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khaman dhokla

Khaman dhokla is a famous Gujarati snack which is steamed; therefore it contains very less oil. It’s a good snack for not just calorie conscious people but for everyone since dhokla is very very tasty.

Recipe of khaman dhokla

1 cup besan (gram flour/chickpea flour)

2/3 cup of water

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ginger-green chilli paste

1 tbsp lemon juice (juice of 2 lemons)

1 tsp Eno fruit salt

1 tsp oil

Tempering (tadka)

1 tbsp oil

100 ml water (1 small cup)

1 tsp mustard seeds (kali sarson)

1 tsp lemon juice

2-3 green chillies- slit vertically

1 tsp sugar

Finely chopped coriander leaves- for garnish

1. Take besan in a bowl and add water little by little mixing with other hand so as to prepare a lump free batter.

2. Add salt, turmeric powder to the batter and let it rest, covered, for 20 minutes.

3. Grease a thali (platter) in which dhokla is to be steamed. Pour 1 glass of water in an outer container and put it on heat. Let it come to rolling boil.

4. In the meanwhile, add ginger-green chilli paste to the batter. In a small bowl, take lemon juice and mix 1 tsp oil and eno fruit salt. Pour this over dhokla batter and mix.

5. Immediately pour this batter on a greased thali. Put a stand or an inverted small bowl in the outer container containing boiling water and place this thali over it. Cover the container with a plate.

6. Let the dhokla steam for 5-7 minutes undisturbed over full flame. Then let it steam for another 15 minutes that is 20 minutes in total. The heat should be high so that lot of steam gets formed. Check by inserting the tip of a clean knife. If nothing sticks to it, dhokla is ready otherwise steam some more.

7. Take out the dhokla containing thali from the container and let it cool for 2-3 minutes. Take out the dhokla from the thali to another plate. Let it cool down, and then cut it in squares or diamonds.

8. For the tadka, heat oil in a small pan and add mustard seeds and when they pop, add green chillies. After few seconds, add water and sugar. Let it come to boil, turn off heat and add lemon juice.

9. Pour this tadka over dhokla pieces and put the dhokla in the fridge. Let the tempering containing water gets absorbed turning the dhokla soft. Garnish the khaman dhokla with chopped coriander leaves.

Note- 1.The batter should not sit for long after adding Eno fruit salt otherwise dhokla will not rise.

2. Mix eno in the lemon juice first and not directly in the batter.

3. The gas stove should be on high heat or full flame for steaming the dhokla.

4. You can also make dhokla in an idli stand.

5. The tempering should contain water for soft dhokla.

6. The outer container could be a vessel or a kadhai/wok.

7. You can also steam in a pressure cooker with weight (whistle) removed.

8. The dhokla batter should neither be too thick nor thin otherwise dhokla won’t come out right.

Gujarati masala thepla

Gujarati thepla is not just about methi thepla although it’s a more famous version of theplaa. Here I have written about masala thepla or spicy thepla. You can also use jeera along with ajwain to make masala thepla. A pinch of turmeric powder added to the dough gives a nice yellow color to the theplas.

Recipe of gujarati masala thepla

1 cup atta (whole wheat flour)

2 tsp oil

1/2 tsp red chilli powder (cayenne pepper)

1/4 cup curd (yogurt/dahi)

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp ajwain (carom seeds)

1 tsp til (sesame seeds)

Oil to shallow fry

1. Take atta in a bowl and mix all other ingredients except oil to shallow fry. Add about 1/4 cup of water to knead into soft dough. Set aside for 20 minutes.

2. Take a ball (peda) out of the dough and roll into a thin 5-6 inch round or thepla, dusting with dry flour to prevent from sticking.

3. Heat a tava (griddle) and cook this thepla from both sides brushing with oil. Cook till golden with brown-black specks. Serve masala thepla with chutney or as a bread with some side.

