Dhokla

Dhokla is a yummy dish from North India, especially Gujarat. Now a days most of the Indian dishes are very popular and available in any corner of the world I can say. Especially children love to have this Dhokla, even the elders do not fall behind to have this dish. This is a steamed snack and it is prepared with Besan  (chenna dal) flour, curd and very little spice. Dokla is a healthy dish and we can have this  food  for breakfast, snack in the evening or for dinner too.

Besan flour is made of Channa dal and it contain proteins vitamins minerals and it is gluten free. Besan has high nutritive value, good for weight loss and helps to control diabetes.
Medium sized Rava (Samolina) is also added with besan to give a good texture to dokla.
Rava is high in potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium and fibre with some iron, zinc, manganese and copper. It is very low insaturated fat, cholesterol and sodium and contains zero trans fatty acids. It is high in vitamin E and contains a fair amount of the B complex vitamins. (Especially folic acid). Samolina has a low glycemic index which is good news for people wishing to control or reduce their weight and blood sugar and diabetics.
This Dhokla recipe is very easy and can be prepared with little spices and definitely loved by all age group people. I have not added any cooking soda while preparing the dough. Eno salt should be added just before cooking. Remember to use sour curd to get good result.

Things Needed :
Besan flour : 2 cups
Rava (medium size) : 2 Table spoons.
Sour curd : 1 Cup
Salt : to taste
Water : Required
Oil 1 Table spoon.
Mustard seeds : 1 Tea spoon
Sugar : 1 Tea spoon
Curry leaves : 8 to 10
Eno Salt: 1 Table spoon
Green chilly : 1

Method :
1. Take a big bowl and put besan, rava, salt and curd. Mix it nicely. Wash and cut green chilly and curry leaves and keep it aside.

2. Add water if required (idli dough consistency) and mix it nicely and keep it aside for 5 to 6 hours to ferment.

3. Now take the ferment dough, mix it thoroughly.
4. Keep ready the pressure cooker or Idli cooker on the fire. Put 2 to 3 cups of water at the bottom of the cooker and keep a bowl upside down. Keep a plate on the top of the bowl.
5. Apply oil to the dokla container and keep it aside. ( any bowl or plate can be used which is fitting inside the cooker. Pressure cooker container also will do).
6. Now keep the idli cooker or pressure cooker on the fire and heat.
7. Add Eno salt to the ready dough and mix it properly and pour this dough to the oil applied container and keep it in the idli cooker and cover the lid.
8. Steam for 15 to 20 minutes and put off the gas.

9. Now remove the ready dhokla from the container and place it on a plate.

10. Keep a small pan on the fire and heat. Put oil, mustard seeds and let it spurt.
11. Add curry leaves and cut green chilly to the spurt and put off the gas. Put a spoon of sugar to the spurt mixture and add 1 table spoon of water. Mx it well.
12. Put the spurt mustard mixture on the top of the Dhokla and spread it nicely . Cut them in to small pieces.

Serve this Dhokla with your choice of chutney .

Note : You must mix the dough nicely ( You can use an egg beater to smoothen the dough).
You can also use coriander leaves to decorate the Dhokla. Do not use lot of water either to prepare the dough or to the spurt mixture. Good texture dough will result in good, soft Dhokla. No need to add any extra bicorbonate Soda or cooking soda.

Cooking Time 20 minutes.
Preparation time :10 minutes.
Time to ferment : 5 to 6 hours.
Serves : 3 to 4

Khandvi Dokla My style

Dokla a snack prepared with Besan flour (Channa flour or chickpea flour) and butter milk. Besan flour is naturally higher in protein than wheat-based flour. Besan flour contain iron, magnesium and phosphorus. Besan flour does not contain gluten and it makes a good substiture for wheat flour in gluten free diets. We can have these Khandvi Dokla for breakfast, as snack or for dinner too. This perticular recipe does not contain much oil too. Fresh coconut gives a good aroma and adds to the taste. All age group will definitely enjoy eating Khandvi Dokla.
 Things Needed :
Channa flour (besan) : 1 Cup
Butter milk :3 Cups
Green chilly : 1 to 2
Mustard seeds: 1/2 Tea spoon
Oil: 1 Tea spoon
Salt: to taste
Sugar : 1 tea spoon
Coconut: 1/2 cup (2 to 3 Table spoons)
Pepper Powder :1/2 Tea spoon
Jeera Powder : 1/2 Tea spoon
Curry leaves : 5 to 6
Coriander leaves : 2 Table spoons
Ingh : a pinch

Method :
1. Wash and cut green chilly, curry leaves and coriander leaves. Grate coconut and keep it aside.
2. Apply oil on two plates and keep it aside.

3. Take a big pan add 3 cups of butter milk and add the besan flour. Add salt, pepper powder and jeera powder. Mix it nicely.

4. Now keep the pan on the fire and stir on low flame till it thickens. Mix it nicely and stir till it starts leaving the pan.

5. Now pour the ready besan on the greesed plate and spread it evenly in to a thin layer.

4. Cut these spread mixtrue into stripes and roll immediately and arrange them on a plate or a tray.

5. Now keep a small pan on the fire and heat. Put a tea spoon of oil. Put mustard seeds, green chilly cuts and urd dal. Let it spurt. Add curry leaves and ingh

6. Put off the gas and put a spoon of sugar to mustard mixuture. Add a table spoon of water to the oil mixture and mix it well and pour it on the arranged Khandvi dokla. Now put coconut and coriander leaves on the top and serve these dokalas with any kind of chutney or pickle.

Note : If you have a curd , put two cups of water and mix it well and change the curd in to butter milk ( use a hand mixer or use a mixi).
Using pepper and jeera powder will enrich the aroma and good for health too. You can also prepare doklas without using these powders. You can use more sugar if you like sweet taste.
Time : 20 to 30 Minutes
Serves :2 to 3