Instant Khatta Dhokla

Yay! I couldn't wait to blog about this recipe I LOVE IT!!! When cooked it is a lovely WHITE colour! It is made with rice flour and curds and that is what gives this dish a wonder full colour that makes this dish soooo inviting to look at. At the end of the day food should be a feast for the eye's as well as the stomach!

I have had the offer to learn a few recipes, but because of silly reasons, i didn;t take up the offers!!! I know i know!! This is one of my life regrets, that i didn't take up the offer to learn how to make home made Indian food as it is a really good way to learn how to cook real Indian food.

The reason i adapted this recipe was because i simply didn't have the right amount of ingredients, but i really wanted to try this recipe, even though i had never tasted this version of dhokla before. This sound strange i know but i had seen the recipe for khatta dhokla many times and always thought it sounded really nice. I had only ever seen the yellow kind of dhokla before, it is a big favourite farsan of mine, so it is only natural for me to want to try something that sounds and looks so yummy.

This is now also one of those recipes that i like to cook on a regular basis. I think i almost get cravings for this recipe on nearly a daily basis!! OINK OINK little piggy! i could eat them all to my self too!!!!! ;-)

So here is my version of Instant khatta dhokla:-

Ingredients:-

1 heaped cup of ground rice ( or you could coarsely grind your own from normal rice)
1/4 cup of gram flour ( besan )
1/4 cup of coarse semolina (rawa)
1 tsp salt ( or to taste )
1 - 2 tsp sugar
pinch of asafoetida ( hing )
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 cup yogurt
2/3 tbs oil
1/2 tsp ginger paste
1/2 tsp green chilli paste
1 heaped tsp eno ( not to be used untill the very last minute )

Seasoning ingredients :-

1 1/2 tbs sunflower oil
1 tsp sesame seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seed chilli ( or julienne )
10-12 curry leaves ( curry patta )

Directions :- Get the water to simmering point in a steamer on the hob.

1) Mix all of the dry flour's together, until well Incorporated.
2) Add the salt and sugar and mix well.
3) Add the yogurt and mix until it is well Incorporated.
4) Whisk in the right amount of water. I know that i haven't given any measurements for water but you need the consistency to be not quite poring consistency, but not dropping consistency. I find that this batter is better if is slightly thinner than the normal dhokla batter.
5) Add the ginger and chilli pastes and mix well.
6) This is the point that i like to add the oil, because if you add it to the flour it makes it much harder to get a lump free batter.
7) Lightly grease a dhokla stand or a cake tin which will fit into a steamer.
8) When the water is simmering and you have mixed in all of the ingredients together and greased whatever you are steaming your dhoklas in, you can add the eno to the batter. I i try to mix as quick as possible in a folding and cutting technique so that i don't loose all the bubbles from the eno.
9) Quickly transfer the batter to the steamer and steam for 10 min if you are making thinner dhokla or 20 min if you are using a deep cake tin
10) When the timer has gone, lift the lid and check the dhoklas with a butter knife. If the knife comes out clean, your dhokla's are done. Set aside to cool down.
11) Heat the oil in a pan and fry the mustard seeds until the pop and crackle.
12) Take off the heat and add the Curry leaves, sesame seeds and red chilli. Stir for 30 seconds and poor onto the dhokla's
13) Garnish with coriander and a sprinkle of Kashmir chilli powder.
Enjoy with coriander chutney and chilli with mustard seed pickle.

For a nice variation you can sprinkle some crushed black pepper