Lauki and mangodi sabzi

This lauki and mangodi sabzi is rather an unusual combination but trust me lauki and mangodi go well together. Mangodi is sun dried lentil dumpling. Here the lentil used is split skinless green gram or dhuli moong dal. I have used granular mangodis in this recipe but bigger sized mangodis can also be used.

Recipe of lauki and mangodi sabzi

1 small lauki (bottle gourd/ ghiya/ doodhi) - peeled and chopped

1/2 cup mangodi (sun dried lentil dumplings)

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

A pinch of hing (asafoetida)

2 tomatoes- pureed

1 inch piece ginger- chopped

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

2+2 tsp oil

1. Heat 2 tsp oil in a pressure cooker and fry mangodis in it. Roast mangodis till they turn reddish brown. Drain and keep aside.

2. Heat 2 tsp oil in the same pressure cooker and add cumin seeds. When they change color, add hing. Add ginger and sauté for 1 minute.

3. Add tomato puree and all the spices and salt. Fry till masala begins to leave oil from sides.

4. Add lauki pieces and mangodi. Add enough water and close the lid of the cooker. Let 1 whistle come. Then turn the heat to medium. Let 3 more whistles come. Open the lid of the cooker when pressure drops down naturally. Serve hot lauki aur mangodi ki sabzi with roti or boiled rice.

Lauki chana dal curry

My mom used to make lauki chana dal a lot. She calls it ghiya chane ki dal. My father and I share same liking for bottle gourd so it was made often. My recipe is slightly different than my mom as unlike her, I temper it with onion, tomatoes and garlic. This dish has both vegetable and lentil so it makes wholesome meal with roti or rice. Lauki with chana dal is a combination made by Gujaratis although in the recipe below, I have made it more in a Punjabi style.

Recipe of lauki chana dal

1 medium lauki (bottle gourd, ghiya, doodhi) of 200- 250 grams

1 cup chana dal (Split Bengal gram)

2 medium tomatoes- chopped

1 medium onion- chopped

3-4 cloves garlic

1 inch piece ginger

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

A pinch of asafoetida

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

Salt to taste

2 tsp ghee (clarified butter)

1. Wash and soak chana dal for 1 hour. Peel, wash and cut lauki into 1/2 inch cubes. Crush garlic and ginger together.

2. In a pressure cooker, place channa dal, lauki pieces, enough water, salt, turmeric and red chilli powder. Cook till chana dal gets soft.

3. Heat ghee in a pan and add cumin seeds. When they change color, add hing. Add onion and sauté till they are translucent.

4. Add ginger- garlic paste and sauté for a minute. Add tomatoes and cook till they are soft and pulpy.

5. Add this tempering (tadka) to the boiled dal and cover the lid. Simmer for few minutes and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot.

ghiya chana dal

Healthy Bytes- 100 grams of peeled bottle gourd or lauki contains-
12 K calories Energy
0.2 grams Protein
2.5 gms Carbohydrates
0.1 gms Fat

Cucumber Raita

Summer is approaching fast and with it we feel the need for some cool, refreshing accompaniment to our meals. Cucumber or kheera comes in abundance in summers. Cool cucumber along with cool yogurt makes for a winning combination. This raita is popular in Gujju community where it is called ‘Kakdi nu raitu’. Here is my recipe (actually my mom’s) recipe of cucumber raita to beat the heat.

Recipe of cucumber raita or kheere ka raita

1 cucumber (kheera) - grated

2 cup curds (yogurt) - well beaten

Salt to taste

A pinch of black salt (kaala namak)

1/2 tsp cumin seeds- dry roasted and coarsely ground

1/4 tsp red chilli powder

1/4 tsp black pepper powder

1. Add all the above ingredients to whisked yogurt. Also add the juice you get while grating cucumber. Mix well.

2. Refrigerate and serve chilled.

Healthy Bytes- Cucumber or Kheera is very low in calories and helps in digestion. It is good source of vitamins C & A, Potassium, Folate and dietary fiber. Skin of cucumber contain sterols which are known to lower cholesterol in animals.

