Besan ka Dokhla
(Gram Flour dokhla)
Besan ka Dokhla is a traditional dish from Gujarat, but become very popular not only in India but other parts of the world. Dhokla is an excellent dish for breakfast and mid-afternoon or tea time snack and also great for appetizer and often served in parties.
Besan Dokhla is soft and spongy made by steaming besan (gram flour) and yogurt batter. After steaming it is cut into pieces then seasoned with curry leaves, sliced green chilies and mustard seeds and asafetida tadka. Besan Dokhla is usually accompanied with Dhania chutney (Hari chutney) or Tamarind chutney which makes every bite refreshing and heavenly. Since dokhla is steamed it is a nutritious guilt free snack.
Besan Dokhla is soft and spongy made by steaming besan (gram flour) and yogurt batter. After steaming it is cut into pieces then seasoned with curry leaves, sliced green chilies and mustard seeds and asafetida tadka. Besan Dokhla is usually accompanied with Dhania chutney (Hari chutney) or Tamarind chutney which makes every bite refreshing and heavenly. Since dokhla is steamed it is a nutritious guilt free snack.
Ingredients for Dokhla:
1 Cup of gram flour (Besan)
½ Cup plain yogurt (Homemade savor yogurt preferred)
½ Tablespoon fresh fine grated ginger
2 Medium green chili fine chopped or to taste
1 Teaspoon sugar
2 Teaspoons lemon juice
½ Teaspoon salt or to your taste
1½ Tablespoon vegetable oil
2 Teaspoons ENO fruit salt
½ Teaspoon Yeast
½ Cup of water
Water as required (depending on the consistency of yogurt)
Cooking measurement conversion
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1 Cup of gram flour (Besan)
½ Cup plain yogurt (Homemade savor yogurt preferred)
½ Tablespoon fresh fine grated ginger
2 Medium green chili fine chopped or to taste
1 Teaspoon sugar
2 Teaspoons lemon juice
½ Teaspoon salt or to your taste
1½ Tablespoon vegetable oil
2 Teaspoons ENO fruit salt
½ Teaspoon Yeast
½ Cup of water
Water as required (depending on the consistency of yogurt)
Cooking measurement conversion
Measurement converter
Besan (Gram flour)
Yogurt
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Grated Ginger
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Chopped Green chilies
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Lemon juice
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Sugar
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Salt
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Oil
Yeast
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Water
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ENO powder
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Ingredients for seasoning:
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1½ Teaspoons mustard seeds (Rai)
6 Medium green chilies–sliced lengthwise (remove the seeds & membrane
to reduce the heat)
6 to 8 Curry leaves (curry patta)
1 Pinch of Asafetida (Hing)
2 Tablespoons Sesame seeds
2 Dry whole red chilies
2 Tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
3 Tablespoons Water
Slice of lemon or lemon juice
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1½ Teaspoons mustard seeds (Rai)
6 Medium green chilies–sliced lengthwise (remove the seeds & membrane
to reduce the heat)
6 to 8 Curry leaves (curry patta)
1 Pinch of Asafetida (Hing)
2 Tablespoons Sesame seeds
2 Dry whole red chilies
2 Tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
3 Tablespoons Water
Slice of lemon or lemon juice
Mustard seeds (Rai)
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Asafetida (Hing)
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Red dry chilies
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Curry leaves
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Chopped coriander leaves
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Sesame seeds
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Green chilies- sliced
Slice of Lemon
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Oil
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Water
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Utensils to steam Dhokla:
1. Dokhla stand with pot
If you do not have Dokhla stand then you need: (See dokhla tips)
2. Large pot with cover (Pot should be big enough to hold the dish for steaming
Dokhla)
3. Round or square 2”-3” deep cake baking pan or a metal plate with the edges.
4. Cake cooling rack.
1. Dokhla stand with pot
If you do not have Dokhla stand then you need: (See dokhla tips)
2. Large pot with cover (Pot should be big enough to hold the dish for steaming
Dokhla)
3. Round or square 2”-3” deep cake baking pan or a metal plate with the edges.
4. Cake cooling rack.
Dokhla cooker with stand
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Large pot
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Pan for steaming Dokhla
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Rack
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Directions:
1. Add about 2 tablespoon of water in yeast and let the yeast disolve.
1. Add about 2 tablespoon of water in yeast and let the yeast disolve.
Add water in yeast
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Yeast is disolved in water
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2. In a bowl add Besan (Gram flour)
3. Add yogurt.
3. Add yogurt.
In a bowl add Besan (Gram flour)
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Add yogurt in Besan
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4. Add water.
