This instant dhokla recipe without Eno makes soft and spongy khaman dhokla. An excellent tea time snack, besan or gram flour is the star ingredient here along with baking soda (raising agent in place of Eno). It comes together quickly and easily and tastes great with green chutney. Makes for a light, healthy and gluten-free snack! Both instant pot and stovetop recipes are included.
Do try this crispy aloo tikki or paneer fingers if you like tasty Indian snacks. And if you are looking for something even more filling, check out this gobi manchurian over a bed of noodles and this absolutely delish naan pizza!

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What is khaman dhokla?
Khaman dhokla, also known as nylon khaman dhokla is an irresistible Gujarati snack that is very popular in India. You cannot visit a sweet shop in India without coming across these bright yellow savory cake squares displayed prominently along with other goodies. They have a savory, slightly sour taste with a hint of sweetness, and you can make them as spicy as you want with a tempering of green chillies. With all these flavor profiles going on, no wonder they taste so good!
The cooking process is simple: make the batter and steam it in a pressure cooker or steamer. Once the dhokla is ready, pour the tempering and cut it into squares or diamond shapes.
What makes this recipe work?
- Besan dhokla is a naturally healthy snack thanks to the gram flour itself, the main ingredient. Besan is a great alternative to all purpose flour as it is lower in calories and carbs and yet has more soluble fiber and protein.
- Steaming is a great way to cook food as you probably already know.
- It is an easy recipe since you basically just have to whisk everything and stick it in the cooker to do its thing. No long-winded steps or monitoring required.
- Need I even say that it is quite delish? Fair warning: it is easy to make your way through a few couple of these light-as-air squares before you realize it:)
Ingredients
Dhokla Ingredients
- 1.5 cups besan or gram flour, sifted
- 1 cup yogurt, beaten
- ½ cup warm water
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 tablespoon white granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- salt, to taste
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Tempering Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ cup water
- 1 tablespoon white granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 10-15 curry leaves
- 2-3 green chillies, slit
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Water quantity is approximate. You can add a little more or less depending on the batter consistency. We need a cake-like pourable consistency, neither too thick nor too thin.
- Besan or gram flour is available in any Indian grocery store. Please note that this is different from the more commonly found chickpea flour. Both look the same but gram flour is made of chana dal (split and husked brown chickpeas), and chickpea flour is made of well, chickpeas or garbanzo beans. We use gram flour in this recipe because it is less bitter and finer than chickpea flour.
- Instead of lemon juice, you can also use citric acid in this recipe. For one cup flour, ½ teaspoon citric acid would be enough.
- Small, brown or red mustard seeds are used in this recipe, but if you don't have these, substitute with the bigger black ones.
How to make instant pot dhokla
Make the dhokla
- Take sifted besan in a bowl, add the yogurt and mix. Start adding warm water little by little. Whisk as you go along. Add the rest of the dhokla ingredients except the baking soda and whisk the batter again. You will add the baking soda right before steaming. Let this batter rest for 20 minutes, undisturbed.
- Prepare your instant pot for steaming the dhokla. Pour 3 cups of water in the steel insert and press the sauté button (more). Let the water come to a roiling boil.
- While you are waiting for the water to boil, grease a cake tin or sturdy pyrex bowl with cooking oil. Choose a cake tin or bowl that will fit inside your instant pot. Alternatively, you can use a 7" springform pan too. The springform pan makes it very easy to release the dhokla once it's done.
- Once the water is boiling, sprinkle the baking soda in the dhokla batter you prepared earlier and whisk again. The baking soda should get mixed with the batter very well, but work quickly as you don't want the bubbles to subside. Pour the batter into the greased bowl or springform pan.
- Place the bowl of batter on a trivet with handles (the one that came as an accessory with your instant pot)and lower it into the steel insert very carefully.
- Close the lid and make sure the steam release valve is on 'venting'. Press the 'steam button.' Set an external timer for 20 minutes as the timer on your instant pot will not work when you select the steaming function with the steam release valve in the venting position.
- After the 20 minutes are over, remove the lid and lift out the trivet with the bowl. Let it rest on the countertop for a bit until it is cool enough to handle.
