Rava Dhokla / White Dhokla (Steamed Semolina Cake)

 

                Rava Dhokla / White Dhokla is a classic Gujarati snack to be relished as an appetizer / breakfast with green chutney or as an evening tea time snack. Healthy and nutritious, these can be a perfect lunch box meal too. At the same time, sumptuous and filling, these steamed and spongy treats can do wonders to your party menu.  

               This recipe is an instant version where I have used rava (sooji) to make these delicious and fluffy small bites. It can be prepared in no time and is a very good option when time is a constraint. So check out a step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.   

• 1 cup rava (semolina)
• 1/2 cup yoghurt
• 2 tsp. lime juice
• 1 tsp. ginger, pounded
• 2 green chilies, pounded
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp. oil for the batter
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp. Eno fruit salt
• 2 tbsp. oil for the tempering 
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          In a mixing bowl, add rava, yoghurt, salt, lime juice, sugar, oil, pounded ginger and pounded chilies. 

          Add 1 cup water and prepare a thick batter of pouring consistency. Cover and keep aside for 15-20 minutes. 

          Add the Eno fruit salt and a sprinkle of some water. Give it a gentle mix to combine well. 

          Pour into a greased steel plate / cake tin and steam for 18-20 minutes. After it cools down, gently run a knife around the edges of the cake tin and invert it over on a plate. Cut it into desired shapes.

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering, add the green chilies and curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Then add 1/4 cup water and pour this tempering over the steamed dhokas. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with green chutney.

In a mixing bowl, add rava, yoghurt, salt, lime juice, sugar, oil, pounded ginger & pounded chilies. 

Add 1 cup water & prepare a thick batter of pouring consistency. Cover & keep aside for 15-20 minutes. 

Add the Eno fruit salt & a sprinkle of some water. Give it a gentle mix to combine well. 

                 Pour into a greased steel plate / cake tin.

                     Steam for 18-20 minutes.

                    Allow it to cool down.

Gently run a knife around the edges of the cake tin & invert it over on a plate. Cut it into desired shapes.

Heat oil in a pan & temper with mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering, add the green chilies & curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds.

                    Then add 1/4 cup water.

                    Pour this mix on the steamed dhokas. 

            Garnish with coriander leaves & serve with green chutney.

Sweet Semolina Dhokla

 

          Dhokla is a traditional Gujarati steamed delicacy prepared out of gram flour. They can also be prepared with semolina. So let me share a sweet version of this healthy savoury treat in a dessert form. They came out just perfect and you can enjoy it as an after meal dessert or when desired. Serve it warm or at room temperature with a drizzle of some sugar syrup / castor sugar if you wish.

• 1 cup semolina, dry roasted
• 1 tbsp. roasted chickpea flour
• 1/3 cup castor sugar or as required (I used brown sugar)
• 2-3 tbsp. fresh grated coconut 
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
• 1-2 tbsp. melted butter
• 1/4 cup yoghurt
• 1-2 tbsp. soaked chia seeds
• 1 tbsp. chopped pistachios
• required quantity of water
• 1 tsp. eno fruit salt
• chopped pistachios, dry rose petals & soaked chia seeds to garnish
• sugar syrup to drizzle (opt)
• castor sugar to garnish (opt)

          In a bowl, combine all the mentioned ingredients (except eno fruit salt and the garnishing). Add enough water to form a batter of pouring consistency. Keep aside for 10-15 minutes.

          Add more water if required and whisk well. Add eno fruit salt and give it a stir. Pour into a greased steel container / plate and steam for 20 minutes on a medium flame. 

          When cool, cut into desired shapes. Garnish with chopped pistachios, dried rose petals and soaked chia seeds. 

          Serve it warm or at room temperature with a drizzle of some sugar syrup / castor sugar if you wish.

Oats Thatte Idli (Tumkur Special Plate Idli)

          These are traditional Karnataka special Thatte idli, which literally translates to plate idli as they are steamed in a plate. I steamed in a greased steel tiffin box. They can also be steamed in dhokla plates. 

          They are a speciality from Tumkur region in Karnataka and is a very popular breakfast in and around Karnataka. You can enjoy these Thatte Idlis with sambar and chutney. So go ahead and give it a try by following a step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this healthy delicacy.


