Khaman Dhokla recipe is a soft, fluffy, savory steamed cake made from gram flour (besan), spices made in the pressure cooker, and stovetop. This Instant Khaman is a popular Gujarati dish and is perfect to enjoy as a breakfast or snack with green chutney!
What comes to mind when you think of a quick and nutritious snack? Well, there are many things to try, but if you ask me about that, it is dhokla. Light, easy, and healthy, this snack can be enjoyed without guilt.
Whether you're hungry, on a diet, or have unexpected visitors at your house, dhokla is the one item you can eat anytime! There are two popular varieties - dhokla and khaman.
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What is Khaman?
Khaman is a light, soft, fluffy, savory snack or breakfast dish from the state of Gujarat, India. It is made from gram flour (besan), and spices, which is steamed in the steamer or pressure cooker until fluffy and then cut into small pieces. A tempering is then poured over the dhokla pieces.
It is slightly spicy, sweet, and sour in taste. It is typically served with green mint chutney and sweet tamarind chutney.
Difference Between Khaman And Dhokla
Both Khaman and Dhokla are traditional Gujarati snacks. Although khaman and dhokla are sometimes used interchangeably, they have distinct differences in taste and texture.
Khaman is like a soft, spongy cake. Dhokla, on the other hand, has a firmer texture.
Khaman is made from the primary ingredient besan (gram flour), which is steamed and then tempered with mustard seeds, curry leaves, and green chilies. Whereas, Dhokla is made from a fermented batter of rice and urad dal and is white in color. It is steamed, cut into small squares, and a tempering of mustard seeds, coriander leaves, and split green chilies are added on the top.
Khaman is often served with green chutney or sweet tamarind chutney, and Dhokla is usually served with curd or coriander mint chutney.
Ingredients
Here is the list of ingredients to make a Gujarati khaman recipe at home.
- Besan (gram flour): is the star ingredient. Use fresh besan flour for the best taste. It is easily available in Indian grocery stores or on Amazon.
- Rava/Semolina/Sooji: Use a fine variety of rava. It gives a slightly coarse texture to the khaman. Skip if you don't have it. Skip rava for a gluten-free option.
- Eno Fruit Salt: Adding fruit salt, such as Eno, makes the khaman batter light and fluffy instantly and there, making the steamed dhokla soft and spongy. It acts as a leavening agent. For best results, use Eno; otherwise, you can also use ¼ teaspoon of baking soda.
- Seasoning: Ginger, green chilies, and salt are used as a seasoning.
- Sugar: is used to balance the tanginess of the lemon juice and adds a touch of sweetness to the dish. Don't skip it.
- Oil: is added to keep the khaman soft and moist. So don't skip it.
- Lemon juice: Use Freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice for the tanginess and sourness. You can substitute lemon juice with ⅓ teaspoon of citric acid.
- Tempering: Also, a tempering of oil, mustard seeds, split green chilies, curry leaves, and asafoetida are prepared. Water is also added to make the tempering for the khaman.
- Coriander Leaves: for garnish
How to Make Khaman Dhokla
Prepare Khaman Batter
Place a sieve over a large mixing bowl. Add a cup of besan and sieve it. This step helps to remove any lumps and also aerate the besan, resulting in a lighter and fluffier khaman.
Then add semolina, turmeric powder, sugar, salt, water, ginger paste, green chili, oil, and lemon juice to the same bowl.
Gradually add water and whisk until you get a smooth, lump-free batter. You should get free-flowing yet thick batter at the end.
Beat the batter very well for at least 1 minute in one direction, either clockwise or anticlockwise. This step helps to incorporate air into the batter, which helps to make the khaman lighter and fluffier.
Let the batter rest for at least 10-15 minutes to ferment.
Meanwhile, Add 2 cups of water, place a long-legged trivet or ring into the instant pot insert and turn on SAUTE (high), and let the water come to a boil.
Also, grease a cake pan or steamer plate with oil.
