Instant Khaman Dhokla
Instant Khaman Dhokla is a steamed cake prepared with chickpea flour and spices. A mouth-watering, nutritious and irresistible Gujarati snack that’s actually healthy and vegan!
Whenever I crave for something quick and easy, this is my go-to recipe and my all time favorite snack. I love everything about this recipe! It’s soft, spongy and has a wonderful flavor. Instant Khaman Dhokla is the most simple and easiest recipe that you will ever make.
During my college days, instant khaman dhokla was the very first recipe that I learned in my F&B class. Since then, it has been by far one of my favorite appetizer recipes and I have been entertaining my family and friends for years.
This recipe has been adapted from the great master cook of our times -Tarla Dalal cookbook.
What is Khaman Dhokla?
I have named my recipe as Khaman dhokla but they are both very different. Both the varieties originate from the Indian state of Gujarat (western state of India).
- Khaman is the instant one. It’s made with either soaked chana dal or chickpea flour.
- Dhokla preparation requires fermentation. The fermented batter is made with rice and chana dal. Rice and chana dal are soaked overnight. The mixture is later formed into a paste and is fermented overnight. After the fermenting time, it is mixed with other ingredients to make a tasty snack.
Both the varieties are equally relished. Whether it is Dhokla or Khaman – they both make a delicious healthy snack!
Why have I named my recipe as Khaman Dhokla?
Because this recipe is something in-between of Khaman and Dhokla. It uses
- chickpea flour (besan) just like khaman
- and is ‘instantly’ fermented with eno just like Dhokla.
That’s why it is named as Khaman Dhokla.
Now onto the recipe!
Many people coy away from making khaman dhokla because it doesn’t turn spongy. In this post I have covered all the tips and ticks that I have learnt over the years to a fail-proof instant khaman dhokla recipe.
- Start with a fresh batch of eno. The open pack may result in flat dhoklas.
- A simple trick to a fluffy khaman – beat the batter well. The more you beat the batter, more air is incorporated in the batter, resulting in soft-spongy khaman. Just remember to beat the batter before adding eno.
- After adding Eno, don’t let the batter sit for a long while. Steam it right away.
Substitutes!
- Eno can be substituted with 1 teaspoon Baking powder.
- Same way citric acid can be substituted for lemon juice. THOUGH CITRIC ACID WORKS THE BEST, IT GIVES GREAT RESULTS.
- I have experimented with lemon juice and the one that gave me good results is citric acid and Eno combo. Eno and citric acid together create a fizzy reaction which is very important for soft and fluffy khaman. Lemon juice fails to do that.
- Follow these basic tricks properly and you are on your way to the most spongy dhokla.
For perfect fluffy pieces – Don’t press the knife down, rather cut it the way we cut a cake. Holding a knife insert the pointy side of the knife first in the Khaman, lift the knife a little and again cut gently, keep repeating till all the pieces are cut.
Below I have mentioned two ways of making dhokla – the traditional way and the microwave method.
For a microwavable recipe, follow the step by step recipe below. Pour the batter into a microwavable bowl and steam for 3-4 minutes (or may take 5-6 minutes depending on the microwave). Remove from microwave, insert a toothpick to check if done, cut into pieces, pour the tempering and enjoy!!
To get the same taste what we get in local shops – water mixed with sugar is added to cooked Khaman dhokla. Serve it hot with green chutney or tamarind chutney.
If you happen to make this recipe, please leave me a comment or share your pics on with me on Facebook. I would love to see your creation and would be happy to answer any questions. Cheers!
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 4 PEOPLE | 15 MINUTES |
| Cook Time |
| 25 MINUTES |
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Instant Khaman Dhokla is a steamed cake prepared with chickpea flour and spices. A mouth-watering, nutritious and irresistible Gujarati snack that's actually healthy and vegan !
