Dhokla — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

A light and spongy steamed cake from Gujarat made from fermented chickpea flour batter, tempered with mustard seeds and curry leaves. This savory snack is a masterpiece of texture and tangy flavor.

Ingredients

200g chickpea flour (besan)
200ml plain yogurt
100ml water
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
10 curry leaves
2 green chilies, slit
2 tablespoons fresh coriander, chopped

Instructions

1 Mix the chickpea flour, yogurt, water, turmeric, sugar, salt, and lemon juice into a smooth batter and let it ferment in a warm place for six to eight hours or overnight.
2 Just before steaming, add the baking soda to the batter and stir gently until it becomes light and airy with visible bubbles forming throughout the mixture.
3 Pour the batter into a greased square pan and steam in a covered steamer over boiling water for fifteen to twenty minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
4 Prepare the tempering by heating oil in a small pan and popping mustard seeds, then adding curry leaves and green chilies until they sizzle and become fragrant.
5 Pour the hot tempering over the steamed dhokla, cut it into diamond shapes, garnish with fresh coriander, and serve with green chutney and sweet tamarind chutney.

Did You Know?

Dhokla was included in a list of the world top fifty most delicious foods by a CNN poll, making it one of the few Indian snacks to gain such international recognition.