant Dhokla (250 g. Net Weight, or your own fresh Dhokla recipe)

For the Filling:
4 Medium Potatoes, steamed and mashed
1 Carrot, grated
3 Tbsp Ghee
1 Tbsp Poppy Seeds (Hindi Khus Khus)
1 Tbsp Aniseed (Hindi Sauf)
3 Green Chillies
1 Tbsp Chopped Ginger
1 Tsp Red Chilli Powder
1 Tbsp Coriander Powder
1 Tbsp Mango Powder
1 Tsp Salt
1 Tbsp Chaat Masala
1 Tbsp Chopped Coriander Leaves

Other Ingredients:
½ cup Green Coriander Chutney
½ cup Sweet and Sour Tamarind Chutney
Chopped Coriander Leaves
Finely Chopped Tomatoes

Prepare and steam the Dhokla in a round tin as per usual. Cool a bit and then with a knife cut it horizontally in half. For the Filling: Heat ghee in a pan and add aniseed and then poppy seeds to it. Add green chilli and ginger and sauté well. Add spices and potatoes and mix well. Next add grated carrots to it. Add coriander and mix well. Check the seasoning and adjust accordingly. On a serving dish, put half of the cut dhokla down, then spread Green Chutney over it. Apply the Potato Filling on top and sprinkle with chopped coriander leaves. Cover with other half of the dhokla cake and then spread Tamarind Chutney over it. Decorate with more coriander leaves, chopped tomato and Green Coriander Chutney. Cut in slices, offer and serve immediately, so it doesn’t become soggy.

Gujarat Khaman

1 cup jasmine rice
1 cup urad dal
1 cup yellow moong dal
3 cups sour buttermilk
2 green chillies crushed fine
1/4 tsp. ginger grated fine
1/2 tsp. soda bicarb
2 tbsp. ghee
2-3 pinches red chilli powder
1/2 tbsp. coriander finely chopped
Salt to taste

Mix the rice and dal, wash, drain and dry on a clean cloth for a few hours. The grains should be completely dry. Grind to a coarse flour in dry grinder or at the flour mill. This flour should be like very fine soji in texture. Store in airtight container and use as required. Will keep good up to 2 months. To make khaman, take 1 cup flour in a bowl. Add buttermilk, and mix well. Set aside for 4-5 hours. Dissolve soda bicarb in the ghee. Add to batter. Mix all ingredients except red chilli powder and coriander. Pour immediately in a 6" diameter greased pan or thali. Steam over water either in a cooker or steamer. Make sure water doesn’t splash into the dhokla batter. Pierce with a knife to check, should come out clean if done. Sprinkle the chilli powder and coriander, steam again for 2-3 minutes. Cut into squares or diamonds and serve hot with coconut chutney.

Gujurat Khatta Dhokla

3 cups jasmine rice
1 cup urad dal
1/2 cup sour curd
2 tbsp green chilli-ginger paste
3/4 tsp soda-bi-carb
1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)
1 tbsp black pepper, coarsely ground
3 tbsp ghee
salt to taste

Wipe the rice and urad dal with a wet cloth, mix and dry grind coarsely (like semolina). Alternatively, soak the rice and urad dal overnight in plenty of water and grind in a mixture the next day. Add the sour curds and hot water and make into a thick paste. Allow to ferment for at least 6 to 7 hours. Add the soda bi-carb, ghee, asafoetida, green chilli-ginger paste and salt and mix well. Apply a little ghee to a metal thali (flat metal with low rim). Pour enough batter so as to fill half the height of the thali. This should ordinary be about 1/2 teacup for a small thali. Sprinkle a little ground pepper on top. Steam for about 10 minutes. Repeat with the rest of the batter. Cut into pieces and offer with ghee and green chutney.

Khaman Dhokla (Steamed Lentil Squares)

2 cups chana dal
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 cup urad dal
1/4 coconut grated
2 lemons
2 tbsps coriander leaves chopped
1 tsp green chilli-ginger paste
8 curry leaves
4tsp asafoetida
4 tbsps ghee
1/4tsp soda bicarb
Salt to taste
1 tsp sugar

Soak chana dal and urad dal for 8 hours. Grind finely. Mix ginger and green chilli paste to the dal paste. Add soda bicarb, asafoetida, salt and sugar. Heat two tbsps ghee and pour into the dal mixture. Put the mixture in a vessel. Cover and leave overnight. Add the juice of two lemons in the morning. Spread the mixture in a greased thali or pan and steam cook. When dhokla is ready, test by piercing with a knife. It should come out clean. Remove and cool. Cut into squares. To season, heat remaining ghee, add mustard seeds, a pinch of asafoetida and curry leaves. When they pop, pour over the dhoklas. Garnish with grated coconut and green coriander leaves and serve.