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- 1 cup Besan (Chickpea flour/ Gram flour)
- 1.5 tablespoon Sooji (Semolina)
- A pinch of Hing
- 1 tablespoon Sugar
- Salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon Crushed ginger and green chilies (optional)
- 1.5 teaspoon Eno (fruit Salt)
- 1/2 teaspoon Citric acid
- 2.5 tablespoon Oil
- 3/4 - 1 cup Water (may need to add less for that pouring consistency)
- 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
- 10-12 small Curry leaves
- 1 teaspoon Sugar (optional)
- 2-3 tablespoon Water (optional)
- 4-5 small Green Chilies
- 1 tablespoon Oil
- Assemble all the ingredients. Please read all the tips above before proceeding.
- In a big bowl add besan, sooji, hing, salt and sugar. You can store this mix in an airtight container and when ready mix in the ingredients mentioned under - "wet ingredients".
- De -seed green chilies. Using a motor pestle pound chilies and ginger....
- To a fine paste.
- Add oil, citric acid, freshly grounded green chili and ginger paste and salt. Add water and mix until well blended. Beat the dhokla batter couple of times to incorporate air into it. This is result into fluffy and light dhokla. This has to be done before adding eno.
- Time to instantly ferment the batter by adding eno. Add eno and whisk the batter until it is well blended. Batter will become airy and frothy. As shown in the picture batter should be of a thick dropping consistency.
- Grease a pan in which khaman will be steamed. Pan should almost be double in size as the batter will rise up while steaming. In a large vessel fill water and lay a channi/strainer at the base. Pour batter in that greased pan and place it inside the vessel containing hot boiling water and over the strainer.
- Cover it with a lid and steam khaman for about 15- 20 minutes.
- Khaman is cooked and all puffed up.
- Insert a toothpick to check if khaman is properly cooked. It should come out clean. Allow it to cool down for 30 minutes. Insert a knife around the edges to loosen up Khaman. Flip it over onto a plate.
- Perfectly steamed Khaman is ready for tempering.
- Using a sharp knife cut khaman into pieces. Don't press the knife down rather cut it the way we cut a cake.
- Holding a knife insert the pointy side of the knife first in the Khaman, lift it a little and again cut gently, keep repeating till all the pieces are cut. This way you will get perfect fluffy pieces.
- Pour batter in a greased microwave bowl. Cook for 3-4 minutes (or may take 5-6 minutes depending on the microwave).
- Take it out - Insert a toothpick to check for doneness, if the toothpick comes out with some batter then return it back into the microwave for 30 seconds.
- Allow it to cool...
- Cut into squares and prepare tempering.
- In a pan heat oil, add green chilies and let it splutter on a low flame. Don't fry green chilies on a high flame as they may explode leaving a mess.
- Add curry leaves and when they are crisp, add sugar and water. Mix it well.
- Pour this hot mixture over steamed khaman.
- Enjoy this delicious and nutritious Gujrati snack with chutney of your choice.
Mam thank you for recipe, I have tried this in microwave, upar ka half part bahut spongy tha but niche ka half part spongy nh hua, Kya reason ho skta h iska
Pleasure is all mine, Piyu!
How long did you microwave the dhokla for?
If extra water was added to the batter, this could be the possible reason for undercooked dhokla.
Hai Ruchi I want to make it in aluminum tray for large number of people so how can I steam it in OVEN ..?
Please reply IAM planning to make it now..
Sarah,
Are you planning to bake or steam dhokla?
You can bake the dhokla but can’t steam it in the oven.
What is the proportion of rice & chana dal?
Haven’t experimented with rice and chana dal, so can’t comment on the ratio.
Sorry about that.
Hi wanted to know d traditional way without baking soda or enough or fruit salt or soda bicarbonate… How was it made in the old times
I haven’t tried besan dhokla without eno.
Dhokla with the combination of Chana dal and rice can be made without eno. Dal + rice are soaked, fermented for 6-8 hours and steamed to make dhokla.
Can I use dahi too in the recipe??