When you see water in the pressure cooker/steamer is about to boil, add 1 teaspoon of Eno fruit salt to the batter and pour 1 tablespoon of water on the eno. Eno activates and froths up.
Quickly mix in one direction. Do not over-mix. The batter will become light and frothy and increase in volume at this stage.
Immediately, Pour the batter into the greased cake pan, smooth the top with a spatula if desired, and place the pan on the trivet.
This dhokla can be steamed in a pressure cooker, steamer, or even a microwave. Today I am using an Instant Pot pressure cooker to steam the khaman.
Steaming Dhokla in Instant Pot
Place the pan on the trivet in the instant pot insert. Close the lid and keep it in the VENTING position, and turn on the 'STEAM' mode for 15 minutes.
Note: The timer on the instant pot does not work in the venting position, so you have to use a separate timer.
After 15 minutes, turn off the instant pot and let the khaman sit for 5 minutes.
Then open the instant pot lid and insert a toothpick or knife, and if it comes out clean, then it's done. If not, then steam it for another 2-3 minutes.
Remove the pan carefully, using tongs, and let it rest for another 5 minutes so it is easier to cut.
Prepare Tempering
For the tempering, heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, let them crackle. Then add green chilies, curry leaves, and hing and sauté for a few seconds.
Then add water, sugar, salt and let it come to a boil. Turn off the gas and add lemon juice. Mix well.
Garnish and Serve Khaman
Run the sharp knife over the edges of the pan to loosen it. Next, place a plate over the top of the pan and turn it upside down, allowing the dhokla to come out easily. Then, you can flip it over again onto another plate.
Grease the knife with some oil and start by cutting the dhokla into equal diamonds or square shapes.
Let the tempering cool down for 1-2 minutes, then pour it over the khaman pieces. Although it may seem like a lot of water, don't worry because all of it will get absorbed. Garnish with coriander leaves.
Serve the Khaman Dhokla with green chutney for breakfast or an evening snack.
Serving Suggestions
Serve Khaman hot or warm with a variety of chutneys, such as mint coriander chutney and/or sweet tamarind chutney. You can also serve it with a side of masala chai or hot coffee.
Khaman Dhokla can be served as a snack, appetizer, or even as a light breakfast. You can also pack it for your kids' lunch box or for your next picnic.
Storage Suggestions
Khaman Dhokla can be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
Tips
- Use fresh ingredients: Use fresh besan flour. Old besan can sometimes taste bitter. Also, use fresh Eno, to ensure the batter rises properly. Old or expired ingredients may not yield the desired results.
- Avoid adding too much water: To maintain the right consistency of the batter, it's important to avoid adding excess water while mixing. Adding too much water can make the batter too loose, and it may lose its shape and texture.
- Rest the batter: Let the batter rest for 10-15 minutes so that the besan absorbs the liquid.
- Whisk the batter in one direction: Be careful only to move the whisk or beat the khaman batter in one direction, either clockwise or anticlockwise. The air within the mixture may escape if you beat it in both directions. The dhokla won't be spongy and soft.
- Don't overcook: Steam the khaman for about 15-20 minutes or until a knife or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If you overcook, dhokla may turn dry and hard.
- After adding eno to the batter, it is important to work swiftly: After adding the baking soda or Eno, stir the mixture for 20 to 30 seconds before pouring it into the baking pan. If you continue to beat the khaman batter, the bubbles will burst. To create soft and fluffy dhoklas, start steaming the dhokla as soon as the batter is ready.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! It is healthy. Khaman Dhokla is made with besan (gram flour). Besan has been shown to have various health-related qualities, including enhancing heart health and promoting healthy bowel movements.
Before adding the dhokla batter plates, check if the steamer is hot enough and the water is boiling. Dhokla won't cook as quickly and won't be as spongy if it doesn't puff up properly.
Dhokla can become bitter if the leavening ingredient is used in excess. Use it only at the recommended quantity when combined with an acidic component to prevent the bitter taste.
