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4 pieces of instant khaman dhokla on a plate

Khaman Dhokla Recipe

Shweta Arora
Khaman Dhokla is a soft, fluffy, savory steamed cake, made from gram flour and spices. This protein-rich, vegan, chickpea flour cake from Gujarati cuisine is the perfect breakfast or snack with chutney. Make this Instant Khaman Dhokla recipe in the Instant Pot, pressure cooker, microwave, or in a regular pot on the stovetop.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Resting time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Appetizer, Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine Indian
Servings 4
Calories 237 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

For Khaman Dhokla

  • 1 cup Gram flour (besan) chickpea flour (120 gms)
  • 1 tablespoon semolina sooji/rava
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric can be skipped too
  • ¾ cup water +1 tablespoon water more to activate Eno
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon citric acid or 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon fresh ginger grated
  • 1 green chili minced, optional
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 teaspoon Eno (fruit salt) or ½ teaspoon baking soda

Tempering (Tadka)

  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds rai
  • teaspoon asafoetida powder hing, optional
  • 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
  • 2 green chilies halved, or to taste (optional)
  • 1 sprig curry leaves
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro chopped
  • 2 tablespoon white sugar adjust to taste
  • ¾ cup water

Instructions
 

Prepare dhokla batter

  • To a mixing bowl, add water, sugar, salt, citric acid, ginger, green chili, and oil. Mix well until sugar dissolves. Keep aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, sift besan (gram flour), and turmeric using a sieve. Remove the sieve and add the semolina (sooji) and mix with a whisk until well combined.
  • Now pour the spiced water and mix well to make a lump-free batter. If needed, add more water to make a free-flowing batter that is still slightly thick. (the water proportion can vary slightly based on the flour used).
  • Whisk the batter in one direction for 1-2 minutes. Check the consistency, it should not be too runny or too thick and should coat the back of the spoon.
  • Rest the batter for 10-15 mins. While the batter rests, prepare the steamer.

Prep Work

  • Grease a 7-inch stainless steel bowl or 7-inch cake pan (in which you will make Khaman) with oil. For the microwave method, grease a 3-cup rectangle microwave-safe glass container. Keep aside.
  • To a deep pan, or the stainless insert pot of the instant pot or pressure cooker, add 3 cups water and bring it to a boil on high heat. Place a trivet in the pan.
  • Once the water starts bubbling, add ENO (or baking soda) to the batter along with 1 tablespoon of water. Eno will start to fizz and froth up.
  • Whisk until everything is well mixed. Make sure to whisk around the edges too. The batter will increase in volume, and turn fluffy and lighter in color. You want to mix well but do not over-mix.

Steaming Dhokla

  • Immediately transfer the fluffy khaman batter into the greased bowl. It is important that once ENO (fruit salt) is added, the steaming process should start immediately to get soft and spongy khaman dhokla.
  • To steam on stovetop: Place the bowl on a trivet in the steamer pan. Cover the pan with a lid. Reduce the heat to medium and steam for 20 mins. Then turn off the heat.
  • To steam using an Instant Pot: Place the bowl on a trivet, close the Instant Pot lid with vent in the venting position. Steam for 15 minutes. Set an external timer (for 15 mins) since the instant pot timer does not work in venting mode. After the timer rings, press cancel.
  • To steam in a traditional pressure cooker: Place the bowl on a trivet inside the cooker, close the lid and remove the weight (whistle). Reduce the heat to medium and steam for 20 mins. Then turn off the heat.
  • To steam in the microwave: cook for 5 mins on high power or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  • After steaming completes, let it sit for 5 mins then open the lid and let it sit for another 5 mins. Take out the khaman container using tongs (be careful) and place it on a trivet on the countertop.
  • Insert a knife or toothpick to check it is cooked. The knife should come out clean. If not, you will need to steam for 2-3 more minutes.
  • Cool for 5 more minutes, you will see the edges pulling away from the side of the pan. Run a knife around the edges of the khaman.
  • Place a plate on top of the khaman container and turn it upside down. This will help to get the khaman out of the container easily. Flip it again onto another plate so the smooth surface faces the top.
  • Allow to cool. Cut into squares. While the dhokla cools, make the tempering.

Prepare tempering (Tadka)

  • Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small pan (tadka pot) over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and cook until they begin to pop (crackle).
  • Then turn the heat to medium-low and add sesame seeds, green chiles, curry leaves, and cilantro. Sauté for 30 seconds or until curry leaves start turning crisp.
  • Carefully add water (since the mixture will sizzle), and sugar and bring tadka to a boil.
  • Turn off the heat. Allow tempering to cool down slightly (still warm).
  • Pour tadka over each square using a spoon and distribute uniformly. Rest for another 10 mins for the liquid to absorb.
  • Garnish further if needed with cilantro and grated coconut. Khaman Dhokla is ready to serve!

Video

Notes

Use fresh good quality ingredients like gram flour, and Eno fruit salt for the best texture and taste.
The correct consistency of the batter is essential for soft spongy dhokla. It should not be too runny or too thick, it should coat the back of the spoon 
If there is not enough water in the batter, it will make dhokla dense and crumbly so adjust the water quantity until you get the right batter consistency. I use fine besan used for Kadhi and pakoras, and the water proportion mentioned works for me. But you may need more or less water based on the type and texture of the besan. 
It is important to beat the batter for 1-2 minutes to incorporate air in the batter, resulting in soft, spongy, and light khaman dhokla.
Ensure the steamer is ready and the water is boiling before adding ENO (or baking soda) to the batter. Always add Eno at the very end just before steaming. 
Steam the khaman right away after whisking eno into the batter. Waiting may not result in spongy dhokla. 
Don't overcook the dhokla as that will make it dry and hard. Steam on medium heat for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Ensure there is enough water for steaming 20mins. 
For that street-style khaman dhokla taste, dont skip sugar and water in tempering. That makes the dhokla juicy and slightly sweet. 
For the best soft, spongy, and fluffy Khaman dhokla, use citric acid and Eno combination.
Citric Acid vs Lemon juice - I prefer citric acid over lemon juice. Citric acid gives light airy dhokla compared to lemon juice. 
Eno (Fruit Salt) vs Baking soda - I’ve always had better results with Eno. Both work but dhokla with Eno has better texture and is airy and spongy. 

Nutrition

Calories: 237kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Sodium: 700mg | Potassium: 274mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 45IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 2mg
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