Haven’t tried it but feel free to experiment.
I made this recipe, flavour was great. Only problem i had was dhokla doubled in size and then in the middle it dropped back down but the sides were nice and fluffy. Any advice or any idea why this could have happened? Your dhokla once steamed is nice and flat, mine domed like when you put a cake in the oven?
Too much air was beaten into the batter. This caused dhokla to rise beautifully during steaming, but when removed from heat it dropped dramatically.
Hope this answers your query.
I have made the premix Dhokla and was curious as to why you had to stir gently. Thank you.
You don’t have to stir the batter gently. In fact, beat the batter well. The more you beat the batter, more air is incorporated in the batter, resulting in a soft-spongy khaman.
Thank you so much mam for such a wonderful recipe.. Khaman came out really soft n fluffy.. Wish I could post a picture here…
Thanks for your wonderful feedback Riya!
I am glad you liked the recipe. 🙂
Share your yummy pics with me at ruchi@ruchiskitchen.com
Hi Ruching I tried the recipe and quantities step by step. But even after 15-20 mins or 30 mins the batter had not dried up nor the dhokla rise up. It appeared soggy and sticky. What could be the problem?
Sticky dhokla means the batter was either under-cooked or too much liquid was added to the batter. If the flame (at which it was cooked) was too low, than dhokla will require extra time to steam. Hope that helps.
Hi ruchi…This is Khaman…Not dhokla..Dhokla is totally a different and time takibg recipe where as Khaman is an instant recipe..
Zankhana, yes this is Khaman!!
Please read the post it has been clearly mentioned and explained.
It was not highlighted before, have done that to make it stand out.
Thanks. 🙂
Ultimate recipe of Dhokla. I tried it once again. Result was perfect Khaman dhokla. In my last try i added citric acid almost double than requirement. This time dhokla was fluffy soft spongy Juicy. In short perfect . Thank you so much for your wonderful recipe.
Pleasure is all mine.
Thanks for trying the recipe, Tanvi. 🙂
Hii Dear. Great recipe. Dhokla was spongy and fluffy. But very fragile. Crumbed on cutting. My dhokla was completely cool off then i cut.
Thanks Tanvi for your feedback.
Glad you liked the recipe. 🙂
Overcooking makes the dhokla crumble.
Okay. Thank you for your prompt reply. I thought the lil extra quantity of citric acid was the reason that a added by mistake.
No worries.
Take care of that next time. A small extra addition can throw a recipe off balance. 🙂
Hello Ruchi ,
I am so thankful to you for sharing this receipe. I made the dhokla and it turned up as never before. Tasty,spoungy, and full if enjoyment. Thanks a lot. Eager to see ur next wonderfull receipe.
Pleasure is mine, Dency!
Thanks for your kind words, glad you liked the recipe. 🙂
Actually my dhokla became very hard. What should I do now with this batter plz help me I can’t throw it
The possible cause for hard dhokla is – over cooking.
If dhokla was steamed for a longer time then it will turn hard and dry.
Tried out the recipe. The doklas came out soft and fluffy. Will try out your other recipes soon
Awesome!
Thanks for sharing your experience with me. 🙂
Perfect from 1st attempt.thnx
My pleasure. 🙂
thank you dear for an awesome recipe, i tried in India but failed so always bought from shop. but here in america its not possible…m so glad i found you 🙂 for the first time it came out so good.
can you tell me how to make it yellow, mine came out pale light yellow and also do you have recipe without oil if we want to keep it healthy
Thanks for your feedback Vijata! Glad you liked the recipe. 🙂
Yellow color depends on the type of besan. I don’t have a recipe without oil. Water and oil helps keep dhokla moist.
Hi Ruchi. My dhokla has always raw smell of besan. How to remove the raw smell
Seema, did you use fresh besan and how long did you steam your dhokla?
This could be an issue with the brand of besan you used for dhokla.