- Loosen the sides of the dhokla with a blunt knife and invert it on to a plate. You can place the plate on top of the cake tin or bowl and invert. If you're using a springform pan, just release the clasps. Cut the dhokla into small squares or diamonds.
Prepare the tempering or tadka
- Place a saucepan or tadka pan on the stovetop on medium heat and add oil. When the oil is shimmering, add the mustard seeds and let them crackle.
- Remove the pan from the hob and let it cool down a bit, then add the water.
- Put it back on the hob on low heat and add the rest of the tempering ingredients. Stir well and remove from the heat. After this liquid has cooled down a bit, drizzle it all over the dhokla with the help of a spoon. Make sure to get all of the pieces including the sides. The dhokla will absorb this liquid like a sponge and become very soft. Serve warm with coriander chutney or have it without chutney. Your choice!
How to make dhokla on the stovetop
For making dhokla on the stovetop, the steps and timings are the same. You will need a large pot like a dutch oven with a lid, a smaller bowl that will fit inside the dutch oven, and a trivet with handles.
Alternatively, you can also use an idli and dhokla steamer. It is a very convenient piece of equipment for making soft dhokla.
Fill the large pot with 3 cups of water and let it come to a boil on high heat. Place the bowl of dhokla batter on the trivet and lower it into the boiling water very carefully. Cover the outer pot with a lid and set a timer for 20 minutes. Do not lower the heat. After the 20 minutes are up, remove the lid. Take out the bowl of dhokla and let it cool down. Invert it onto a plate, cut it, and finally temper it. Dhokla is ready to be served.
Essential tips and tricks to make soft dhokla
- Do sift the flour to aerate it and get rid of lumps, just like you would for making cakes.
- Follow the proportions mentioned in the recipe. Ingredients have to be in the correct quantities for a light and airy dhokla. Too much water or too less flour will make it sink. On that note, more baking soda does not make the dhokla more light and spongy!
- Keep the dhokla batter at pouring consistency, again as for cakes and pancakes. Add water in increments and keep whisking to get the right consistency.
- Let the batter rest for 20 minutes at least before adding the baking soda.
- Ever seen pinkish red patches in your homemade dhokla? This happens because the baking soda has not mixed in well with the rest of the ingredients. Once you add the baking soda, work quickly. Mix it in very well.
- However, don't take too long after adding the baking soda. You don't want all the bubbles to subside. Once the mixture starts frothing, put it quickly into the steamer or instant pot and start the steaming cycle. This is the most crucial tip to remember for the best results
- Steam for at least 20 minutes. Any less and the dhokla will remain uncooked.
- Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center of the dhokla cake. It should come out clean. If it has batter stuck to it, it is not cooked fully yet. In this case, simply start the steam cycle again for 4-5 minutes.
- Steam the dhokla on high heat if using the stovetop. Don't lower the heat.
If you follow these tips, your dhokla will be perfectly cooked, soft, and light:)
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, gram flour unlike wheat flour is gluten free and hence an excellent choice for people who are on a gluten free diet.
Any kind of Indian chutney goes well with dhokla. Green coriander chutney tastes great, as does coconut chutney.
Leftover dhokla freezes beautifully with no change to the texture or taste. When you want to eat it again, just put the frozen dhokla directly in a microwave safe dish and reheat it quickly and without fuss.
Make dhokla chaat! It is an easy recipe and perfect for using up leftover dhokla.
📖 Recipe
Khaman Dhokla Recipe Without Eno
Equipment
- Instant Pot OR Dhokla Steamer
- Trivet for Instant Pot
- Bowl that fits inside the Instant Pot
Ingredients
Dhokla Ingredients
- 1.5 cups besan or gram flour sifted
- 1 cup yogurt beaten
- ½ cup water
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 tablespoon white granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Tempering Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ cup water
- 1 tablespoon white granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 10-15 curry leaves
- 2-3 green chillies slit
Instructions
INSTANT POT INSTRUCTIONS
Make the dhokla
- Take the sifted besan in a bowl and add the yogurt. Start adding water little by little. Whisk as you go along. Add the rest of the dhokla ingredients except the baking soda and whisk the batter again. You will add the baking soda right before steaming. Let this batter rest for 20 minutes, undisturbed.