Bhel

You can munch on this bhel puri as an evening snack or anytime when hunger pangs hit without bothering about your waist line. This is a low calorie healthy snack. If you have ready made bhel puri chutney like that made by Smith and Jones, available at a nearby store, then this bhel can be made in a jiffy.

Recipe of diet bhel puri

2 cups murmura (kurmura/ mamra/ puffed rice)

1 small potato- boiled, peeled and cubed

1 small tomato- chopped

1 small onion- chopped

2 green chillies- chopped

1 tbsp peanuts (moongphali)

1/2 tsp chaat masala

1/2 tsp salt or to taste

3 tbsp meethi chutney (see the recipe below)

2 tbsp green chutney

1. Dry roast the peanuts in a heavy bottomed vessel (karahi). Take them out and in the same karahi, dry roast the murmura on medium heat stirring continuously till they begin to change color.

2. In a large bowl, mix all the above ingredients and serve immediately.

Recipe of quick meethi chutney

2 tbsp sugar or gur (jaggery)

1 tbsp amchoor (dried mango powder)

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp red chilli powder

1/4 cup water

1/2 tsp roasted jeera (cumin seeds)

1. Take a small heavy bottomed vessel and mix all the above ingredients in it.

2. Cook till everything dissolves and chutney gets the right consistency. Let it cool.

dal paratha

Have some leftover dal from last night’s dinner. It’s sitting pretty in your refrigerator with no takers. Don’t know what to do with it? I have an idea. Make delicious paranthas out of it. In the picture above, I have also added some soaked sabudana (sago) to the dough.

            Recipe of Dal Paratha

            1 cup cooked dal (lentils)

            1 1/2 cup atta (whole wheat flour)

            Salt to taste

            2 green chillies- finely chopped

            1/2 tsp carom seeds (ajwain)

            Chopped coriander leaves

            Oil to shallow fry

1. In a deep bowl, mix all the ingredients. Don’t add any water. Use dal to knead the dough. Add enough flour to make pliable dough. Cover with a damp cloth and set aside for 20 minutes.

2. Take a ball (peda) out of the dough and roll out into a 6 inch round.

3. Heat a tava (griddle) and cook this round on it from both sides brushing with oil. Cook till golden brown and crisp. Do the same with rest of the dough making several dal paranthas. Serve hot with curd.

Methi thepla

 Gujarati cuisine is mainly vegetarian and theplas have a special place in it. You can also call them methi parathas. Theplaa is a delicious item and addition of methi or fenugreek leaves make it even more irresistible. Fenugreek leaves have a unique and slightly bitter flavor and they are also rich in Calcium and Magnesium which is anti- ageing. Theplas remain fresh for 2-3 days at room temperature. Stack them one over the other after cooking them. They are both healthy and tasty.

        Recipe of Methi Thepla (Paratha) 

            1 cup atta (whole wheat flour)

            1/2 cup besan (gram flour)

            1 cup methi (fenugreek leaves) - chopped

            2 tsp oil + for shallow frying

            Salt to taste

            1/2 tsp red chilli powder (cayenne pepper)

            1/4 tsp turmeric powder

            1/2 cup yogurt (curd)

            1/4 tsp fennel powder (saunf)

methi dough

1. Mix together atta, besan, salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and fennel powder. Add methi leaves, 2 tsp oil and mix. Add yogurt and knead into stiff dough. Use as little water as possible to knead the dough. Let the dough rest for 20 minutes. 

2. Take a ball (peda) out of the dough and roll out into a 5- 6 inch round tossing it in dry flour while rolling out. 

3. Heat a tava (griddle) and cook this round on it from both sides brushing with oil. Cook till light golden brown. Do the same with rest of the dough. These are now called theplas or paranthas. They taste great with green chilli pickle and yogurt.

Methi leaves