WHITE DHOKLA | IDADA |IDRA
White Dhokla also known as Idra, Idada, Idla or Khatta Dhokla is a traditional Gujarati steamed snack made from a batter of rice and lentils or dals. Enjoyed usually as a snack or as a part of a thali, it is commonly served with mango ras and puri. It is different from idli in the ratio of rice to urad dal. Also my mum would add a bit of chana and moong dal. Some add flattened rice or poha too. Khatta means sour, so the batter is allowed to ferment overnight so that it becomes a bit sour.
Ingredients
FOR THE WHITE DHOKLA BATTER
- ¾ cup rice
- 2 tbsp moong dal yellow
- 2 tbsp chana dal
- ¼ cup urad dal white
- ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds
- enough warm water
- ½ cup sour yogurt
- ⅓ -½ cup water
- 1 tsp ginger paste
- 1 tsp chilli paste
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp oil
- ½ tsp eno fruit salt or kharo
TO SPRINKLE ON TOP
- ¼ - ⅓ tsp red chilli powder
- ½ tsp coarsely ground black pepper
- extra oil for greasing
INGREDIENTS FOR TEMPERING | VAGHAR
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- ¼ tsp asafetida
- 8-10 curry leaves
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander chopped
- 1 green chilli, optional sliced
Instructions
PREPARATION OF WHITE DHOKLA BATTER
- Soak rice and dalsl separately in warm water for 6-8 hours.
- Add the fenugreek seeds to the dal mixture so they soak at the same time.
- Remove the water, wash the rice and dals separately using a colander or sieve.
- Using the measured yogurt, first grind the dal mixture to a fine paste.
- Then using ½ cup water, process the soaked rice to a fine texture.
- Mix the dal and rice batter together in a large bowl or contianer. It should be a thick.
- Cover it with a lid or cling film and leave it overnight or for 8-10 hours to ferment.
- The batter should be thick and fermented.
- Add salt, ginger, chilli pastes and oil.
- At this point you may need to add ⅓ cup or less of water if the batter is too thick. It should be thick and pourable.
- Whip the batter gently to mix.
STEAMING WHITE DHOKLA
- Get your steaming device ready.
- Add water quarter way full. The water should not touch the plates which we will be using to steam the dhokla.
- Cover the pan and let the water become hot.
- In the meantime, grease the steaming plates with some oil.
- Use either
- When the water becomes hot, add the kharo or Eno into the batter.
- Mix it well.
- Pour the batter into the prepared greased plate.
- It is best to use either 6, 8 or 9 inch steel plates. If you don't have one then use a 9 inch cake tin. In the cake tin the dhokla will come out thicker.
- Sprinkle red chilli powder and pepper powder over the batter.
- Place the plates on the steaming ring or tray.
- Cover and steam for 10 minutes.
- Open the lid and remove the plates with dhokla.
PREPARATION OF TEMPERING OR VAGHAR
- Heat oil in a small pan over medium heat.
- When it is hot add mustard, cumin and sesame seeds.
- Let it crackle a bit.
- Add curry leaves, chopped green chilli and coriander leaves.
- Mix with a spoon.
- Add asafoetida and mix well.
- Pour the vaghar or tempering over the steamed dhokla.
- Let it cool down completely before you cut the dhokla into pieces.
TO SERVE
- Cut the dhokla into square or diamond shapes and serve with a chutney of your choice.
- I love serving it with green or garlic chutney.
Notes
- If the batter gets fermented well, then there is no need to use Eno.
- Can substitute the Eno with baking soda.
- Sometimes ready made white dhokra flour is available. In that case you mix it with yogurt and leave it overnight.
- To serve them warm just warm them up in a microwave oven or steam them again for 5 minutes.
Left over dhokla can easily be warmed up in a wide pan over medium heat. Stir them gently so that they do not stick to the bottom of the pan.