Dhokla

Dokhla

Ravae/Cream of Wheat Dokhla

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of ravae (cream of wheat)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 pinch of hingh(optional)
• 1/2 tsp pinch of turmeric
• 2 cups of buttermilk
• 1/2 tsp Eno salt

Garnish:

• 2 tbs oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tbs urad dahl
• 1/8  cup finely chopped cilantro

Method:

In a bowl combine ravae, hingh, turmeric, 1 cup of buttermilk and salt. Let sit for ten minutes and this should make a pretty dense batter. Then add the remaining butter milk and mix the contents making sure there are no lumps and it is a pretty homogeneous mixture. Within a couple of minutes or so the dokhla mixture should be a thick, pourable consistency batter ( pancake batter consistancy).

Simultaneously, bring about a cup of water to boil in a large pot with a heavy lid. When the water is boiling in the pot, add Eno salt to the batter and thoroughly mix it in. Immediately, spoon the batter into the dokhla maker plates. Assemble the plates on to the stand and place the stand in the pot. Cover with lid and steam for 12 to 15 minutes. Remove lid and test the dokhla with a fork. If the fork comes out clean without wet batter sticking to it, then the dokhlas are done. If not continue to steam till the dokhlas are cooked.

Using a cotton towel or tongs, remove the dokha stand carefully from the spot and place on a cutting board or a plate. Let cool for a few minutes. Then scoop out each cooked dokhla carefully into a serving dish with a butter knife or a small flat spoon.

To Garnish, sprinkle cilantro all over the cooked dokhlas. Then heat oil in a spatula, splatter mustard seeds, roast urad dhal till slightly brown and drizzle the contents over the cooked dokhalas. Cut into bite size pieces.

Cooking tips:

Add Eno salt just before steaming. The Eno salt when combined with buttermilk foams profusely, making the dokhlas soft and porous.When making several batches, add Eno salt separately for each batch. The dokhla plates can be greased with a little ghee, oil or cooking spray for easy release. Be innovative and add grated carrots or cooked peas in the dokhlas.



Batter Ready

Remove cheese cloth



Steam

Plate on Dokhla














Atlernatey, use your double boiler to make dokhlas. Line the slotted vessel with a clean wet cheese cloth. After adding the Eno salt, spoon in the dokhla batter on to the cheese cloth covered vessel, about 1/2" deep. Steam for 12 to 15 minutes, until cooked. Carefully remove and place the dokhla with the cheese cloth on to a cutting board. Place a large plate on top of the dokhla and turn over. Pull the  the cheese cloth away from the dokhla. Garnish and cut dokhla into 2"x2" pieces.

Serving tips:

Serve dokhlas with cilantro chetni and tamarind sauce.