Steaming Dhokla: Pressure Cooker Hack Without Plates

Khaman dhokla is a popular Gujarati delicacy made from a batter of spiced gram flour. The batter is steamed in a pan to create a light, fluffy, and savoury cake. It is possible to steam the batter in a pressure cooker without plates by following these steps:

First, prepare the batter by mixing gram flour, semolina, ginger, turmeric, sugar, lemon juice, and oil. Then, add fruit salt or baking soda to the batter and mix well. Grease a mould with oil and pour the batter into it. Next, fill a pressure cooker with water and place a small bowl inside. Place the mould on the bowl and cover the cooker without the whistle. Steam for 12-15 minutes on medium heat. Finally, remove the mould from the cooker and demould the dhokla onto a plate.

Prepare the ingredients

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

• Gram flour (also known as besan)
• Semolina (optional)
• Lemon juice
• Ginger paste
• Green chilli paste
• Sugar
• Salt
• Eno fruit salt (or baking soda)
• Oil
• Mustard seeds
• Curry leaves
• Coriander leaves (optional)
• Coconut (optional)

The exact quantities of each ingredient will depend on how much Khaman Dhokla you want to make. A typical recipe will use one cup of gram flour, one tablespoon of semolina, one and a half teaspoons of lemon juice, one teaspoon of ginger paste, one teaspoon of green chilli paste, one tablespoon of sugar, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of Eno fruit salt, one tablespoon of oil, one teaspoon of mustard seeds, 10-12 curry leaves, two to four green chillies, and two to three tablespoons of coriander leaves and grated coconut for garnishing.

If you do not have Eno fruit salt, you can use baking soda as a substitute. However, baking soda can give a soapy aroma if used in excess, so be careful not to add too much. You will need less baking soda than Eno fruit salt; for every teaspoon of Eno, use about 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda.

To make the Khaman Dhokla batter, simply mix all the dry ingredients (gram flour, semolina, sugar, salt, and Eno fruit salt or baking soda) together in a bowl. Then, add the wet ingredients (lemon juice, ginger paste, green chilli paste, and oil) and mix until you have a smooth, thick batter with no lumps. You can adjust the consistency of the batter by adding more water or gram flour as needed. The batter should be thick but still flow easily.

Once your batter is ready, you can start preparing your pressure cooker for steaming. Remove the vent weight/whistle from the lid and add two to two and a half cups of water to the cooker. Place a small trivet or bowl in the pressure cooker, making sure the water does not cross the elevation of the trivet/bowl.

Now, add the Eno fruit salt or baking soda to the batter and mix briskly and quickly. The batter will become frothy, so work quickly to whisk it in thoroughly. Pour the batter into a greased pan and place it on the trivet/bowl in the pressure cooker. Cover the cooker tightly with the lid and steam for 12 to 15 minutes on medium to medium-high heat.

To check if your Khaman Dhokla is done, insert a toothpick into the centre. If it comes out clean, your Khaman Dhokla is ready! If the toothpick has batter on it, steam for a few more minutes.

Let the Khaman Dhokla cool slightly, then gently slide a butter knife along the edges to release it from the pan. Place a plate or tray on top of the pan and invert it. If the pan was greased well, the Khaman Dhokla should slide out easily.

Finally, you can temper your Khaman Dhokla by heating some oil in a small pan and adding mustard seeds, curry leaves, cumin seeds (optional), and chopped green chilli. Fry the spices for a few seconds, then add water, sugar, and salt and bring to a boil. Pour this tempering mixture evenly over the Khaman Dhokla, garnishing with coriander leaves and grated coconut if desired.

Your Khaman Dhokla is now ready to serve! Enjoy it as a snack or breakfast, paired with chutney or chai.

Mix the dry ingredients

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

• Gram flour (also known as besan or chickpea flour)
• Semolina (optional)
• Turmeric powder (also known as haldi)
• Sugar
• Eno fruit salt (or baking soda)
• Salt

Mixing the dry ingredients:

• In a mixing bowl or pan, add 1 cup of gram flour. The gram flour should have a fine texture. You can also use chickpea flour as a substitute.
• Add 2 to 3 pinches of turmeric powder. Be careful not to add too much, as it can react with the fruit salt or baking soda and turn the dhokla red.
• Add a generous pinch of asafoetida (also known as hing). You can skip this ingredient if you want to make the dish gluten-free.
• Add 1 tablespoon of sugar, or adjust to taste. Sugar balances the tangy taste of the dhokla.
• Add 1 teaspoon of salt, or adjust to taste.
• (Optional) Add 1 tablespoon of semolina. This adds a nice texture to the dhokla but can be skipped for a gluten-free option.

Mix all the dry ingredients together until well combined. Make sure there are no lumps in the mixture.

