Dhokla
Gujarat Ki ‘Aan’, ‘Baan’, ‘Shaan’ And Even ‘Jaan’: Dhokla
Dhokla
(Synopsis: After reading this blog, you will get to know why Gujarati food is the Jaan of Gujaratis, and why it is said that everybody should have one Gujarati friend.)
I know why you are here and trust me that’s the exact reason why I wrote this story. I feel that not only the Gujaratis but everyone loves Dhokla. Isn’t it amazing how the dish caters to both health-conscious people and foodies, both at the same time?
lf you have a Gujju friend, then the list of dishes they offer you is never-ending- Fafdas, Khakras, Theplas, Khandvis and so on. It is always fun to have a Gujju friend as they will continuously make you laugh by the tone of their language and the food always comes complimentary.
Trust me the Gujarati delicacies can make you die for it. One such delicacy is dhokla. Be it hectic Monday morning or lazy Sunday afternoon; Dhoklas can be eaten in breakfast, lunch, snacks, and even dinner. The dish gets prepared within minutes, and the best part is that the ingredients needed to prepare Dhokla are easily available in the kitchen. So, just in case, you are late for the office, still, you can prepare the Dhoklas and fill in your tummy.
Undoubtedly, Dhoklas are the Jaan of Gujarati people. Made using rice, urad dal, and a little bit of chana dal, the dish successfully entered the list of healthy food. Dhoklas are steamed and thus, this is the main reason why it is healthy. I know that you have been continuously ignoring this yummy food all this while and so, stop doing that and say yes to a whole big platter of dhokla garnished with spicy chillies and finely chopped coriander leaves along with coriander and tamarind chutney.
There’s a whole big Khaandan of Dhokla, out of which, I have mentioned about a few members. Some are yet to be covered. So, make sure that you do try all these varieties of Dhoklas and don’t forget to read the recipe that is given just after it.
Rava Dhokla:
Unlike plain dhokla, Rava Dhokla is such a dish that can be relished as a main dish or side dish. Rava Dhokla can be consumed for breakfast and evening snack as well. All you got to do is step in the kitchen and look for rava, cornflour, and curd. Once you get all three things, mix them in a bowl and prepare the batter. Pour the batter in the plate of dhokla and steam cook it. In the end, add tadka made from mustard seeds and coriander leaves. Appetising platter of Rava Dhokla is ready.
Khaman Dhokla:
Oh, remember that yellow-coloured soft spongy Dhokla? Yes, SpongeBob! Maybe he is the cartoonish version of Khaman Dhokla. Haha! Jokes apart...Let me tell you this variety of Dhokla tastes amazing and also gets prepared in very less time. All you need is gram flour and yoghurt. The batter is made using these two ingredients and fermented overnight.
Khatta Dhokla:
Typical Gujarati name, this Khatta Dhokla tastes a bit sour. The batter is made using only two ingredients, rice and urad dal, and then the batter is left to ferment overnight. You can also make the batter more spicy by adding green chillies to the mixture. Just before serving, add the tadka made from mustard seeds and serve along with spicy green chutney.
Sandwich Dhokla:
The name itself sounds interesting and is enough to bring water in our mouth. Let me tell you that you need atleast 7 to 8 hours to prepare this Sandwich Dhokla and about 15-20 minutes for cooking. In fact, the best thing about this Sandwich Dhokla is that it is made using two different types of dhoklas; Khaman Dhokla and Rava Dhokla. It’s totally your call to decide which layer comes first and which last.
Cheese Dhokla
All the cheese lovers out there, this is the perfect variety of Dhokla for you guys. Garnish it with loads of cheese and just enjoy eating.
Mixed Dal Dhokla:
Worried because your children don’t like eating different dals? Then make them eat this Mixed Dal Dhokla and they will get all the essential nutrients. This Mixed Dal Dhokla is the perfect combination of health and taste and the best part is that you can use your choice of dals.
Dhokla
Idada Dhokla:
Idada Dhokla is almost similar to the normal Dhokla and is best for people suffering from acidity problems. This variety of Dhokla is a speciality of Jains as it is made without using coriander leaves and chillies. It also tastes amazing when eaten in the plain form.
Toor Dal Dhokla:
Our very own and friendly Toor Dal is not just simply used for making dal, but also used in making Dhoklas. Yes, and so if you are bored of eating the normal Toor Dal, then make these Toor Dal Dhoklas. Add some chopped coriander leaves and spicy green chillies and serve with spicy coriander chutney. The Dhoklas are perfect if you are craving something healthy and tasty, both at the same time.
Rasiya Dhokla:
Perfect variety of Dhokla that can be consumed as it is or along with rice or chapati. There are many people who love experimenting and many times, this happens that you try to make one particular dish and the result turns out to be a completely different dish. You will be amazed to know that the dish was invented by one person who loved to do experiments.
Steamed Dhokla:
The steamed Dhokla is made in the same way as the normal Dhokla; just the difference is that this variety of Dhokla is more healthy and doesn’t include a single drop of oil. It is the perfect recipe for all the health-conscious people out there.
