INDIAN COOKING CHALLENGE -- KHAMAN DHOKLA

When Valli announced Khaman dhokla for Indian cooking challenge, I was gone in to flash back. I had this dhokla in some restaurant in Gujarati thali and it was so soft and fluffy with spongy texture and my hubby liked it and I don't know how to make that (means I don't know the recipe).and I just wanted to try, then my first try was a big disaster because I didn't add any cooking soda or fruit salt that time. Those days Tarala dalal show is going on the TV, one day when I switch on the TV she is making this Khaman dhoka and the recipe was almost finished soon I miss the recipe... one fine day my hubby very surprisingly brought a book of tarala dala s, from that book I tried this dhokla recipe …….
Khaman dhokla is our first recipe in ICC- Indian cooking challenge so I was very exited with this recipe because this was little different then mine. I tried it for 2 times and every time it's just awesome. 2nd time when I tried last week it become more spongy, fluffy and soft and with that green chutney it was a super hit, here I go with the recipe……………..

INGREDIENTS:----
Bengal gram flour (senga pindi, besan) --- 250 gms
Curd – 1/2 cup
Water --- 1/2 cup
Cooking soda --- 1/2 tea sp
Oil – 1 tab sp
Turmeric --- 1 pinch
Green chili paste --- 2 (green chili coarsely paste)
Sugar – 1 tea sp
Citric acid --- 1/4 tea sp
Eno (green color fruit lime – 1 packet
FOR TEMPERING: ---
Sesame seeds – 1/2 tea sp
Mustard seeds – 1/2 tea sp
A few curry leaves
Grated coconut – 1 tab sp
Little water and oil to be topped on dhoklas

METHOD:----
1. Mix curd and water mix well and add besan and again mix well to get a lump less batter with Idli batter consistency. If you feel it is little thick then dropping consistency then add little more water mix well.
2. Then add cooking soda mix well and leave a side for 1 hour
3. Now pour water in an idli cooker or pressure cooker and place the plate which we use for steaming or you can use a thali too.
4. Now add citric acid, oil, salt, sugar, green chili paste, and turmeric powder and mix well. This has to be done just before pouring in to the plate
5. In the same time start boiling this water in the idli cooker or pressure cooker and bring to a full boil.
6. Now add eno to the batter mix gently (save some to dust the plate) now you can see bubbles coming out in the batter
7. Sprinkle eno on the plate, then immediately pour the batter in to the plate.
8. Place the plate in the cooker and cover with lid (if you are using the pressure cooker or pane no need to use the whistle.)
9. After some time (a few seconds) you will find the steam coming out.
10. Now keep the flame low and leave it for 5 to 7 min.
11. After 5 to 7 min remove the lid and check with a toothpick or knife .if your knife or toothpick comes out clean then your dhokla is done.
12. Then close it with lid again and leave for 1 more min. on flame, then switch off the flame.

13. Now mix 3 t sp water and oil in a small bowl, remove the dhokla plate from cooker and pour the oil and water mixture on top of it
14. Now heat oil add mustard seeds, sesame seeds let them popup and then add curry leaves and pour over the dhokla
15. If you want perfect shaped ones and not the crumbling, cut and handle gently.
16. Dhokla can also be steamed in a kadai filled with water and plated titled over it.
FOR GREEN CHUTNEY: ----
Green chilies – 5 no.
Coconut --- 2- 3 tab sp
Coriander leaves – 1 cup
Mint leaves – 1/4 cup
Cumin seeds --- 1/2 tea sp
Lime – 1 big
Salt to taste
Grind all above ingredients in to a fine paste
Remove and serve with dhoklas.