Khaman Dhokla is a famous dish from Gujarat. You can say Khaman is to Gujarat is as Idly & Dosa to south India, Poha to M.P, Vada Pav to Maharashtra, parathas to Punjab. Many of my friends, complain that their Khaman Dhoklas are not spongy as mine so I thought to put its recipe step by step, with photos. Whenever I have unexpected guests at home I use the Khaman Dhokla ready mix. It's quick and easy to make with instant mix but whenever I have time I make mix at home.

Ingredients

• 1 cup khaman dhokla mix
• 2 table spoon oil
• 2 green chillies 
• 8 curry leaves
• 1 tea spoon mustard seeds
• 1 tea spoon til (sesame seeds)
• pinch of hing (afsofedia)
• water as required
• coriander for garnishing

Method

• In a large vessel,pour 3 cups of water and keep it on the  gas to boil.

• In a khaman dhokla mix, add water to make a thick paste like very thick ice cream shake, start with half cup of water then slowly add more as required.
• Add one tablespoon of oil to the paste.
• Pour batter into greased round container.

• Keep a steel ring in the center of a vessel as shown in the picture. Now put the round container on it. Idea is to keep the container above the water so that water doesn't get inside the container, containing dhokla paste. Cover the vessel with the lid.

• If you are using Dhokla maker then it is fine. If you are making in pressure cooker don't put the whistle.
• Steam on high flame for 15 minutes.
• Remove and allow to cool for 5 min and cut it into square pieces.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small pan. Add mustard seeds,when it splutters add hing,til, curry leaves and green chilles. Fry for 30 seconds. Add 2 table spoon of water and immediately put the lid on the pan. Turn off the gas and pour this seasoning over dhoklas.
• Garnish with coriander chutney and serve hot.

How to test dhoklas are ready?

• Test it with knife or toothpick, poke the dhokla in the middle if it comes up with some wet batter, keep it on the gas for another 5 minutes.
• If it comes out clean and dry dhoklas are ready.There should be a nice sponge in the dhokla.

khaman dhokla mix at home

If you want to make khaman dhokla mix at home, ingredients are
1 cup besan (gram flour)
1 tea spoon salt
1 tea spoon sugar
2 table spoon lemon juice or 1 tea spoon nimbu ka sat(citric acid)
1 tea spoon fruit salt (eno)

Mix besan, salt, sugar,  lemon juice, and oil and then add  water enough to make a thick paste.Then add soda or eno and stir it well. then follow the stemming and seasoning process as written above.

Rajasthan Food is an experience to be cherished....

Rajasthan is a desert region. The use of milk, curd and buttermilk instead of the water in the gravy is the distinguished feature of Rajasthani cuisine. Due to the less cultivation of leafy green vegetables, lentils, and legumes, Gram flour,bajra ,corn and dried lentils, beans like ker and sangri are the major ingredients here.

The famous Rajasthani food is dal, bati and churma ( dal is lentils; bati is baked wheat ball; and churma is powdered sweetened cereal) and gatte ki sabji. Besides, each region is distinguished by its popular sweet like Mawa Kachori from Jodhpur, Malpuas from Pushkar, Rasagullas from Bikaner, Ghevar from Jaipur, Sohan Halwa from Ajmer, Mawa from Alwar and tilpapadi from Beawar etc. etc.

It is always a pleasure to present a recipe from your native place. The food which you relish the most. Will come up soon with more Rajasthani dishes.

Gatte Ki Sabji

(serves 2)

For Gatte

• 1 cup Besan (gram flour)
• 1/4 cup water or as required
• 1/2 tea spoon chilly powder
• 1/2 tea spoon salt
• 1/4 tea spoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 tea spoon ajwin (oregano)
• 1 tea spoon ginger garlic paste
• 1 table spoon oil

OTHERS:

• 3 cup water
• 1/2 cup curd
• 2 tea spoon Dhaniya powder
• 1 tea spoon red chilly powder
• 1/4 turmeric powder
• salt as per taste
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 small onion chopped
• 2 tea spoon ginger garlic paste
• 1 green chilly chopped
• 1 stem curry leaves
• cilantro/coriander for garnishing
• 2 table spoon oil

• For gatte,mix all the ingredients and make a stiff dough.
• Make cylindrical rolls of the dough as shown in picture.
  boil the water in pan. Put the rolls in the boiling water for 8-10 min.

• Meanwhile in the curd add dhaniya,chilly,turmeric powder and salt.Beat it and keep aside.

• Cut the rolls into small pieces. Keep the water aside.

• For tempering. Heat the oil in a pan .Add cumin seeds, curry leaves, ginger garlic paste and green chilly.
• Add onions,saute it.
• Add curd.Cook for 4-5 min or till the curd leaves the oil.
• Add gatte pieces and water.bring a boil and simmer the gas and cook for 5 more min.
• Garnish it with cilantro.

Note:
In place of curd you can use 2 small size chopped tomatoes.
For garnishing you can use fresh or dried mint leaves too.