Khaman Dhokla:
What is Khaman
khaman, also known as khaman dhokla in other Indian states, is a popular delicacy from the Gujarati cuisine.
It is light, spongy and includes a hint of great savory flavor from a simple combination of gram flour (besan), spices, and herbs. Gram flour is ground skinned black chickpeas.
Khaman is a healthy savory-sweet snack that happens to be vegan. Plus, it can be gluten-free too, if you skip semolina and asafoetida in the batter.
Khaman is also known as yellow dhokla as it has a yellow color or besan dhokla. It is also known as instant khaman.
I prepare khaman dhokla with the steaming method either in an Instant pot or in a pan.
They’re perfect to enjoy for a hearty and satisfying breakfast or an afternoon or evening snack.
How to make Khaman Dhokla
Preparation
1. Grease a steamer pan with 2 to 3 teaspoons oil.
Making Batter
2. Take 1.5 cups gram flour (120 grams besan) in a mixing bowl or pan. Do use gram flour which has a fine texture.
TIP: You can make khaman with chickpea flour as well.
3. The add the following ingredients:
2 to 3 pinches of turmeric powder
a generous pinch of asafoetida (skip to make a gluten-free version)
1.5 tablespoons lemon or lime juice or ⅓ to ½ teaspoon pure citric acid
1.5 teaspoons ginger paste (crush 1.5 inch ginger and 1.5 teaspoons green chilies in a mortar-pestle)
1.5 teaspoons green chili paste
1 tablespoon sugar or add according to taste
1 teaspoon salt or add as per taste
TIP: Avoid adding too much of turmeric powder as then the fruit salt or baking soda reacts with the turmeric powder and makes it red in color, thereby giving reddish dots, specks or tones in the khaman.
4. Add 1 cup water (or more or less as needed) and 1 tablespoon oil to make a thick yet smooth flowing batter. The amount of water needed depends on the quality of flour, so start with 1 cup and add as required. Stir well to combine.
5. Then add 1 tablespoon rava (semolina). This is entirely optional but adds a good texture to the khaman. Skip rava or semolina for a gluten-free option.
6. Stir with a whisk to create a smooth, thick batter without any lumps.
Consistency of Batter
7. The batter should be thick yet flow easily off of the whisk. A quick tip is that if the batter becomes thin, then 1 to 2 tablespoons of gram flour.
Next bring 2 to 2.5 cups of water to a boil in a steamer pan or electric cooker or pressure cooker. The amount of water to be added depends on the size of the steamer or pressure cooker.
NOTE: To know more about the steaming in a pan, cooker and Instant Pot in detail, do read the tips section below.
Leavening khaman batter
9. Next add 2 teaspoons Eno or fruit salt. 2 teaspoons of Eno makes the khaman soft and fluffy. But there is a slightly alkaline taste to Eno.
If you’re not a fan of this flavor then add only 1.5 teaspoons of Eno. If using baking soda as your leavening agent add ½ teaspoon to ¾ teaspoon.
10. Stir the eno with the batter briskly and quickly.
11. The fruit salt should be mixed evenly with the batter. Or else you get uneven texture in the khaman.
12. The eno will make the batter become frothy, so you need to work quickly to whisk it in thoroughly.
12. Pour the prepared batter into the greased pan.
13. Gently shake so that the batter evens out in the pan. Below is a picture of the batter ready to be steamed.
Steaming
1. Place the pan in a steamer or electric rice cooker or pressure cooker. The water should already be boiling or hot when you place the pan with the khaman batter. When using a pressure cooker, remove the vent weight/whistle from the lid and cover the cooker tightly with its lid.
NOTE: I have listed the detailed directions of steaming in a pan, pressure cooker and Instant pot in the tips sections below.
2. Steam for 15 to 20 minutes in an electric rice cooker. If using a pan or pressure cooker or Instant Pot, steam for 12 to 15 minutes on a medium to medium-high heat. In the below photo the khaman is cooked for 17 minutes using an electric rice cooker.
You can begin working on the spice and herb solution for tempering the khaman while it cooks. Continue reading for the instructions.
3. To check the doneness, insert a toothpick. It should come out clean if the khaman is done. If the toothpick has the batter on it, then you need to steam for another minutes or so.
4. Let the khaman become warm or cool completely. Gently slide a butter knife along the edges to release the khaman from the pan. Place a plate or tray on top of the pan.
5. Then quickly invert the pan.
6. If greased well, the khaman will easily slide out onto the plate.
7. Use a sharp knife to slice the khaman in squares and set aside until ready to temper. Since I used a concave plate, the khaman settled down in the center. This won’t happen if you use a flat plate.