Hi-just wondering – if i am making gluten free- can suji be substituted with something else
Amrita, you can give rice flour a try.
Hello actually I don’t know what is meant by (beating the batter)
‘Beating the batter’ is a term used for ‘whisk repeatedly’.
In other words, whisk the batter repeatedly.
Hope that helps!
I have tried many Dhokla recipes in the past. This was the easiest and turned out to be the fluffiest as well. Thanks a bunch – this recipe is a keeper
Pleasure is all mine.
Glad you liked the recipe. 🙂
Dear Ruchi, could you please confirm the size of the cup you use for measuring besan, water etc.? Measuring cups sizes vary between India, US and the UK. I am looking forward to trying your recipe. I specifically bought citric acid yesterday after reading the great reviews of your recipe. It took a lot of hunting down to find it and I am looking forward to making the recipe after hearing from you.
Nidhi, 1 cup in (Liquid measurement) is = 250 ml
Dry measurement is 1 cup (flour) = 125 grams.
Hope this helps.
Hi Ruchi,
Thanks for the clarification and apologies for conveying my thanks this late. The recipe turned out well but was not as airy, light and tall as in your pictures. I wonder why;I followed it to a T. I took pictures (back in Sept) but don’t see a way to post them. Thanks for generously giving your time to readers.
No worries Nidhi.
Did you use stale eno, that could be a possible reason. Try with a fresh batch.
You can send pictures at ruchi@ruchiskitchen.com
Oh my God best dhokla
Every time we go india and we eat dhokla, we always say why ours don’t come out like theirs
But today I tried your recipe and wow everyone loved it.
Thank you for sharing. God bless you.
Thanks for your kind words Nisha!
Glad you liked. 🙂
I tried this receipe now…really dhokla was soft and fluffy.. i was literally jumoing ..Thank you for sharing this failproof..i used to try receipes reading various websites …acciendently came across yours ..now looking fkrward to check all your receipes…i wanna to know any failproof receipe for batura,naan and stufged dal baati 🙂
Thanks for your kind words Akansha! Glad you liked the dhokla recipe. 😍😍
Please use the search option on the blog and you will find a step by step recipe for wheat bhatura and dal baati.
U are seriously fab!!!! I tried Ur recipe and had an awesome fluffy dhokla….. M so happy!!!!!! Thanks a ton!
Thanks for your kind words Rupali! Glad you liked the recipe. 🙂
I made the khaman dhokla n it turned out perfect.thanks alot
Pleasure is all mine. Thanks for sharing your experience with me. 🙂
Hi, I tried the recipe today. Unfortunately, the dhokla didn’t rise as expected. I placed it in a covered container (spice box) and then covered it again. Should it be steamed with just one cover. Please let me know – or if you have any other suggestions. I would like to try this recipe again.
Thanks.
Rati
Sorry to hear about that Rati. The extra cover that you placed on the box is what made the dhokla fail. You need to cover steaming dhokla just one lid. Try again and I am sure you will nail it this time.
I made Khaman n it came out so so well…. How can u share it’s pic??
Thanks for your wonderful feedback Charanjeet.
You can share your pics at ruchi@ruchiskitchen.com
Thanks!
Can I use vinegar instead of citric acid? Is yes den how much?
I haven’t tried it myself so can’t comment on the end result/taste.
I don’t want to add citric acid so what can add instead of eno to making proper spongy dhokla
Citric acid can be substituted for lemon juice but the one that gave me great results is the Eno and citric acid combo. Eno and citric acid together creates a fizzy reaction which is very important for soft and fluffy khaman. But feel free to give lemon juice a try.
HI Ruchi. My husband loves khaman and I have been searching for the perfect recipe. I think I hit the jackpot here. I tried it last week and it was so awesome I made it for him for his Father’s Day breakfast with kids. He loved it. I cannot believe how simple yet delicious this recipe is. It is now going to become my go to recipe as well. Thank you for that! I made 2 minor changes- I split it into 2 smaller trays for practical purposes and I omitted the water and sugar in tempering. I’m so glad I found your site. I hope you don’t mind me asking lots of questions. 😊
Thank you Mita for your wonderful feedback. Means a lot. 😍😍
Glad you liked the dhokla recipe as much as we do!
