Steaming Dhokla: Pressure Cooker Hacks For Perfect Results

Dhokla is a popular Gujarati dish, often served as an evening snack or party appetiser. It is a steamed savoury cake made with a few variations and flavours, such as Rava Dhokla, Khaman Dhokla, and Dal Dhokla. The batter is usually made with a combination of gram flour, semolina, yoghurt, ginger, green chillies, and salt. The traditional method of cooking dhokla involves steaming it in a stove-top pressure cooker without a whistle. However, it can also be made in an Instant Pot or microwave.

Prepare the ingredients

To make Khaman Dhokla, you will need the following ingredients:

• Gram flour (also known as besan)
• Turmeric powder
• Asafoetida (optional)
• Lemon or lime juice or citric acid
• Ginger paste
• Green chilli paste
• Sugar
• Salt
• Water
• Oil
• Rava or semolina (optional)
• Eno or fruit salt or baking soda

For the seasoning, you will need:

• Oil
• Mustard seeds
• Cumin seeds (optional)
• White sesame seeds
• Curry leaves
• Green chillies (optional)
• Sugar
• Coriander leaves (optional)
• Grated coconut (optional)

If you are making Rava Dhokla, you will need:

• Coarse rava (sooji/semolina)
• Plain yoghurt (use non-dairy yoghurt for vegan)
• Grated ginger
• Green chillies
• Salt
• Baking soda
• Lemon juice
• Oil
• Mustard seeds
• Asafoetida (optional)
• Sesame seeds
• Green chillies
• Curry leaves
• Cilantro

Mix the batter

To make the batter for Khaman Dhokla, a popular delicacy from the Gujarati cuisine, you will need the following ingredients:

• Gram flour (also known as besan)
• Water
• Turmeric powder
• Asafoetida (optional)
• Lemon or lime juice, or citric acid
• Ginger paste
• Green chilli paste
• Sugar
• Salt
• Oil
• Rava/semolina (optional)
• Eno fruit salt or baking soda

Firstly, add 1 cup of gram flour to a mixing bowl or pan. You can also use chickpea flour if you prefer. Next, add 2-3 pinches of turmeric powder, a generous pinch of asafoetida (skip this if you want to make a gluten-free version), 1-1.5 tablespoons of lemon or lime juice (or 1/3 to 1/2 teaspoon of citric acid), 1.5 teaspoons of ginger paste, 1.5 teaspoons of green chilli paste, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 1 teaspoon of salt.

Add 1 cup of water and 1 tablespoon of oil, and mix well to create a thick yet smooth-flowing batter. If the batter becomes too thin, add 1-2 tablespoons of gram flour. If it is too thick, add a little more water. You can also add 1 tablespoon of rava/semolina at this stage for a better texture, but skip this if you are making a gluten-free version.

Stir the mixture with a whisk to create a smooth, thick batter without any lumps. The batter should be thick yet flow easily off the whisk.

Now, add 2 teaspoons of Eno fruit salt or 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon of baking soda. Stir briskly and quickly to combine, as the batter will become frothy and you need to work quickly.

Grease the mould

Greasing the mould is an important step in preparing your dhokla. This will ensure that your dhokla does not stick to the bowl and can be easily removed once cooked.

To grease the mould, take an aluminium bowl or a stainless-steel pan/dhokla mould and grease it with oil. You can use cooking oil or olive oil for this. Make sure to grease the bowl completely from the inside. The amount of oil you use will depend on the size of your bowl.

Once the bowl is greased, you can add the dhokla batter to it and proceed with the rest of the recipe.

Steam the dhokla

Steaming the Dhokla

There are a few ways to steam dhokla without a dhoklastand. You can use a pressure cooker, an Instant Pot, or a stove-top pan. Here's a step-by-step guide for each method:

Using a Pressure Cooker:

• Fill your pressure cooker with 2 cups of water and place a small half-filled bowl inside it. The water level in the small bowl should not cross the neck of the larger bowl.
• Prepare your dhokla batter as per your chosen recipe.
• Grease an aluminium bowl with oil and pour the dhokla batter into it.
• Place the aluminium bowl containing the dhokla batter on top of the small bowl in the pressure cooker.
• Cover the pressure cooker with the lid, ensuring that the weight/whistle is not on.
• Turn the stove to high flame and steam the dhokla for about 25 minutes. Check the water level periodically and add more water if needed.
• After 25 minutes, switch off the stove and open the cooker lid. Carefully remove the aluminium bowl containing the dhokla.

Using an Instant Pot:

• Prepare your dhokla batter as per your chosen recipe.
• Add 2 cups of water to the inner steel pot of your Instant Pot. Place a tall trivet inside the pot.
• Add eno fruit salt to the dhokla batter and mix well until the batter becomes frothy.
• Pour the batter into a greased pan. A 7-inch cheesecake pan with a removable bottom works well for easy removal.
• Place the pan containing the dhokla batter on top of the trivet in the Instant Pot.
• Secure the lid, close the pressure valve, and cook at high pressure for 12-15 minutes.
• Allow for natural pressure release for about 5-10 minutes, then open the valve to release any remaining pressure.

Using a Stove-Top Pan:

• Prepare your dhokla batter as per your chosen recipe.
• Use a pot that is large enough to fit a smaller bowl or pan with some room on the sides. Add 2 to 3 cups of water to the large pot and bring it to a boil.
• Once the water is boiling, add baking soda and lemon juice to the dhokla batter and mix well.
• Grease a stainless steel bowl with oil and pour the dhokla batter into it.
• Carefully place the bowl containing the dhokla batter over a trivet in the large pot.
• Cover and cook on medium heat for 15-20 minutes or until a knife inserted into the dhokla comes out clean.
• Remove the dhokla from the pot and allow it to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Make the seasoning

To make the seasoning for your dhokla, you will need the following ingredients:

• Oil (any neutral-tasting oil, or peanut oil)
• Mustard seeds
• Cumin seeds (optional)
• White sesame seeds
• Curry leaves
• Green chillies (optional)
• Sugar
• Chopped coriander leaves (optional)
• Grated coconut (optional)

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a small pan on the stove. Add 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds and allow them to crackle. If you like, you can also add 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds. When the mustard seeds are crackling, add 10-12 curry leaves and 1-2 chopped green chillies. Stir, then add 2 teaspoons of white sesame seeds and fry them for a few seconds, being careful not to brown them. Next, carefully add 1/3 cup of water and switch off the heat. Add 2 teaspoons of sugar and stir until it dissolves. Remove the pan from the heat and immediately pour the seasoning over your steamed dhokla, so that it seeps through the sliced edges. Finally, garnish with chopped coriander leaves and grated coconut, if desired.

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