- Prepare your instant pot for steaming the dhokla. Pour 3 cups of water in the steel insert and press the sauté button (more). Let the water come to a roiling boil.
- While you are waiting for the water to boil, grease a cake tin or sturdy pyrex bowl with cooking oil. Choose a cake tin or bowl that will fit inside your instant pot. Alternatively, you can use a 7" springform pan too. The springform pan makes it very easy to release the dhokla once it's done.
- Once the water is boiling, sprinkle the baking soda in the dhokla batter you prepared earlier and whisk again. The baking soda should get mixed with the batter very well, but work quickly as you don't want the bubbles to subside. Pour the batter into the greased bowl or springform pan.
- Place the bowl of batter on a trivet with handles (the one that came as an accessory with your instant pot) and lower it into the steel insert very carefully.
- Close the lid and make sure the steam release valve is on 'venting'. Press the 'steam button.' Set an external timer for 20 minutes as the timer on your instant pot will not work when you select the steaming function with the steam release valve in the venting position.
- After the 20 minutes are over, remove the lid and lift out the trivet with the bowl. Let it rest on the countertop for a bit until it is cool enough to handle.
- Loosen the sides of the dhokla with a blunt knife and invert it on to a plate. You can place the plate on top of the cake tin or bowl and invert. If you're using a springform pan, just release the clasps. Cut the dhokla into small squares or diamonds.
Temper the dhokla
- Place a small saucepan on the stovetop on medium heat and add oil. When the oil is shimmering, add the mustard seeds and let them crackle.
- Remove the pan from the hob and let it cool down a bit, then add the water.
- Put it back on the hob on low heat and add the rest of the tempering ingredients. Stir well and remove from the heat. After this liquid has cooled down a bit, drizzle it all over the dhokla with the help of a spoon. Make sure to get all of the pieces including the sides. The dhokla will absorb this liquid like a sponge and become very soft. Serve warm with coriander chutney or have it without chutney.
STOVETOP INSTRUCTIONS
- For making dhokla on the stovetop, the steps and timings are the same as outlined above. You will need a large pot like a dutch oven with a lid, a smaller bowl that will fit inside the dutch oven, and a trivet with handles.
- Fill the large pot with 3 cups of water and let it come to a boil on high heat.
- Place the bowl of dhokla batter on a trivet and lower the trivet into the boiling water very carefully.
- Cover the outer pot with a tight-fitting lid and set a timer for 20 minutes. Do not lower the heat.
- After the 20 minutes are up, remove the lid. Take out the bowl of dhokla and let it cool down.
- Invert it onto a plate, cut it, and finally temper it. Dhokla is ready to be served.
Notes
- Do sift the flour to aerate it and get rid of lumps, just like you would for making cakes.
- Follow the proportions mentioned in the recipe. Ingredients have to be in the correct quantities for a light and airy dhokla. Too much water or too less flour will make it sink. On that note, more baking soda does not make the dhokla more light and spongy!
- Keep the dhokla batter at pouring consistency, again as for cakes and pancakes. Add water in increments and keep whisking to get the right consistency.
- Let the batter rest for 20 minutes at least before adding the baking soda.
- Ever seen pinkish red patches in your homemade dhokla? This happens because the baking soda has not mixed in well with the rest of the ingredients. Once you add the baking soda, work quickly. Mix it in very well.
- However, don't take too long after adding the baking soda. You don't want all the bubbles to subside. Once the mixture starts frothing, put it quickly into the steamer or instant pot and start the steaming cycle. This is the most crucial tip to remember for the best results
- . Steam for at least 20 minutes. Any less and the dhokla will remain uncooked.
- Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center of the dhokla cake. It should come out clean. If it has batter stuck to it, it is not cooked fully yet. In this case, simply start the steam cycle again for 4-5 minutes.
- Steam the dhokla on high heat if using the stovetop. Don't lower the heat.
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