I don’t have eno bcoz im sailing in the ship what can add instead of eno to making spongy dhokla
You can substitute eno with 1/2 tsp of baking soda + 1/2 tsp of citric acid.
Hi Ruchi – I’m from South Africa. I always buy dhokla from a vegetatian shop here because I love it. I decided to make it myself and used your recipe . Thanks a million I now make my own dhokla in a flash. I take it to work and share with my friends as well. Shukran for awesome recipe !
Thanks for your wonderful feedback Nafisa!
Glad you liked the recipe. 🙂
Hi ruchi… After many failed attempts of making dhokla with different recipes and ingredients adopted from various sources…. I could finally make super soft and delicious dhokla…. All thanks to u… U helped me make my favourite perfect dhokla
Thanks for your kind words Deepti. 🙂
I am glad you liked the recipe.
Tried it once again but this time it remained dry from inside inspite of adding larger quantity of tempered water… Where did I fail this time😞
The possible cause for dry dhokla is – over cooking.
If dhokla was steamed for a longer time then it will turn hard and dry.
In place of citric acid can fresh lemon juice be added, if yes then in what proportion?
Citric acid can be substituted for lemon juice but the one that gave me great results is the Eno and citric acid combo. Eno and citric acid together creates a fizzy reaction which is very important for soft and fluffy khaman. But feel free to give it a try.
Hi,
I just tried this dhokla now. I substituted citric acid with baking soda and ots turned out really spongy and tasty. Thanks for this recipe.
Thanks for sharing your experience with me. Glad you liked the recipe. 🙂
Hi Ruchi
Read through your post and the comments.
Wanted to clarify with you what is Citric Acid.
Is it Bicarbonate Soda?
Thanks
Aarti
Aarti, Citric acid is made from citrus fruits and is also referred to as nimbu ke phool or nimbu ka sat.
Tried so many recipes but yours is the best.. it looks n tastes just like market.. thank you dor sharing.. 🤗
Pleasure is all mine. 🙂
Thanks for sharing your experience with me.
Wonderful recipe….market style taste and texture …….
I wish there were some alternative 4 citric acid,as my throat gone bad..
Thanks Chetna for your feedback.
How much citric acid did you add? 1/2 a teaspoon wouldn’t do any harm.
Hi there, if a huge quantity to be made, say 5 cups,how do we do it, since after adding eno,batter cant sit for long time.
Also how can I not let it dry, becoz ill be making it afternoon,then use it for party at night. Please wdvise
Lily, please do in batches.
Steam the first batch with 2 cups, if you have that big of a container. Leave room for the dhokla to expand. Happy cooking!
Thanks, but what about my second query,making it way to earlyin the afternoon, will that be ok? Or any alternative
That’s just fine. Make sure the dhokla is kept covered so that it doesn’t dry out.
Hello Ruchi mam,
Can you please suggest me we should use green packet of eno or blue….as green color has lemon flavor and I feel it will affect dhokla taste….please help
Vidhi, please use the unflavored packet – the blue one. 🙂
Is any other ingredient is use for gitz Dhokla pack
I have never made Gits dhokla so can’t comment on that. Please refer to the packet for instructions.
I tried this recipe everything was alright came out fluffy but while eating felt like it was undercooked. I could feel the besan in my mouth. Can u pl. guide me where did I go wrong?
From what you have mentioned it looks like dhokla didn’t get cooked in the desired time. How long did you steam your dhokla?
If extra water was added to the batter, this could be other reason for under cooked dhokla.
Dhoklas were steamed for 20 mins also I had inserted a tooth pick before switching off the flame it came out clean. Water m not sure but the batter was of flowing consistency. Will try again and let you know. Thank you for this wonderful blog and delicious recipes.
