This khaman dhokla recipe yields a wonderfully soft and fluffy cake that's lightly sweet, savory, and perfect for any time of day. With my step-by-step instructions, it's simple to make steamed on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot. Khaman is commonly referred to as khaman dhokla, but dhokla is not the same as khaman. Dhokla is made from a fermented batter of ground rice and lentils such as chana dal or urad dal. Khaman, on the other hand, is made quickly with gram flour (besan). In contrast to dhokla batter, khaman batter is not fermented.
How to make Khaman Dhokla Recipe
Preparation:-
1. 2 to 3 teaspoons oil to grease a steamer pan
2. Combine 1.5 cups gramme flour in a mixing bowl or pan (120 grammes besan).
Alternatively, chickpea flour can be used to make khaman.
3. The add the following ingredients:
• 2 to 3 pinches of turmeric powder
• 1.5 tbsp lemon or lime juice or ⅓– ½ teaspoon pure citric acid
• 1.5 teaspoons ginger paste (crush 1.5 inch ginger and 1.5 teaspoons green chilies in a mortar-pestle)
• 1.5 teaspoons green chili paste
• 1 tablespoon sugar, or as desired
• 1 teaspoon salt or add as per taste
4. To make a thick yet smooth flowing batter, combine 1 cup water (or more or less as needed) and 1 tablespoon oil. The amount of water required is determined by the quality of the flour, so start with 1 cup and add as needed. To combine, whisk everything together thoroughly.
5. Then add 1 tablespoon rava (semolina). This is completely optional, but it adds a nice texture to the khaman. To make it gluten-free, omit the rava or semolina.
6. Using a whisk, make a smooth, thick batter with no lumps.
7. The batter should be thick, but can easily flow off the whisk. A quick tip is to add 1 to 2 tablespoons of flour if the batter becomes too thin.
Next, bring 2 to 2.5 cups of water to a boil in a steamer pan or electric cooker or pressure cooker.The amount of water required is determined by the size of the steamer or pressure cooker.
9. After that, stir in 2 teaspoons Eno or fruit salt. 2 teaspoons Eno softens and fluffys the khaman. However, Eno has a slightly alkaline flavour.
If you don't like this flavour, use only 1.5 teaspoons of Eno. If you're using baking soda as a leavener, use ½ teaspoon to ¾ teaspoon.
10. Stir the eno into the batter quickly.
11. Fruit salt should be evenly distributed throughout the batter. If not, the texture of the khaman will be uneven. Because the eno will cause the batter to become frothy, you must work quickly to thoroughly whisk it in.
12. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
13. Shake the pan gently to even out the batter. The batter is shown below, ready to be steamed.
Steaming Dhokla:-
1. Put the pan in the steamer or pressure cooker. When you add the khaman batter to the pan, the water should be boiling or hot. Remove the vent weight/whistle from the lid of a pressure cooker and cover it tightly with the lid.
2. In an electric rice cooker, steam for 15 to 20 minutes. Steam for 12 to 15 minutes on medium to medium-high heat in a pan, pressure cooker, or Instant Pot. Cooked for 17 minutes in an electric rice cooker.
While the khaman is cooking, you can start working on the spice and herb solution for tempering it.
3. Insert a toothpick to test for doneness. If the khaman is finished, it should be clean. If the toothpick has batter on it, continue to steam for another few minutes.
4.Allow the khaman to warm up or cool completely. Gently slide a butter knife along the edges of the pan to remove the khaman. On top of the pan, place a plate or tray.
5. Invert the pan as soon as possible.
6. Cut the khaman into squares with a sharp knife and set aside until ready to temper.
Preparing Tempering:-
1. Tempering is necessary to infuse flavour into the khaman and add moisture to the gramme flour sponge. To begin making the temper, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Use peanut oil or another oil with a neutral flavour.
2. 1 teaspoon mustard seeds, cracked.
3. When the mustard seeds begin to crackle, add 10 to 12 curry leaves, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, and 1 teaspoon chopped green chilli, if desired.
4. 2 teaspoon white sesame seeds, stirred in
5. Fry the sesame seeds for a few seconds more. However, do not brown them or they will become bitter.
6. Next carefully add ⅓ cup of water. When you're adding water, turn off the heat.
7. Then add 2 teaspoons of sugar.
8. Allow the tempering mixture to come to a boil while stirring. Ascertain that the sugar has been dissolved.
Making Khaman:-
9. Take the pan off the heat and pour the tempering mixture evenly over the khaman dhokla, making sure it seeps through the sliced edges.
10. If desired, garnish with 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves and 2 to 3 tablespoons grated coconut.