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Sunday, July 14, 2013

Khaman Dhokla

I hesitated before getting to work on my meal today.  I wanted to make dosas, samosas, coconut chutney, and tomato chutney.. as I started taking notes, I had a cerebral quantum leap to Mohinga.  Keep an eye out because it's still floating around in my head.  Then I imagined that some meat was going to be requested, and started looking at different curries... and then I went back to my natural state... Gujurat.  I am a Patel after all!
Khaman dhokla may seem like the same thing as Khatta dhokla to the unexperienced, but it really is different.  I thought it was just a color thing, but it is also a texture and taste thing.  Khatta is white and made from rice flour and urad dal with yogurt.  Khaman is yellow and made from chickpea flour without yogurt.  Khaman is fluffier, and slightly sweeter, which is probably why it is usually eaten at breakfast time in a Gujurati home.  I always do whatever I want so I eat it anytime.
Yield: 20-30 pieces
Ingredients:
200g Gits Khaman dhokla mix
260 mL water
2 Tbsp oil
Seasoning:
1 Tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 slit greed chili
handful chopped cilantro
1 tsp poppy seeds
handful dried coconut
Directions:
1.  Mix the khaman mix with the water and oil gently until lumps are gone.
2.  Rub some oil on a microwave safe tupperware and pour the batter in up to 1 inch height.
3.  Microwave uncovered for 4 minutes.
4.  Make the seasoning by heating oil in a wok.  Add the mustard seeds and chili until they start to crackle.
5.  Brush the seasoning onto the dhokla, then sprinkle some poppy seeds, coconut, and cilantro.
6.  Cut the dhokla into cubes.

I served this as a side while trying to recreate something I was served by my family in India:  Methi na Gota.  I horribly failed at the fenugreek fritters.  Mine look and taste nothing like what I was going for.. but you can't win every time.  I'll have to figure out a way to repurpose them as gatta (chickpea flour dumplings), because they're still edible, just not what I wanted.  They are dry and herby.  My khadi was delicious, though... maybe it's because I actually used real curry leaves this time.
Upper left: Khaman dhokla
Upper middle: Kadhi
Right: Bite of paneer in tomato sauce
Lower middle: Lobia curry with jeera rice
Lower right: My sorry failed attempt at Methi na Gota

Reaction #1 : What? no Naan?
Reaction #2 : How in the hell did you make this much of a mess in the kitchen without making Naan?

Some people are just never satisfied with what they have until they stop having it...
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