Dhokla
Encyclopedia
Dhokla or Dhokra is a vegetarian food item that originates from the India
n state of Gujarat. It is made with a fermented batter of gram flour
(chickpea
s). Dhokla can be eaten for breakfast, as a main course, as a side dish or as a snack. It can usually be bought from a sweet shop.
for four to five hours. This is spiced by adding chilli pepper, ginger
, and baking soda.
Different lentils like black grams, also known as urad dal, can also be substituted for chickpeas.
The essential ingredient is rice and its colour is wheatish.
The fermented
batter is then steamed for about 15 minutes on a flat dish and cut into pieces. These chopped pieces are fried in hot oil with mustard seeds. Asafoetida
and chopped green chillies can also be fried and, sometimes, an equal amount of water and a little sugar is added to this oil. The pieces are then removed from dish.
It is usually served with deep fried chillies and chutney
made of besan. It is garnished with coriander
and often with grated coconut.
Khaman is sometimes confused with dhokla - but the former is almost entirely made of chickpeas.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state of Gujarat. It is made with a fermented batter of gram flour
Gram flour
Gram flour is a cereal flour made from ground chickpeas. It is also known as chickpea flour, garbanzo flour, or besan . Used in many countries, it is a staple ingredient in Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi cuisines, and, in the form of a paste with water or yoghurt, a popular facial exfoliant in...
(chickpea
Chickpea
The chickpea is a legume of the family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae...
s). Dhokla can be eaten for breakfast, as a main course, as a side dish or as a snack. It can usually be bought from a sweet shop.
Preparation
Rice and chickpeas, or besan in some recipes, in the ratio 4:1 is soaked overnight. The mixture is ground and this paste is fermentedFermentation (food)
Fermentation in food processing typically is the conversion of carbohydrates to alcohols and carbon dioxide or organic acids using yeasts, bacteria, or a combination thereof, under anaerobic conditions. Fermentation in simple terms is the chemical conversion of sugars into ethanol...
for four to five hours. This is spiced by adding chilli pepper, ginger
Ginger
Ginger is the rhizome of the plant Zingiber officinale, consumed as a delicacy, medicine, or spice. It lends its name to its genus and family . Other notable members of this plant family are turmeric, cardamom, and galangal....
, and baking soda.
Different lentils like black grams, also known as urad dal, can also be substituted for chickpeas.
The essential ingredient is rice and its colour is wheatish.
The fermented
Fermentation (food)
Fermentation in food processing typically is the conversion of carbohydrates to alcohols and carbon dioxide or organic acids using yeasts, bacteria, or a combination thereof, under anaerobic conditions. Fermentation in simple terms is the chemical conversion of sugars into ethanol...
batter is then steamed for about 15 minutes on a flat dish and cut into pieces. These chopped pieces are fried in hot oil with mustard seeds. Asafoetida
Asafoetida
Asafoetida , alternative spelling asafetida, is the dried latex exuded from the living underground rhizome or tap root of several species of Ferula, which is a perennial herb...
and chopped green chillies can also be fried and, sometimes, an equal amount of water and a little sugar is added to this oil. The pieces are then removed from dish.
It is usually served with deep fried chillies and chutney
Chutney
Chutney is a a condiment used in South Asian cuisine that usually contains a spice and vegetable mix.Chutneys are wet or dry, having a coarse to fine texture. The Anglo-Indian loan word refers to fresh and pickled preparations indiscriminately, with preserves often sweetened. At least several...
made of besan. It is garnished with coriander
Coriander
Coriander is an annual herb in the family Apiaceae. Coriander is native to southern Europe and North Africa to southwestern Asia. It is a soft, hairless plant growing to tall. The leaves are variable in shape, broadly lobed at the base of the plant, and slender and feathery higher on the...
and often with grated coconut.
Types of Dhokla
There are different kinds of dhokla prepared with different ingredients and ratios of chickpeas. Some of the popular kinds of dhoklas are:- Khatta dhokla
- Rasia dhokla
- Khandhavi dhokla
- Cheese dhokla
- Toor dalDalDal is a preparation of pulses which have been stripped of their outer hulls and split. It also refers to the thick stew prepared from these, an important part of Indian, Nepali, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, and Bangladeshi cuisine...
dhokla - Sandwich dhokla
- Rawa dhokla
- Mixed dalDalDal is a preparation of pulses which have been stripped of their outer hulls and split. It also refers to the thick stew prepared from these, an important part of Indian, Nepali, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, and Bangladeshi cuisine...
dhokla - Green peas dhokla
Khaman is sometimes confused with dhokla - but the former is almost entirely made of chickpeas.