          

          I came across this type of Idli in one of the eateries here and I simply loved its amazing shape. So thought of giving it a try, but with a slight twist. 

          Instead of the usual rice, I added some powdered oats and a tempering to the urad dal batter. 

          This is an instant version as there is no fermenting required. So there is a lot of time saving. It is a great evening snack and a lunch box meal too. 

• 1 cup oats
• 1/3 cup urad dal (split black gram))
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. ghee
• 2 tbsp. fresh grated coconut
• 2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp. eno fruit salt 

Tempering - 

• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 tsp. urad dal (split black gram)
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1-2 green chilies, chopped
• 1 sprig curry leaves

          Soak the urad dal overnight. Then add some water and grind to a smooth paste. Keep aside.

          Heat 1 tsp. ghee and roast the oats for 2 minutes or till you get a nice aroma. Set aside to cool and then blend into a powder.

          Mix together dal paste, oats powder, salt to taste and required quantity of water to form a semi-thick batter. Keep aside. 

          Tempering - Heat oil in a pan. Temper with mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering, add the urad dal, asafoetida, green chilies and curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds and switch off the flame.

          Pour this tempering over the oats batter. Add in the chopped coriander leaves and fresh grated coconut. Combine everything well.

          Just before steaming, Add the eno fruit salt to the batter and give it a stir. Pour the batter into a greased steel plate / tiffin box with a lid. 

           Steam for 15 minutes and set aside to cool. Then demould it and serve with sambar and chutney.

                       Mix dal paste, oats powder, salt & some water to form a semi-thick
                       batter. Keep aside. 

                       Heat oil & temper with mustard seeds. Then add urad dal, asafoetida,
                       green chilies & curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds.

                       Pour this tempering over the oats batter. 

                       Add coriander leaves & coconut. Mix well.

                        Add eno fruit salt to the batter & give it a stir. 

                        Pour batter into a greased steel plate / tiffin box with lid. 

                        Steam for 15 min. When cool, demould it.

                                 Serve with sambar and chutney

Palak Muthia (Steamed Spinach Dumplings - Gujarati Style)

          This is a very popular Gujarati snack which is served either steamed or fried. Healthy and nutritious, they are perfect for an evening tea-time snack or can be enjoyed as an appetizer. It tastes just yummy with some green chutney. The addition of spinach provides the required amount of iron, vitamins and dietary fibre to this dish. They can also be prepared with fenugreek leaves and bottle gourd. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

Dough - 

• 2  & 1/2 cups spinach
• 1 cup besan (chickpea flour)
• 1/2 cup atta (whole wheat flour)
• 1/2 cup sooji (semolina)
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1-2 green chilies, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tbsp. oil

Tempering - 

• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 dry red chili
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/ tsp. asafoetida (hing)
• 1 tsp. sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp. coconut, grated
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Dough - Mix together all the mentioned ingredients. Make a tight dough by adding required quantity of water. Cover and let it rest for 10 minutes.

          Apply oil to your hands and divide the dough into equal portions. Make long rolls from each portion and steam on a greased surface in a steamer for 20-25 minutes. When cool, remove them and cut into roundels, about 1" thick.

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with dry red chili, mustard seeds and cumin seeds. After it stops spluttering, add the asafoetida and sesame seeds. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Add the steamed muthias and mix everything well. Switch off the flame and add coriander leaves. Garnish with fresh grated coconut and serve with green chutney. 

                 Mix all the ingredients. Make a tight dough by adding some water. Cover 
                 and let it rest for 10 minutes.

                      Divide dough into equal portions. Make long rolls from each portion.

                               Steam on a greased surface in a steamer for 20-25 minutes.

                             When cool, remove them & cut into roundels, about 1" thick.

                       Heat oil & temper with dry red chili, mustard seeds & cumin seeds. 
                       Then add asafoetida & sesame seeds. Sauté for a few seconds. 

                                 Add steamed muthias & mix everything well.

                                  Switch off the flame & add coriander leaves. 

                   Garnish with fresh grated coconut & serve with green chutney.