MOONG DAL DHOKLA
Dhokla is a very famous Gujarati snack whereby a batter of rice and lentils is allowed to ferment before it is steamed. Its served as a snack on its own with chutneys or as a part of a full or thali meal. I've replaced the chana dal with moong dal.
Ingredients
For the Soaking:
- 1 cup moong dal yellow one
- ½ cup rice
- 2 tbsp urad dal
- ½½ tsp methi (fenugreek seeds)
For Dhokla Batter:
- ¾ cup sour plain yogurt
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp ginger paste
- 1 tsp green chilli paste
- 1 tsp garlic paste optional
- 1 - 1¼ tsp salt
- 2 tsp sugar or accrding to your taste
- 1 tsp Eno
- ½ tsp ajmo (ajwain, carom seeds)
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
- ¼ tsp asafetida (hing) optional
For sprinkling on top:
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
For Tempering:
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- 2-3 tbsp fresh coriander chopped
- pinch asafetida (hing) optional
- 2-3 tbsp fresh coconut grated (optional)
Instructions
Soaking the Lentils and Rice:
- Soak the moong and urad dal along with methi together in warm water for 6-8 hours.
- In another bowl soak rice in warm water for 6-8 hours.
Preparation of the batter:
- Wash the soaked lentils and rice in a colander or sieve, lightly. Leave about a tbsp of the dal on the side.
- Mix sour yogurt with the measured water.
- Using a bit of the yogurt water mixture, grind the rice into a paste. It should have the texture of coarse semolina.
- Pour out the batter into a mixing bowl.
- Using the rest of the yogurt water mixture grind the lentils into a paste.
- Add the lentil paste to the rice one.
- Add the tbsp of whole lentils that you left on the side. Mix it very well.
- The batter should not be runny but should be thick. Usually the amount of water and yogurt mentioned above is sufficient.
- Cover the bowl with a lid or cling film and allow the batter to ferment for 4 hours in a warm place.
- Add salt, turmeric powder, asafetida, chilli, ginger, garlic pastes, ajwain, sugar and oil to the batter. Fold in the ingredients gently.
- Cover and let the batter feremtn for 2 hours.
Steaming the Dhokla:
- Grease two 8-9 inch aluminium or steel plates that with oil.
- Put the steaming device on medium flame so that the water can boil.
- If the batter has not fermented well, then add Eno. Mix it well till it becomes nice and frothy.
- Divide the batter between the two plates. Ideally it should be three quarter or half full.
- Place the plate in the steamer and steam for 10 minutes. make sure you close the lid of the steamer.
Tempering:
- Heat oil in a small pan over medium heat.
- When it becomes hot, add mustard seeds. As soon as the seeds begin to pop add the sesame seeds and immediately cover the pan as the seeds will pop all over.
- Take the pan off the heat, add curry leaves, chopped chillis and coriander. Mix well.
- Put the pan back on the medium heat and add asafetida. Mix and remove the pan from the fire.
- Pour the tempering over the steamed dhokla, dividing it equally.
- Sprinkle grated coconut over it.
- Let the dhokla cool down a bit.
- Cut into diamond shapes or squares and serve with green chutney or garlic chutney. The size of the squares or diamonds is up to you.
Tips:
- If your steamer holds only one plate then divide the batter into two before adding the Eno. Add half of the Eno to only one part. Mix and steam. When you want to steam the remaining, add the remaining Eno, mix and steam.
- You can replace the moong dal with chana dal (chickpea lentils).
- To serve stir fried dhokla, let the dhokla cool down after you have steamed them. Cut them into pieces. Heat oil for tempering in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the ingredients just as mentioned above for tempering. Instead of pouring the tempering over the dhokla, you add the pieces to the tempering. Mix gently, allowing the dhokla to get hot. Add coconut and mix. Serve.