Khaman Dhokla Recipe Without Eno

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!

Course Snack

Cuisine Indian

Keyword instant pot dhokla, Khaman dhokla, Khaman dhokla without Eno

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 30

Resting Time 20

Total Time 55

Servings

Calories 87.1kcal

Author Saima Zaidi

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

US Customary - Metric

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.

Nutrition