The best leavening agent is eno fruit salt. However, you can use baking soda as a substitute.
When making dhokla, turmeric causes red or pink areas to develop. Actually, a reaction between baking soda/eno and turmeric is to blame for this. So, try to use very little haldi.
More Gujarati Recipes
More Snack Recipes
Khaman Dhokla
Ingredients
- 1 cup gram flour (besan)
- 1 tablespoon sooji/semolina/rava
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon ginger grated
- 1 green chili
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (or ⅓ teaspoon citric acid)
- ¾ cup water
- 1 teaspoon eno fruit salt
- 1 tablespoon water to activate eno
- 2 cups water for steaming
For Tempering
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ¾ teapsoon mustard seeds
- 4-5 green chilies thinly sliced
- 1 stalk curry leaves
- 1 pinch asafoetida/hing
- ½ cup water
- 1 tablespoon sugar adjust to taste
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
For Garnish
- 2-3 tablespoons coriander leaves
- 2 tablespoons fresh coconut optional
Instructions
Prepare Khaman Batter
- Place a sieve over a large mixing bowl. Add a cup of besan and sieve it. This step helps to remove any lumps and also aerate the besan, resulting in a lighter and fluffier khaman.
- Then add semolina, turmeric powder, sugar, salt, water, ginger paste, green chili, oil, and lemon juice to the same bowl.
- Gradually add water and whisk until you get a smooth, lump-free batter. You should get free-flowing yet thick batter at the end.
- Beat the batter very well for at least 1 minute in one direction, either clockwise or anticlockwise. This step helps to incorporate air into the batter, which helps to make the khaman lighter and fluffier.Let the batter rest for at least 10-15 minutes to ferment.
- Meanwhile, Add 2 cups of water, place a long-legged trivet or ring into the instant pot insert and turn on SAUTE (high), and let the water come to a boil.
- Also, grease a cake pan or steamer plate with oil.
- When you see water in the pressure cooker/steamer is about to boil, add 1 teaspoon of Eno fruit salt to the batter and pour 1 tablespoon of water on the eno. Eno activates and froths up.
- Quickly mix in one direction. Do not over-mix. The batter will become light and frothy and increase in volume at this stage.
- Immediately, Pour the batter into the greased cake pan, smooth the top with a spatula if desired, and place the pan on the trivet.
- This dhokla can be steamed in a pressure cooker, steamer, or even a microwave. Today I am using an Instant Pot pressure cooker to steam the khaman.
Steaming Dhokla in Instant Pot
- Place the pan on the trivet in the instant pot insert. Close the lid and keep it in the VENTING position and turn on the 'STEAM' mode for 15 minutes.Note: The timer on the instant pot does not work in the venting position, so you have to use a separate timer.
- After 15 minutes, turn off the instant pot, and let the khaman sit for 5 minutes.
- Then open the instant pot lid, and insert a toothpick or knife, and if it comes out clean, then it's done. If not, then steam it for another 2-3 minutes.
- Remove the pan carefully, using tongs, and let it rest for another 5 minutes so it is easier to cut.
Prepare Tempering
- For the tempering, heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, let them crackle. Then add green chilies, curry leaves, and hing and sauté for a few seconds.
- Then add water, sugar, salt and let it come to a boil. Turn off the gas and add lemon juice. Mix well.
Garnish and Serve Khaman
- Run the sharp knife over the edges of the pan to loosen it. Next, place a plate over the top of the pan and turn it upside down, allowing the dhokla to come out easily. Then you can flip it over again onto another plate.
- Grease the knife with some oil and start by cutting the dhokla into equal diamonds or square shapes.
- Let the tempering cool down for 1-2 minutes, then pour it over the khaman pieces. Although it may seem like a lot of water, don't worry because all of it will get absorbed. Garnish with coriander leaves.
- Serve the Khaman Dhokla with green chutney for breakfast or an evening snack.
Nutrition
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