5. With a hand mixer beat Besan with yigurt it for 2 minute or until it become
light and fluffy. If beating by spoon then beat it until batter become light and
fluffy, remove all the lumps, add some water if required.
5. With a hand mixer beat Besan with yigurt it for 2 minute or until it become
light and fluffy. If beating by spoon then beat it until batter become light and
fluffy, remove all the lumps, add some water if required.
Add water in Besan
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Mix Besan with hand mixer
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6. Add salt and mix.
7. Add yeast and mix. Yeast will help batter to ferment.
7. Add yeast and mix. Yeast will help batter to ferment.
Add salt and mix
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Add yeast and mix
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Besan Dokhla batter
8. The mixture should have a thick consistency.
9. Cover the bowl and keep it in a warm place to ferment for 3 to 4 hours or
over night.
9. Cover the bowl and keep it in a warm place to ferment for 3 to 4 hours or
over night.
Consistency of the batter
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Cover the bowl
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10. Once batter is fermented and ready to make Dokhla, prepare Dokhla cooker
to steam Dokhla. (I am steaming Dokhla in a pot as I do not have Dokhla
cooker)
11. In a large pot add water up to 1½ “ level of the pot and bring it to boil.
to steam Dokhla. (I am steaming Dokhla in a pot as I do not have Dokhla
cooker)
11. In a large pot add water up to 1½ “ level of the pot and bring it to boil.
In a pot add water and boil
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Water start boiling
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12. Once water starts boiling place the rack in the pot. (If you do not have a rack
then place a stainless bowl upside down)
13. Lightly grease the plates of Dokhla stand or the pan.
then place a stainless bowl upside down)
13. Lightly grease the plates of Dokhla stand or the pan.
Place the rack in the pot
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Grease the pan
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14. Add oil in fermented batter and mix.
Dokhla batter is fermented
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Add oil
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15. Add sugar in batter and mix.
16. Add Lemon juice in batter and mix
16. Add Lemon juice in batter and mix
Add sugar and mix
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Add lemon juice and mix
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17. Add green chilies and grated ginger in batter and mix.
Add green chilies & grated ginger
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Besan Dokhla batter
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18. Just before steaming add ENO fruit salt in the batter.
19. Sprinkle about 2 teaspoon of water over the ENO fruit salt, the bubble will
start forming, with the spoon mix gently, the batter will start rising.
19. Sprinkle about 2 teaspoon of water over the ENO fruit salt, the bubble will
start forming, with the spoon mix gently, the batter will start rising.
Add ENO Fruit salt in the batter
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Sprinkle water over ENO fruit salt
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20. Pour the batter immediately into the greased Dokhla pan or the plates, fill
about half the height of the pan. Shake the pan or plates clockwise to spread
the batter in an even layer.
about half the height of the pan. Shake the pan or plates clockwise to spread
the batter in an even layer.
Batter start rising
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Pour batter in the pan
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21. Immediately place pan with the batter in the pot, cover the lid of the pot and
steam on medium high heat for 10 to 12 minutes.
steam on medium high heat for 10 to 12 minutes.
Dokhla batter in the pan
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Place the pan in the pot
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Cover the pot
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Take the cover off the pot
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22. To check if dokhla is done take a toothpick and poke it in the center, if the toothpick comes out clean and dry it means dokhla is done, if not, cook it little longer and check again.
23. Take the dokhla pan out of the steamer and let it cool down.
23. Take the dokhla pan out of the steamer and let it cool down.
Insert toothpick in Dokhla to check
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Steamed Dokhla
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24. Once Dokhla cools down take a butter Knife or a plastic knife and grease a
little and gently slid along the edges to loosen the Dokhla.
25. Place a upside plate on the top of the pan.
little and gently slid along the edges to loosen the Dokhla.
25. Place a upside plate on the top of the pan.
Slid a knife to loosen up Dokhla
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Please a plate on the top of the pan
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26. Invert the Dokhla steaming pan. If pan is greased well and loosen up well the
Dokhla will easily get inverted on the plate.
Dokhla will easily get inverted on the plate.