Preparing Tempering
1. Tempering is essential to infuse the khaman with flavor and add moisture to the gram flour sponge. To make the temper, first heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a small pan on the stove. Use peanut oil or any neutral-tasting oil.
2. Add 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds and allow them to crackle.
3. When the mustard seeds are crackling, add 10 to 12 curry leaves, and, if you like, 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds and 1 teaspoon of chopped green chili.
4. Stir and then add 2 teaspoon white sesame seeds.
5. Fry the sesame seeds for some seconds. But don’t brown them or they’ll become bitter.
6. Next carefully add ⅓ cup of water. You can switch off the heat when adding water.
7. Then add 2 teaspoons of sugar.
8. Stir and allow the tempering mixture to come to a boil. Make sure that the sugar is dissolved.
Making Khaman
9. Remove from the heat and immediately pour this tempering mixture evenly on the khaman dhokla so that it seeps through the sliced edges.
10. Garnish with 2 to 3 tablespoons of chopped coriander leaves and 2 to 3 tablespoons grated coconut, if you like.
Serving Suggestions
12. Serve the khaman dhokla straight away or you can store it in an airtight box and serve later after an hour. If enjoying khaman later after several hours, then don’t add coconut until ready to eat.
You can also refrigerate them, and then when ready to serve just sprinkle some water and heat in a microwave for a few seconds until just warmed.
Storage
If you plan to serve khaman after a few hours or next day, then I do not recommend to add coconut or coriander. Simply pour the tempering.
Refrigerate the khaman in a covered container. While serving you can warm with a sprinkling of water in a microwave or an oven.
If using the instant pot to warm, then steam for 1 to 2 minutes. While serving add the coconut and coriander leaves.
Expert Tips
Batter Consistency
The batter consistency has to be flowing but thick to medium-thick. 1 cup water with 1.5 cups of gram flour, always gives me perfect results, but you can add a few tablespoons of water if your batter looks very thick. A super thick batter will make the khaman hard and dense. A thin batter won’t hold shape and will become a mess.
Steaming
You can steam khaman in a pan, stove-top pressure cooker, or in an Instant Pot. I list below in detail on steaming Khaman in each.
1. Steaming in a pan or pot
Place a small trivet in a large steaming pan that has enough room to keep the pan with the batter. Pour 2 to 2.5 cups of water. Bring it to a boil.
Place the batter pan as soon you mix with eno. Cover with a lid (not tight fitting) but one that has a vent or will allow some steam to pass through.
Steam for 12 to 15 minutes on medium-high heat. The deeper the pan is in touch with the boiling water, the faster the steaming is. If it is away from the boiling water, the steaming will take a bit more time.
2. Steaming in a stove-top pressure cooker
Place the trivet in a pressure cooker. Add 2 to 2.5 cups water. Heat the water until it begins boiling. Secure the pan tightly between tongs and carefully place it on the trivet.
Remove the whistle (vent weight) from the lid and seal the lid tightly. Steam for 12 to 15 minutes on medium to medium-high heat.
3. Instant Pot Steaming
Pour 2 to 2.5 cups of water in the steel insert of your IP. Place a trivet (not short or long, but kind of in between).
Use the sauté function and let the water get heated up and start simmering.
Using tongs or with oven mitts carefully place the pan with the khaman batter on the trivet. Do not cover with any lid.
Cover and seal IP with its lid and keep the vent position to steam release. Press the steam button and steam on high pressure for 12 to 15 minutes.
Keep a check of the time using a clock or watch as Instant pot does will not beep after the elapsed time and will continue to steam. Let all the pressure release and the valve fall down. Then open the lid carefully.
FAQs
Why is my dhokla not spongy?
The sponginess and light texture in a khaman dhokla comes from reaction of eno with lemon juice or citric acid releasing carbon dioxide. This reaction creates a fizzy bubbly mixture that helps the batter to rise and leaven thereby making it fluffy and spongy when steamed. So if you use less leavening agents (eno, baking soda) or if they are not fresh or active, your khaman won’t be spongy.
Why did my dhokla turn orange or red?
Turmeric powder reacts with baking soda or eno to give orange or red colored spots or patches in khaman dhokla. This makes your khaman turn orange or red. This can be avoided by adding less turmeric powder to the batter.
Is dhokla eaten hot or cold?
It can be eaten warm or at room temperature.
Why is my khaman dhokla bitter?
Adding too much of leavening ingredients like baking soda can make your dhokla bitter.