Khaman Dhokla

1 cup channa dal (split bengal gram)
1 cup moong dal with skin
1 tablespoon chilli ginger paste
salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 cup butter milk
1 teaspoon sugar
a pinch of asafoetida
1/2 teaspoon soda-bi-carb
3 tablespoons ghee

1 oz ghee
Big pinch citric acid (or 1 tblsp lemon juice)
1/4 teaspoon soda-bi-carb

To temper:
2 tablespoons ghee
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
coriander leaves to garnish

Soak both the dals separately for five hours. Remove skin of moong dal as much as possible. Then grind to a paste. Mix both the pastes with other ingredients. Beat mixture with hands to make it light and fluffy. Then cover with a tight lid and keep aside in a warm place for about five hours to ferment. Now combine ghee, water and citric acid in a small vessel. Heat it. When it starts boiling, remove from fire and add half teaspoon soda bicarb. It will bubble. Stir with a spoon and pour it in the fermented batter. Mix well. Pour batter into a greased thali or pan and set above water in a steamer, so batter won’t be splashed. Cover and steam for 15 minutes. The batter will rise and make spongy dhoklas. Take out carefully from inside and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Cut square pieces and take out in a serving plate. Prepare tempering by heating ghee and mustard seeds. When the seeds stop spluttering, add sesame seeds and cover with a lid. Switch off gas and hold till spluttering stops. Pour over dhoklas evenly. Sprinkle coriander leaves.

Quick Bread Dhoklas

a few slices of bread
2 tbsp grated coconut
1 tbsp chopped green chilies
1/4 tsp chopped ginger
1 cup thick yoghurt
1 tsp mustard seeds
sprig curry leaves
ghee for frying
salt to taste

Remove the edges of the bread slices. Cut each into 4 squares. Mix together the yoghurt, coconut, chillies, ginger and salt. Spread this mixture onto each square. Join two squares to form a tiny sandwich. Heat ghee in a frying pan and add the mustard seeds. After mustard seeds have popped, add the curry leaves and place the sandwiches in the pan. Fry both sides well, serve hot.

Rajasthan Dal Dhokli

For dhokli:
2 cups flour
2 tbsp. ghee
2 tsp. red chilli powder
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
salt to taste
1 tsp. ajwain seeds
1 tbsp. coriander chopped fine
warm water for dough

For dal:
1 cup moong dal
1 tbsp. toor dal
1 tbsp. chana dal
10-12 cups water
1 tsp. coriander powder
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
2 tsp. red chilli powder
1/4 tsp. cinnamon-clove powder
1/2 tsp. garam masala
1/2 tsp. each cumin & mustard seeds
1 lemon juice extracted
2 green chillies slit
1 stalk curry leaves
1/8 tsp. asafoetida
3 tbsp. ghee
1 tbsp. coriander leaves finely chopped

Wash all dals, soak in water and keep aside for 1 hour For dal, add water, turmeric and salt. For dhokli, mix flour and all other ingredients. Add very little water gradually making a stiff dough. Take a lump of dough, shape into a thin cylinder. Pinch of bits of dough, about the size of an almond. Roll each into a round, press in palm and make a saucerlike depression with thumb. Repeat for all dough. While making dhoklis, put dal to boil. Scatter in all dhoklis, little by little. Stir so that they have not stuck together. Allow to simmer for 15 minutes. Add more water if too thick. Add all dry masalas into dal, except clove cinnamon powder, asafoetida and garam masala. Press a dhokli between fingers, it should break easily, to be done. Also dal should be thouroughly cooked. In a small saucepan, heat ghee, add cumin & mustard seeds, allow to splutter. Add green chilli, curry leaves, asafoetida and red chilli powder Add clove cinnamon powder and add spluttering seasoning to boiling dhokli. Add garam masala, lemon juice and coriander, stir and check taste for spices, salt and lemon. Simmer till wateriness is gone and liquid is of thick dal consistency.

Rawa Dokhla

2 Cups fine rawa
1-1/2 tbsp bengal gram flour
1 tsp ginger, green chilli paste
a Pinch turmeric powder
1-1/2 Cup our thick curd
1 tbsp Eno's fruit salt
3 tbsp ghee
salt to taste
1/2 tsp red chilli powder

Seasoning:
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp black gram dhal
3 green chillies
curry leaves - few springs
Chopped coriander leaves

Mix rawa, flour, turmeric, ginger chilli paste with salt to the curd. Mix Eno's fruit salt with ghee and mix in dhokla batter. Steam immediately in a greased pan. After cooking, sprinkle red chilli powder and cut into big pieces. Heat another teaspoon of ghee, add seasonings and pour on dhokla pieces and offer.

Sooji Dhokla

2 Cups Sooji (farina/cream of wheat), lightly roasted
2 cups sour curds or buttermilk
1 tsp Ginger paste
5 Green chillies, ground to a paste
1/2 tsp Chilli powder
1 tsp Salt
3/4 cup Water
2 tsp Fruit salt (Eno)

Heat pressure cooker with enough water in it. Mix sooji, curds, ginger, chilli paste, salt and water to make a thick batter. Mix in fruit salt and spread batter in a wet thali. Sprinkle chilli powder over it. Steam for about 10 to 12 minutes without weight. Let cool. Cut into pieces and offer.