Chana Dal Dhokla:
This variety of Dhokla is prepared in the same way as the Toor Dal Dhokla. All you have to do is just replace Toor Dal with Chana Dal. Very simple right? I know, and you know what the best part is? It doesn’t take much time to get cook and is perfect for that evening hunger pangs.
Rice Dhokla:
Oh, this is the perfect recipe for me! Because I love both rice and Dhokla very much. So, this is literally the perfect dish for me. Many people prefer Rice Dhokla over Besan Dhokla. Though, I don’t know the reason behind it. I am definitely going to try this Rice Dhokla. What about you?
Vratwala Chawal Dhokla
As the name goes, this Dhokla is specially for all the people who do ‘Vrat’. So, what happens is that when you do Vrat (fast) you can’t eat everything. There are only certain foods that you are supposed to eat. So, if you are the one who does Vrat and are bored of eating that same old food, then do try this Vratwala Chawal Dhokla.
Moong Dal Dhokla:
Again the recipe for this Moong Dal Dhokla is same as of Toor Dal Dhokla and Chana Dal Dhokla. But, this variety of Dhokla can make you forget all the other Dhoklas. Yes, these Moong Dal Dhoklas are amazing in taste compared to all the other Dhoklas.
Mango Dhokla
Who doesn’t like eating Khatta food? The word Khatta can literally bring waters to our mouth. I have to admit that my taste buds are tempted after writing about this Mango Dhokla. Almost similar to the Khatta Dhokla, just the difference here is the addition of raw mango paste. You yourself have to try this Mango Dhokla and feel the taste of raw mango.
Quinoa Barley Dhokla:
I know that the name is quite boring and you might not feel like eating this variety of Dhokla but trust me this Quinoa Barley Dhokla tastes amazing. The taste is way more far from the tag ‘boring’. Garnish it with chillies and coriander leaves and relish eating.
Oats Rava Palak Dhokla:
Who said that healthy food can not be tasty? Look at this variety of Dhokla that is the complete package of healthy and tasty. Apart from two healthy ingredients; Oats and Rava, there is the addition of one more healthy ingredient-Palak. This variety is definitely worth trying.
Rajma Dhokla:
Rajma is not only limited to Rajma Chawal but has also managed to make its way to Gujarat. When rajma was used to make Dhokla, the outcome was awesome. Do try this Rajma Dhokla because I am sure you are going to love it.
Pav Bhaji Dhokla:
Who thought that Pav Bhaji could also be used in Dhokla? If you are a fan of Maharashtrian cuisine, then you must definitely try this Pav Bhaji Dhokla.
I know, I know, that after having a look at all the varieties of Dhoklas, you are craving for all of them. Since it is very easy to make the regular Dhokla, I thought that I would share the recipes of some unique varieties of Dhoklas and they might be a bit tricky to make but are definitely worth giving a shot. So, let’s plunge into the pool of recipes.
Recipe- Sandwich Dhokla:
This Sandwich Dhokla as mentioned above in the varieties section is a mixture of two different dhoklas- White Dhokla and the Yellow Dhokla. Here, I have used rice to prepare White Dhokla but, you can replace rice with rava. Below is the recipe of this yummy Sandwich Dhokla.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups gram flour
- 1 cup rice
- 1 cup yoghurt
- 1 teaspoon green chilli-ginger paste
- Salt as per the taste
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/4 cup split black gram (urad dal)
- 1/4 cup sour yoghurt
- 5-6 crushed black peppercorns
- 1 1/2 teaspoons green chilli paste
- 1 teaspoon soda bicarbonate
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Finely chopped coriander leaves
- 2 tablespoons grated coconut
- Spicy green chutney
Making of Sandwich Dhokla:
1. Take a bowl and add gram flour and yoghurt to it. Mix well and then add some water to the batter. Leave the batter to ferment overnight. Then, take a pan and dry roast rice and dal on medium heat for about 4-5 minutes. Let both the things cool down and then grind into a semi-coarse powder.
2. Place the powder in a bowl and add water to it. Mix well and form a lump-free batter for the Dhokla. Leave the batter to ferment overnight. Now, take the gram flour mixture and add green chilli-ginger paste, turmeric powder, and salt. Mix well.
3. Then take the rice batter and add salt, black peppercorns, and green chilli paste to it. Mix well and keep it aside. Now, take a small bowl and mix soda and lemon juice in it. Pour half of it in the white batter and the remaining half in the gram flour batter.
4. Now, take a steamer and heat water in it. Meanwhile, take the dhokla plates and grease it with oil. Then pour white batter into two plates and fit the plates in the stand. Then, keep the stand in the steamer, cover it with the lid and let the dhoklas cook in the steam.
5. Take the stand out and remove the plates. Spread green chutney on the white dhoklas and then pour besan batter over it. Rotate the plates so that batter spreads evenly. Again fit the plates in the stand and put the stand back in the steamer. Cover with the lid and let the dhoklas cook in the steam.
6. Take the stand out and let it cool slightly. Garnish the dhoklas with coriander leaves and coconut. You can also garnish with the tadka made from mustard seeds and oil. Cut the dhoklas into squares and serve them with spicy green chutney or relish them solely.
And this is it! Here, my blog ends with an appetising Sandwich Dhokla recipe. Let’s go and cook some Dhoklas until we meet next time.