Sandwitch Dhokla

It's a traditional dhokla recipe with a little twist!

Preparation Time: 1 - 2 days       Cooking Time: 20 -25 mins        Servings: 4

Ingredients:
For Dhokla Batter: 
Rice - 1½ cup
Split black gram (Urad daal) - 1/2 cup
Yogurt - 1/4 cup (beaten)
Green Chilli - 2 to 3 finely chopped (or you can use 1/2 tbsp of green chilli paste)
Ginger - 1 inch
Baking Powder - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Water - to make batter

For Green Chutney:
chopped Coriander (Dhania) - 11/2 cup
Cashew nuts - 1/4 cup
Sesame seeds - 1 tbsp
Fresh grated coconut - 1 tbsp
Green Chilli - 2-3 (or to taste)
Ginger - 1/2 inch
Lemon Juice - 1/2 tsp
Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

For Tempering:
Oil - 2 tbsp
Mustard Seeds (rai/ sarson) - 2 tsp
Asafoetida (Hing) - a pinch
Green chilli - 1 -2 chopped

Method of Preparation:
1) Mix rice and urad daal and soak it for at least 10 - 12 hours
2) Grind coarsely with yogurt and leave to ferment for at least 10 -12 hours (consistancy should be like a thick cake batter)
3) Make a paste of ginger and green chilli and add it to the fermented mixture
4) Add Salt and baking powder to the mixture and mix well
5) Grease the Dhokla plate with a little oil (if you dont have dhokla cooker, you can use pressure cooker) and pour the batter into it (batter should be filled to only 1/2 as it will rise)
6) Fill dhokla cooker with some water and place the plate inside.
7) Close the lid and cook it on medium high for about 5 -7 mins
8) Remove the lid and check it using toothpick or knife. If the knife comes out clean with no batter sticking to it, then its done
9) Close the lid. Let it remain on low flame for about 2 mins
10) The lower layer (white dhokla layer) of sandwitch dhokla is ready
11) To cook the upper layer (yellow dhokla layer), take the remaining half batter, add turmeric powder in it and mix well
12) Follow the same steps from step 5) to step 9)
13) Cool the dhokla layers. Apply the green chutney on the white dhokla layer and cover it with yellow dhokla layer. Press a little bit and steam for about 5 mins
14)Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a small kadhai or a pan (kadhai used for tempering works best here). Add asafoetida, mustard seeds. When mustard seeds start popping, add green chilli
15) Remove it and pour over the dhokla
16) Cut and handle gently to get perfect shaped dhokla

For Green Chutney:
Add all the green chutney ingredients in a grinder and make a smooth paste

Tip:
Dhokla layers should be little bit thinner than the usual dhokla as we are using two layers to make one dhokla

Nylon Khaman Dhokla (Gram flour cake)

It is a very popular gujarati snack enjoyed all over India. Let's try these yummy snack bites!!

Preparation Time: 1 hour      Cooking Time: 10 to 15 mins        Servings: 4

Ingredients:

Bengal Gram Flour/ Beasn/ Chickpea flour - 1½  cup
Yogurt - 1/4 cup
Water to make batter
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 3 tbsp
Green Chilli - 1 - 2 finely chopped
Citric acid (or lemon juice) - 1/4 tsp
Sugar 1 tsp
Fruit salt (Eno) - 1 tsp (optional)
Salt - to taste
Baking Soda - 1/2 tsp


Method of Preparation:
1) Mix yogurt and 1/2 cup of water in a mixing bowl
2) Add besan and mix it well. Add 1/2 tbsp of oil and mix well to get lumpless, thick batter (the consistency should be of idli batter). slowly add more water if needed.
3) Add Turmeric powder, Citric Acid (or Lemon Juice), Baking Soda, sugar and salt to taste and keep the aside for about 1 hour
4) Add Fruit Salt into the batter just before you start cooking (this step is optional)
5) Grease the Dhokla plate (if you dont have dhokla cooker, you can use pressure cooker) and pour the batter into it (batter should be filled to only 1/2 as it will rise)
6) Fill dhokla cooker with some water and place the plate inside.
7) Close the lid and cook it on medium high for about 5 -7 mins
8) Remove the lid and check it using toothpick or knife. If the knife comes out clean with no batter sticking to it, then its done
9) Close the lid. Let it remain on low flame for about 5 mins
10) Take around 3 - 4 tbsp of water, 1/2 tbsp of oil in a small bowl. Pour this oil and water mix over the top of dhokla
11) Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a small kadhai or a pan (kadhai used for tempering works best here). Add asafoetida, mustard seeds. When mustard seeds start popping, add green chilli
12) Remove it and pour over the dhokla
13) Cut and handle gently to get perfect shaped dhokla

Khaman Dhokla is ready. Server it with any kind of chutney (green chutney, tamarind chutney)

