Introduction
In Gujarat, dhokla turns up at breakfast, in tiffin boxes and beside tea in the afternoon, and what most people picture when they hear the word now is this quick version, a gram flour and yogurt batter lifted by a fruit salt such as Eno just before it goes into the steamer, in preference to the older kind that was left to ferment for a full day. Both count as dhokla, and Gujarati families make each as time allows, but the instant one has become the everyday standard because it produces a properly light sponge in less than half an hour.
The difference between a tender dhokla and a dense one is not complicated though it is exacting, because the batter must have the right thickness, the fruit salt must go in only at the last second and be folded in lightly instead of beaten, and the steam must stay steady instead of fierce. With those three things in place the crumb is full of fine, even air pockets and soft enough to dent with a finger and spring back.
Origin & Cultural Context
Dhokla is plainly Gujarati, and its record reaches further back than that of most street snacks, since steamed, fermented cakes of gram or of rice and lentils are mentioned in Gujarati writing from centuries ago, long before any packaged leavening was available. The older style, often called khatta dhokla, depends on a batter of rice and split chickpeas or gram flour left to ferment overnight, which rests on the same logic as the idli and dosa batters of the South, although the two traditions grew up separately. Using Eno or baking soda for the rise is a twentieth-century shortcut that spread as fruit salts reached Indian kitchens, and it now rules both home cooking and the dhokla sold at Gujarati snack stalls, while the slower fermented kind survives mainly in home kitchens and with cooks who prefer its tangier, more complex taste.
Method
-
Prep
Whisk together the batter
Combine the gram flour, semolina if you are using it, yogurt, ginger-green chilli paste, turmeric, sugar, salt and oil, then pour in water a little at a time until the batter is smooth and thick but still pours, much like pancake batter. Leave it for 10 minutes so the gram flour can soak up the liquid, because even in a quick dhokla that short pause visibly improves the texture.
-
Prep
Get the steamer ready
While the batter stands, pour about 2 inches of water into the steamer or pot and bring it to a steady boil. Oil the thali or tin generously, sides included, so the cooked dhokla slips out without sticking.
-
Cook
Stir in the fruit salt and steam right away
Scatter the fruit salt (or the baking soda and lemon juice) over the batter and fold it in with a few quick, light strokes, taking care not to overmix because the bubbles it makes are the source of the rise. Pour the batter into the greased tin at once and lower it into the steamer without delay, since each minute the activated batter waits costs you some lift.
-
Cook
Steam until firm
Cover and steam over medium-high heat for 15 to 18 minutes. Push a toothpick into the centre to check, and it should come out clean with no wet batter on it. Keep the lid shut for the first 10 minutes, because a sudden drop in temperature can make the middle sink.
-
Cook
Let it cool a little, then cut
Take the tin out of the steamer and leave the dhokla for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edge and cut it into squares or diamonds in the tin. Cutting while piping hot squashes the sponge, whereas a short rest firms it without letting it go cold.
-
Finish
Prepare the tempering and let it soak in
Warm the oil in a small pan and add the mustard seeds, and when they crackle, put in the sesame seeds, curry leaves, slit green chillies and asafoetida. Pour in the water, sugar and lemon juice, let it simmer briefly, then spoon the hot liquid evenly over the cut dhokla while both are still warm and leave it for a minute or two to be absorbed.
-
Serve
Garnish and bring to the table
Sprinkle the chopped coriander and the grated coconut, if you are using it, over the top. Serve warm or at room temperature, usually with green chutney; the dhokla also eats well chilled the following day, which is one reason it travels so easily in a lunchbox.
Substitutions
A ready-made dhokla flour mix from an Indian grocery is a fair shortcut if you would rather skip mixing the batter from plain gram flour, although the crumb tends to be a bit denser. Baking soda with lemon juice can replace fruit salt almost exactly, as the ingredient list notes, but the rise is somewhat smaller. Full-fat yogurt gives the best tang and texture, yet a thin, well-whisked low-fat yogurt also works.
Adjusting the Spice Level
Dhokla is intended as a mild base, with heat added through the tempering and not built into the batter. For a gentler result, use fewer green chillies in both the batter and the tempering, or leave them out of the batter entirely and rely on the slit chillies in the tempering, which can be pushed aside when eating. For more heat, raise the amount of ginger-green chilli paste in the batter and put a pinch of red chilli powder into the tempering oil.
Common Mistakes
A dense, flat dhokla nearly always traces back to letting the batter wait after the fruit salt went in, or to lifting the steamer lid too early and losing the rise. A batter that is too thin is another frequent fault, because it steams into a flat, rubbery sheet and not a tall, spongy cake; it should coat the back of a spoon thickly. Putting the tin in over water that is not yet fully boiling is a third error, since it slows the first rise and toughens the crumb.
Storage & Reheating
Storage: Keep dhokla in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; as it contains yogurt, it should not stay at room temperature for more than a few hours, particularly in warm weather. It also freezes fairly well for up to a month without its tempering, and can be thawed in the refrigerator and steamed briefly before fresh tempering goes on.
Reheating: Steam dhokla for 2 to 3 minutes to warm it, which brings back the soft texture much better than a microwave; the microwave will do for 20 to 30 seconds if you must, though it can leave the edges a little tough. If the dhokla has dried out in storage, add a fresh squeeze of lemon and a little more tempering.
Food Safety
The batter contains yogurt, so it should not stand at room temperature for long before steaming, especially in warm weather; mix it, add the fruit salt and steam without delay. After steaming, dhokla is fully cooked, and like any cooked dish containing dairy it should be cooled and refrigerated within about two hours if it is not eaten at once, and it should never be left out overnight.