Khaman Dhokla

Ingredients

For 4 portions

• 🍚 200g chickpea flour
• 🌾 15g semolina
• 🍚 35g sugar
• 🧂 5g salt
• 🪴 1g turmeric
• 🪴 10g ginger
• 🌶️ 15g green chilli peppers
• 🧂 4g citric acid
• 🧂 5g bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
• 🏺 35ml sunflower oil
• 🥤 330ml tap water
• 🌿 4g mustard seeds
• 🌿 2g curry leaves
• 🌿 0.3g asafoetida
• 🍋 15ml lemon juice
• 🌿 10g fresh coriander
• 🥥 10g desiccated coconut

Method

1. Bring a few centimetres of water to the boil in a large pan or steamer. Oil a 20 cm round cake tin that fits inside.
2. Sift the gram flour into a bowl and add the semolina, 15 g of the sugar, the salt, turmeric, grated ginger, half the finely chopped chilli and 2 g of the citric acid.
3. Whisk in 15 ml of the oil and about 180 ml of the water to a smooth, thick batter, like pancake batter. Rest for 10 minutes.
4. Just before steaming, sprinkle the bicarbonate of soda over the batter with 1 teaspoon of water and whisk briskly in one direction for 15 seconds. It will turn pale and foamy.
5. Pour straight into the tin, put it in the steamer, cover and steam for 15 to 18 minutes, until risen and a skewer comes out clean. Don't open the lid for the first 12 minutes.
6. Leave to cool for 5 minutes, then cut into squares in the tin.
7. For the tempering, heat the rest of the oil in a small pan. Add the mustard seeds and, once they pop, the curry leaves, the rest of the chilli and the asafoetida.
8. Add the rest of the water, sugar and citric acid and the lemon juice, bring to the boil and stir until the sugar dissolves.
9. Spoon slowly over the dhokla so it soaks in. Scatter with coriander and coconut and serve with green chutney.