Khaman Dhokla 2.0

An ode to the legacy of Tarla Dalal ji.  You live On.. in our kitchens, in our taste buds, and in our hearts.. Forever.

Today, I choose to celebrate and honor Her life, by doing what she did best! Cooking, and sharing.  I made one of the dishes, using her recipe. 

She is a Legend, a Master Chef in true sense. With hundreds of cook books, and thousands of recipes and videos, she revolutionized the way we cook in India.  Every time I see her videos, I couldn't help but notice how humble she was, how selflessly, whole heartedly, and with passion, she did what she did! We can either be sad on her passing, or we can celebrate the wonderful life she lived, making a difference in the lives of millions.  I choose to do that latter.

Why 2.0, you might ask.  Well that's because I already made this dish and posted it on my blog sometime ago.  Made and posted this again today.  Hence Khaman Dhokla 2.0, and it sure came out lot better than the previous time.  

Recipe:

Chickpea flour (besan) - 1 cup

Semolina (rawa) - 1 1/2 tablespoon

Sugar - 1 1/2 teaspoon

Salt - to taste

Citric acid (nimboo ke phool) - 1/2 teaspoon

Fruit salt - 1 1/2 teaspoon

Curry leaves - 3-4 

Water - 1 cup + 1 tablespoon

Oil - 2 tablespoon

Asafoetida - 1/8 teaspoon/a very small pinch

Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon

Sesame seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Green chillies - 1, cut vertically, deseeded

Coriander leaves - about 3-4 sprigs, finely chopped

Shredded coconut (dry or fresh) - 1 tablespoon

• Sieve chickpea flour, add semolina, salt, and sugar, and citric acid. Mix well.  Alternatively, sugar can be added to the tempering that is done at the end.  Add fruit salt and then top it water. Mix thoroughly.
• The vessel used for steaming the dhokla would be a big container, filled with 5-6 cups of water.  Can use either an idli stand or a dhokla stand to go with it. There might be other creative ways for steaming, if you don't have either of the stands handy. Heat 5-6 cups water in that container.  Prepare the steel plate (appx. 7-8 inch diameter) by applying few drops of oil.  
• Pour the batter in the plate.  When the water in the container starts boiling, put the stand with the plate inside the container.
• Steam it for approximately 15 minutes.  The test to know if it has been steamed well is doing the clean knife test.  The time for steaming may vary. Once steamed, remove the plate.
• For tempering - heat oil, add asafoetida, mustard seeds, sesame seeds, curry leaves, green chillies (and sugar if not added earlier). Add 1 tablespoon of water to it.  When the seeds splutter for a few seconds, remove from heat, pour it over the dhokla.  Garnish it with finely chopped coriander leaves and shredded coconut.
• When the dhokla cools down, cut it into desired shape and remove it on a serving plate.

Enjoy!