What is Dhokla?

Dhokla is a popular tea-time snack in Gujarati homes and one that’s widely sold in Indian sweet shops and fast-food restaurants. It’s healthy fare too, since it’s steamed rather than fried and is high in protein and fiber.

The basic ingredient which goes into dhoklas is split Bengal gram (chana dal) or gram flour. This is ground into a batter with spices (turmeric, ginger, green chilies) and a dash of sugar added for color and flavor. The mixture is fermented, poured into a thaali and steamed. When done, it looks much like a pale yellow sponge cake. A tempering of mustard seeds, curry leaves, chopped coriander leaves and grated coconut is sprinkled on top. The “cake” is cut into pieces and served with tamarind or mint chutney. This is the traditional khaman dhokla.

Variations on the dhokla theme are a rice-and-lentil version called khatta dhokla (khatta = sour) and more modern experiments like vegetable dhokla and cheese dhokla. If ever there was a guilt-free snack, this is it!