Pleasure is all mine. Thanks!
Just tried this out. Lovely dhoklas. Thanks for such a wonderful recipe..
Pleasure is all mine.
Thanks for trying. 🙂
Dear ruchi, just want to know the quantity of citric acid and Eno in more than 1 cup besan. Means how much Eno nd citric acid should use to get spongy soft dhokla.today I am going to try this.
Harpreet, double the quantity of ingredients. Please visit the bottom of ingredient list and under there you will find ” Change serving size”. Change that to 8 serving and it will calculate the recipe for you.
Thanks!
Hi Ruchi,you did not tell about temeric for colour and flame of gas. Whether it is at high flame or low flame.
Monika, you can add 1 teaspoon turmeric for color but I choose to leave that out as it leaves a pink streak in khaman which is not very appealing.
Steam khaman at medium flame.
Hope this helps.
Hi! If I use citric acid in Crystal form then what should be the amount of it for this recipe? And how to use it.. Do I need to powder it or dilute it in water?
Yes, you need to powder it and use 1/2 teaspoon of that.
Thank you Ruchi. This recipe just turned out awesome and perfect.
Pleasure is all mine.
Glad you liked. 🙂
Since it has sooji it’s not gluten free
Thanks for pointing Meenakshi. Fixed that. 🙂
Dhokla turned out really soft n spongy….tysm mam
Pleasure is all mine. Thanks for trying the recipe Shweta. 🙂
Is it ok if i pressure cook it by removing whistle from its lid?
Plz reply soon its urgent.thankyou
Yes, you can remove the whistle and cook the dhokla with the lid on.
Superb pictures and measures..perfect dhoklas!!
Thanks Priya! Glad you liked. 🙂
Hi…can you plz tell me how to make it in pressure cooker?
Shweta, make it the same way I have made in a deep pan. Cover the cooker with a plate not with its lid. Thanks!
I am speachless ! what a soft and spongee dhokla. Thanks for such a nice recipee.
Pleasure is all mine. Glad you liked the recipe. 🙂
Hello, I am Sukaina from Pakistan. I tried your recipe and it turned out amazing. My dhoklas were super soft and delicious.First time in my life I was able to make super soft dhoklas. Thanks a lot. Love from Pakistan.
Welcome to the blog Sukaina!
Thanks for sharing your lovely feedback with me. Glad you liked the recipe. 🙂
Hi ruchi I tried your recipe for the first time but sorry to say my dhokla was very dry..don’t know why?I followed all the steps including whisking it properlyhelp me out so that I can repeat it for better
Thanks for trying the recipe Kangan. Sorry to hear that it didn’t turn out the way you had imagined. Did you steam cook the dhokla or use the microwave method?
Thankssssss a ton…. after trying soo many recipes of dhokla….i’ve got d Final perfect recipe of it from ur blog….which i came across incidentally…after every failed attempt to get d taste dat we get in d market..dis recipe is truely a no fail recipe and as u said it well…citric acid does all d difference…and works perfectly to get dat market like taste n texture….i m so happy to have come across ur blog….thanks again…👍😛
Thanks for your kind words Divya! Glad this recipe worked for you. 🙂
Ruchi, I don’t have a dhokla plate as such and will have to make do with a round container. Can you please suggest the size / diameter of the container to be used here? Thanks! Mansi
Do you have a round steel or aluminium spice box? If so use that to steam dhokla.
Also a deep square box (square baking pan) would work great too.
Hi Ruchi,
Nice recipe.I will try also.
Please mention the source for Citric Acid.From where I can buy it.
Anu, you can find citric acid in your local Indian store. It is also referred to as nimbu ke phool.
Thanks!
Hi the recipe luks nice, but i have a query just 3/4th cup of water will be enough to soak the dhokla as on the shops they use much more quantity of water and dhokla is quite wetter. Will less quantity of water leave the dhokla dry??