Invert the pan
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Dokhla slide out on the plate
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27.Take a knife and grease a little and cut Dokhla into 2” square pieces or the
desired size.
desired size.
With a knife cut the Dokhla
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Dokhla is cut into pieces
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28.While Dokhla is warm pour the seasoning mixture evenly on the Dokhla
and let it seep through the sliced edges. With a spoon pour some seasoning
through the edges of Dokhla pieces.
29. Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves over Dokhla.
and let it seep through the sliced edges. With a spoon pour some seasoning
through the edges of Dokhla pieces.
29. Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves over Dokhla.
Pour seasoning over Dokhla
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Sprinkle coriander leaves
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Besan Dokhla
Green chutney
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Tamarind chutney
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Direction to prepare the seasoning:
1. In a frying pan add 2 Tablespoon oil and heat.
2. Add 1 Teaspoon mustard seeds and allow them to crackle.
1. In a frying pan add 2 Tablespoon oil and heat.
2. Add 1 Teaspoon mustard seeds and allow them to crackle.
In a pan add oil and heat
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Add Mustard seeds & fry
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3 Add red chilies and asafetida (Hing) and fry for few seconds.
Mustard seeds are fried
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Add chilies and asafetida (Hing ) & fry
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4. Add sesame seeds and sauté for few minutes. Don’t brown the seeds.
5. Add curry leaves and fry for few seconds.
5. Add curry leaves and fry for few seconds.
Add sesame seeds and sauté
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Add curry leaves and sauté
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6. Add sliced green chilies and sauté for few minutes.
7. Add 2 tablespoons of water, be careful while adding water as the mixture
sizzles.
8. Mix water with mustard seeds, green and red chilies and curry leaves and cook
for few minutes.
7. Add 2 tablespoons of water, be careful while adding water as the mixture
sizzles.
8. Mix water with mustard seeds, green and red chilies and curry leaves and cook
for few minutes.
Add green chilies & sauté
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Add water & mix and cook
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9. Squeeze some lemon juice and mix.
10. Seasoning for Dokhla is ready turn the stove off.
10. Seasoning for Dokhla is ready turn the stove off.
Squeeze some lemon juice
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Seasoning for Dokhla is ready
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Tips: (See Dokhla tips)
1. The batter have to be fermented otherwise the doklha won’t be spongy.
2. If the yogurt is watery then it requires less water to make the batter.
3. Make sure steamer is start making steam before placing the dish with
batter in it otherwise dokhla may not turn spongy.
4. Eno fruit salt could be purchased from any Indian grocery store.
5. After adding ENO fruit salt in the batter don’t keep it idle for a
long time, steam it immediately, otherwise dhokla will not be spongy
6. If you want to prepare dhokla in batches then prepare batter without adding
ENO salt and divide it into two equal portions. Add ENO salt in one portion
and mix and pour immediately into greased pan and steam. When first
batch is steamed add ENO salt in the other portion and follow the same
process.
1. The batter have to be fermented otherwise the doklha won’t be spongy.
2. If the yogurt is watery then it requires less water to make the batter.
3. Make sure steamer is start making steam before placing the dish with
batter in it otherwise dokhla may not turn spongy.
4. Eno fruit salt could be purchased from any Indian grocery store.
5. After adding ENO fruit salt in the batter don’t keep it idle for a
long time, steam it immediately, otherwise dhokla will not be spongy
6. If you want to prepare dhokla in batches then prepare batter without adding
ENO salt and divide it into two equal portions. Add ENO salt in one portion
and mix and pour immediately into greased pan and steam. When first
batch is steamed add ENO salt in the other portion and follow the same
process.
Please take the time to let me know what you think about my recipe. Your comments would be helpful to me to improve the recipe.
Thank you
Geeta Seth
Other recipe:
Dokhla tips Besan cheela (Gram flour pancake)
Moong dal Dokhla Moong dal cheela (Pancake)
Sooji ka dokhla Sooji halwa (Cream of wheat halwa)
Urad dal and rice dokhla Uthappam with cream of wheat (sooji)
Dokhla tips Besan cheela (Gram flour pancake)
Moong dal Dokhla Moong dal cheela (Pancake)
Sooji ka dokhla Sooji halwa (Cream of wheat halwa)
Urad dal and rice dokhla Uthappam with cream of wheat (sooji)
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