Feather-light spongy dhoklas with a crackling tempering and a generous drizzle of green chutney, just sounds yum. Dhoklas are simply prepared with a fermented batter of besan (gram flour) and mild spices. Don’t know about you but we can gobble down this Gujarati snack at any time of the day. Wait, what? Are you worried about the calorie-intake? Let us tell you, dhoklas top the health charts. They are light, steamed, easy to digest, packed with protein, and are a healthy way to ease your mid-meal cravings. Above all, you can make them in the comfort of your kitchen. 

While preparing dhoklas at home is quite an easy task, it can also turn out to be a blunder if you miss out on certain tricks. For instance, the way you beat the dhokla batter to the amount of turmeric you throw in, the little details can make or break your dish. Addressing our concerns, chef Kunal Kapur in an Instagram post shared some tips and tricks to prepare soft and spongy dhoklas at home. Let’s get started.

• Make sure you pass the besan or gram flour through a sieve to remove lumps. This step will make your final dhokla soft and spongy.

• When you whisk or beat the batter of dhokla, make sure the movement is one direction, either clockwise or anti clockwise. According to the chef, if you beat it in both directions, the air inside the mix is likely to escape. Following which, the snack will not be fluffy. 

• In a bid to get bright yellow dhoklas, people tend to add extra turmeric. Chef Kunal Kapur has prohibited this move. He explained that the moment turmeric gets heated, it begins to throw out a darker yellow shade. So, if you add a little extra turmeric to dhoklas, it will become brown.  

• Once you add baking soda to the mix, keep the batter aside for 20-30 seconds and empty it into the baking tray. Don’t beat the dhokla batter further as the bubbles will break.

Watch the video here:

From the streets of Gujarat to right into the comfort of your homes, make these delicious bites in a few simple steps.

Ingredients: 

For Dhokla:

• Gram flour (besan): 1 cup
• Citric acid: 1tbsp
• Sugar: 1tbsp
• Salt to taste salt
• A pinch of turmeric
• Water (to make batter)
•  Fruit salt/ baking powder (dissolved in water): 1tbsp

For the Tadka:

• Oil: 1tbsp
• Mustard seeds: ½ tbsp
• Dried Red Chilli: 1
• Curry Leaves: 7-8

Method:

Step1: Add gram flour, citric acid, salt, sugar and turmeric in a bowl. Pour in water to make it into a smooth batter with medium thick consistency.

Step 2: Throw in some fruit salt or baking powder in a glass, add some water and pour this mix into the dhokla mixture.

Step 3: Meanwhile, use oil to grease the steaming tin. Pour the dhokla mixture into it. Steam for about 15-20 minutes (timing is subjective to the cook on the snack).

Step 4: Now we move to preparing the tempering. Add oil, mustard seeds, curry leaves and red chillies in a pan. Let it splutter.

Step 5: Pour the tempering or tadka over the prepared dhokla. Cut it into pieces and serve with green chutney and green chilli. 

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