Tip:
Cut the dhokla into square pieces after slightly cooling them

Ragda (Green/white peas curry)

Ragda is a key ingredient in making variety of Indian snack and chat items like Ragda Patties, Sev Usal, Ragda Puri, Ragda Samosa

Preparation Time: 10 mins       Cooking Time: 25-30 mins        Servings: 4

Ingredients:
Dried Green/Dried White peas (Vatana) - 1 1/2 cups
Asafoetida (Hing) - a pinch
Onion - 2 Medium chopped
Potato - 2 small boiled, mashed/chopped into small pieces
Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Green Chili - 3 to 4 crushed/finely chopped
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
Lemon Juice - 1 tbsp (optional - add to taste)
Tamarind paste - 4 tbsp
Jaggery (or Sugar) - 2 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Oil - 3 tbsp
Mustard Seeds (rai/ sarson) - 1½ tsp
Cumin Seeds (jeera) - 1½ tsp
Red chili powder - 1 tbsp
Garam Masala powder - 1 tbsp
Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
chopped Coriander (Dhaniya) - 1 cup
Curry Leaves (kadi patta) - 5-6
Sev (Gram noodles) - 1 cup

Method of Preparation:

1) Wash and soak the dried green/white peas overnight or at least for 4 -5 hours
2) Drain water from peas and cook them in a pressure cooker with 3 cups of fresh water and salt till they are very well cooked almost mashed
3) Heat 3 tbsp of oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds
4) When mustard seeds begin to sizzle, add asafoetida and curry leaves and sauté for 5-6 seconds. Add onion and sauté till light brown. Add Turmeric powder, green chili, ginger garlic paste and sauté for a minute. Add mashed potatoes and mix well
5) Add Tamarind paste, Garam masala powder, red chili powder, coriander powder and cook for about 2-3 minutes
6) Add cooked peas along with the water in which they are pressure cooked and mix it well. Add jaggery, lemon juice (optional) and mix well
7) Mash few peas with the back of the spoon to make it thick. add 1½ of water, salt to taste and mix well
8) Cook it on a low flame till it becomes a thick curry

Tips:
1) You can use this ragda to make various Indian snack and chat items like Ragda Patties, Sev Usal/ Ragda chat, Ragda Puri, Ragda Samosa
2) You can use Tomato (2 small), instead of Tamarind paste

Khandvi (Suralichi Vadi)

Khandvi is a Gujarati as well as Marathi snack popular all across India! Nobody can hide their love for this delicacy made of gram flour and yogurt tempered by green chilies and mustard seeds.

Preparation Time: 10 mins

Cooking Time: 12 to 15 mins

Servings: Up to 4

Ingredients:

Gram Flour (Besan) - 1 1/2 cups

Yogurt - 1 cup OR Buttermilk 1 1/2 cup

Ginger - 1 inch piece

Green Chili - 3 to 4

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp

Lemon Juice - 1 tbsp

Water - 1/2 cup

Salt - as per taste

Oil - 3 tbsp

Mustard Seeds (rai/ sarson) - 1 tsp

Asafoetida (Hing) - a pinch

Grated Coconut - 2 tbsp

chopped Coriander (Dhania) - 2 tbsp

Curry Leaves (Kadi patta)

Method of preparation:

1) Grind Ginger and Green chilies together to make a fine paste. 

2) Combine Gram Flour (Besan), Yogurt-water mixture/ buttermilk (if you want to use buttermilk instead of yogurt-water mixture, just use buttermilk dont add water in it), Ginger-Green chili paste, turmeric powder, salt, lemon juice in a deep non-stick cooking vessel and mix it well to make a smooth batter (make sure that no lump remains).

3) Cook this mixture on a low flame. stir continuously (around 8 to 10 minutes) till it becomes thick.

4) Grease a dish on the reverse side (or you can use any flat smooth surface) using oil and spread small amount of batter on it. wait for few seconds and then try to roll it up. If it doesn't, then cook for some more time and then check it till done.

5) Grease 2 dishes on the reverse side (or you can use any flat smooth surface) using 1/2 tbsp of oil.

6) Divide the better into two equal portions. While the batter is still hot, spread each portion evenly using a spatula, on 2 dishes to make a thin uniform layer.

7) When cool, cut the khandvi on each dish lengthwise (approx. 1 1/2" in width) into equal portions (as shown in the image) and roll up each gently.

8) For the tempering (tadka), just before serving, heat the remaining 2 1/2 tbsp oil in a small non-stick pan and add the mustard seeds.

9) When the seeds crackle, add the asafoetida, curry leaves and green chilies and saute on a medium flame for a few seconds.

10) Pour the tempering over the khandvi. 

Serve immediately garnished with coconut and coriander.

  

(Tip: Make sure no limp remains while making a batter. So add water or buttermilk gradually until all the lumps get dissolved)