Sooji Dhokla

Ingredients:

for the dhokla

1 cup sooji (semolina/rawa)

1/2 cup dahi (curd)

1/2 cup water

1/2 tsp haldi

2 green chillies finely chopped

1 tsp grated ginger

2 tsp eno fruit salt

2 tbsp oil

salt to taste

for the tempering

1/2 onion finely grated

1 garlic finely grated

3 green chillies deseeded and finely slit

1 tbsp white til (white sesame seeds)

1 tsp black mustard seeds

coriander for garnishing

Method:

• mix the oil and sooji.
• mix together dahi, haldi, salt, ginger and green chillies.
• add dahi along with the mixed ingredients to the sooji. Mix well to make a batter of thick coating consistency.
• keep the batter to rest for a minimum of 20 mins.
• In the meanwhile heat a cooker with enough water (about 3 inches of the cooker). Grease the dhokla plates with oil.
• once the water in the cooker starts boiling and steam is created, add 2 tsp of eno fruit salt to the batter and give one final stir to the batter and pour the batter into the dhokla plates.
• place the dhokla stand into the cooker. Cover the lid of the cooker without the whistle and let it steam for about 15-20 mins. Switch of the flame.
• uncover the lid, remove the dhokla stand from the cooker and let the dhokla rest.
• for the tempering, heat the oil, add mustard seeds when they crackle, reduce the flame and add til, when til slightly changes colour add onion, let the onion turn pink, add green chillies and let it cook for a minute. Turn the flame off.
• garnish the dhokla with the above tempering and coriander.

Tips

• 2 tsp of lemon may also be added to the batter along with dahi if you prefer tangy flavour.
• 1tsp of ajwain/1 tsp of jeera roughly ground can also be added along with dahi. Ajwain/jeera gives their distinct taste.
• the dhoklas can also be made in a stock pot or idli vessel, they give equally good results.
• haldi powder can be avoided, if you prefer the dhokla to be white in colour.
• once eno fruit salt is added, immediately transfer the batter in the steamer. The water in the cooker should be boiling before eno is added to the batter.
• if the batter is thick you can add 1-2 tbsp of water to it.
• you could completely avoid the water in this recipe and instead add 1 cup of dahi to the sooji mixture.
• tempering could be prepared of oil, mustard seeds curry leaves.
• onion can be avoided in the above mentioned til tempering.
• you can check if the dokla is done by inserting a knife, if it comes clean, the dhokla is done.
• dhokla can be had with imli chutney/green chutney.
• dhokla tastes best when its hot!