Add Eno fruit salt

Eno fruit salt is added to the Khaman Dhokla batter to make it soft, fluffy, and light. It is a leavening agent that reacts with lemon juice or citric acid to release carbon dioxide, creating a fizzy, bubbly mixture that helps the batter to rise and become airy and spongy. The amount of Eno added depends on the desired texture and taste, as too much can result in an alkaline taste. It is important to mix the Eno thoroughly and quickly into the batter as it will make the batter frothy. The batter should then be immediately poured into the greased pan and steamed.

Eno is a popular Indian brand of fruit salt composed of citric acid, sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), and sodium carbonate. It is also used to relieve acidity and heartburn. While it is the preferred leavening agent for Khaman Dhokla, it can be substituted with baking soda or a combination of baking soda and citric acid. However, baking soda can give off a soapy aroma if used in excess, and both Eno and baking soda can react with turmeric powder, giving the Khaman Dhokla a red tinge. Therefore, it is recommended to use a small amount of turmeric powder or skip it altogether.

Pour the batter into a greased pan

To make dhokla in a pressure cooker without plates, you will need to pour the batter into a greased pan. First, grease a steamer pan with 2 to 3 teaspoons of oil. You can also use a cake tin or any container. You will need to set this aside after greasing it.

Next, you will need to make the batter. The ingredients for the batter are gram flour, semolina, turmeric powder, salt, oil, curd, baking soda, lemon juice, and water. Mix these ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Make sure to combine them well.

After mixing the ingredients, pour the batter into the greased pan. Gently shake the pan so that the batter evens out.

Now, place the pan in a steamer or electric rice cooker. You can also use a pressure cooker. Make sure the water is already boiling or hot when you place the pan with the batter inside. If you are using a pressure cooker, remember to remove the vent weight or whistle from the lid before covering the cooker tightly.

Finally, steam the dhokla for 15 to 20 minutes in an electric cooker or rice cooker. If using a pan or pressure cooker, steam for 10 to 15 minutes on medium to high heat.

Cook in the pressure cooker

To cook Khaman Dhokla in a pressure cooker, follow these steps:

Step 1: Prepare the Khaman Dhokla batter

• In a mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients: gram flour (besan), semolina (rava/sooji), and turmeric powder (haldi). You can also add a pinch of asafoetida (hing) for extra flavour. Whisk these ingredients together to combine.
• To the dry mixture, add the wet ingredients: grated or minced ginger, lemon or lime juice, oil, and curd or yogurt. You can also add green chilli-ginger paste for some spice. Mix well to form a smooth batter, ensuring there are no lumps.
• (Optional) For extra fluffiness, add a leavening agent such as Eno fruit salt (a popular antacid in India), baking soda, or citric acid. This will give the Khaman Dhokla its characteristic rise and softness. If using Eno or baking soda, add it towards the end, just before pouring the batter into the mould.

Step 2: Prepare the pressure cooker and mould

• Grease a mould or pan with oil. The size of the mould can vary, but a 7-inch cheesecake pan with a removable bottom works well and makes for easy removal.
• Fill the pressure cooker with water—about 1.5 to 2 glasses of water for a 3 or 5-liter cooker. Place a small stand or bowl inside the cooker. The water level should not exceed the height of the stand or bowl.
• Place the greased mould on top of the stand or bowl. If using a pressure cooker with a whistle, ensure you remove the whistle before proceeding.

Step 3: Cook the Khaman Dhokla

• Close the lid of the pressure cooker and cook over medium flame. If using a pressure cooker without a whistle, cook for about 12 to 15 minutes. If using a pressure cooker with a whistle, cook for about 15 to 20 minutes and then release the whistle to reduce the pressure.
• To check if the Khaman Dhokla is cooked, insert a toothpick or knife into the centre. If it comes out clean, the Khaman Dhokla is ready. If not, cook for a few more minutes.

Step 4: Tempering (optional but recommended)

• Tempering is a crucial step in adding flavour and moisture to the Khaman Dhokla. In a small pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds and a pinch of asafoetida (hing). Once the seeds start to splutter, add curry leaves, green chillies, and sesame seeds. Stir and roast the mixture for a few seconds.
• To the tempering mixture, add water, sugar, and salt. Bring it to a boil and then remove from the heat.
• Pour the tempering mixture evenly over the cooked Khaman Dhokla. This will add moisture and allow the flavours to infuse.

Step 5: Garnish and serve

• Garnish the Khaman Dhokla with chopped coriander leaves and grated coconut. You can also add some sev (gram flour noodles) and pomegranate seeds for extra crunch and colour.
• Khaman Dhokla is best served warm or at room temperature. It can be enjoyed as a snack or a light meal, paired with green chutney or coriander chutney.

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