Dhokla
Ingredients
- 1 cup besan (chickpea flour)
- 1 tbsp semolina (rava)
- 1 tsp ginger paste
- 1 tsp green chilli paste
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp sugar
- Salt to taste
- ¾ cup yogurt or buttermilk
- 1 tsp Eno fruit salt (or baking soda + lemon juice)
- Oil for greasing
- For tempering: 1 tbsp oil, 1 tsp mustard seeds, 8–10 curry leaves, 2 green chillies, 1 tbsp sugar dissolved in ¼ cup water, 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Fresh coriander and grated coconut to garnish
Steps
- 1
Make the batter
Mix besan, semolina, ginger paste, chilli paste, turmeric, sugar, and salt. Add yogurt and mix to a smooth, thick batter with no lumps. Rest for 10 minutes.
- 2
Prepare steamer
Fill your electric steamer with water and preheat for 5 minutes. Grease a shallow dish that fits inside the steamer.
- 3
Add leavening
Just before steaming, add Eno (or baking soda + lemon juice) and lemon juice to the batter. Mix quickly and gently — the batter will start to bubble. Do not overmix.
- 4
Pour and steam
Pour the batter immediately into the greased dish. Place in the steamer and steam for 18–20 minutes on high. Do not open the lid during this time.
- 5
Check doneness
Insert a toothpick into the centre — it should come out clean. If not, steam for another 3–4 minutes.
- 6
Prepare tempering
Heat oil in a small pan (use induction or microwave). Add mustard seeds until they splutter. Add curry leaves and green chillies. Mix in the sugar water and lemon juice. Let it boil for 30 seconds.
- 7
Cut and temper
Once cooled for 5 minutes, cut the dhokla into squares. Pour tempering evenly over all pieces. Garnish with coriander and coconut.
Tips for Best Results
💡 Use Eno for instant dhokla
Eno fruit salt provides immediate leavening and creates a spongier texture than baking soda alone. Add it at the very last moment before pouring into the dish.
💡 Thin batter = flatter dhokla
The batter should be thick enough to coat a spoon but still pourable. Too thin and the dhokla will be flat; too thick and it will be dense.
💡 Do not open the lid
Steam is essential for leavening the dhokla. Opening the lid causes the temperature to drop suddenly, which can collapse the dhokla.
About this recipe ↓About this recipe ↑
Dhokla: A Natural Fit for the Electric Steamer
Dhokla is a steamed dish by nature — which makes it one of the easiest Indian recipes to adapt to an electric steamer. The process is identical to stovetop dhokla: a fermented or instant besan batter is poured into a greased dish and steamed until spongy.
The electric steamer produces consistent, even steam at a stable temperature — arguably better than the variable heat of a stovetop — leading to more consistently spongy dhokla.
More details ↓More details ↑
Steam More, Gas Less
Dhokla is just one of many steam-cooked Indian snacks and meals you can make in an electric steamer. Explore the full collection for idli, momos, steamed fish, and more.