Saumya, 3/4 cup of water is required for the dhokla batter.
For cooked dhokla, 2-3 tablespoon of water is just enough to make them wet. Feel free to experiment if you like them extra juicy.
This is looking simply beautiful. Thanks for sharing and the pics are amazing.
Thanks Akhil.
Hi my dokla when I put the toothpick is coming out stick to the pick? What do I do? And what did I do wrong. I use 1 cup diluted yogurt instead of water and lemon instead of citrus side didn’t have citrus
Sorry to hear that the recipe didn’t work for you.
1. Adding yogurt is absolutely fine unless it had lumps in it.
2. Sticky dhokla means the batter was under-cooked. You need to let it steam a bit longer.
3. If too much liquid was added to the batter, dhokla will turn out sticky and messy.
Hope that helps.
After making a batter…do we need to keep aside for few minutes?
Pallavi, after adding eno to the batter steam it right away.
Hi
I am trying the dhokla, but unfortunately the current went out after i made the batter(haven’t added suji, sugar, lemon, oil and eno yet). Will the delay after preparing the batter in anyway affect the results?
Thank you.
Deepika, are you going to microwave the dhokla? Keeping the dhokla after adding eno may not give great results.
Thank you for tasty dhokla recipe
My pleasure. Glad you liked it Prajwal. 🙂
Hi,
Can I substitute the citrus salt with lime or lemon juice? Will it affect the final product?
Thanks
Thanks for stopping by Zaynab! It’s clearly mentioned in my post – Citric acid can be substituted for lemon juice. THOUGH CITRIC ACID WORKS THE BEST, IT GIVES GREAT RESULTS. I have experimented with lemon juice and the one that gave me good results is citric acid and Eno combo. Eno and citric acid together creates a fizzy reaction which is very important for soft and fluffy khaman. Lemon juice fails to do that.
Hope this helps!
Nc n easy receipe of dhokla…liked it…
Thanks
My pleasure. 🙂 Thanks for trying the recipe Neha!
Hi ruchi
I tried this recipe today and the dhokla comes out awesome it was very spongy.i think citric acid works best.infact i made few dhoklas in idli mould and they are looking lovely(dhokla idli😃).thanks once again
Thanks for trying the recipe and sharing your wonderful feedback with me. Glad you liked. 🙂 Do you have any pics to share?
Thanks ruchi..thank you so much..i am definitely going to try this dhokla recipe
Awesome. 🙂
hello ruchi,
i have tried to make dhokla many time with other recipes but never get sponginess in it..so i want to try out this time with your recipe as your dhokla looks awsome..but i am unable to get citric acid in liquid form, plzzz tel me can i use powder form of citric acid??will it work???
Thanks for stopping by Meenakshi!
Yes, you can use the powdered one. The citric acid that I use is in the form of small crystals, so go ahead with the recipe.
Made your recipe exactly as mentioned and measured out the ingredients using measuring spoons and cups but there were two issues. Firstly the dhokla was not moist and fluffy and secondly it was hard to swallow and kept getting stuck in the throat. So I added lots more sugar water tadka but that ended up making the dhokla too wet and soggy. What could be the reason for these issues?
Sorry to hear that KC. This is a fail proof Tarla Dalal recipe and I myself have tried it many times. There are couple of reasons why this happens-
1. Was the batter sitting for too long before steaming. If so, then sooji will soak up moisture and the end result will a be thick and dense dhokla?
2. After adding Eno, dhokla needs to be steamed right away otherwise it will not be spongy.
3. If you overcooked it than it will turn hard.
Hope this answers your query!
1 & 2. No, batter become super airy and light when I added Eno & Citric acid and I put it in the thali right away.
3. Actually the dhokla got done in less time than you had listed.
What can I do to make the dhokla easy to swallow? It was dry tasting.
In that case, I would suggest adding a little more water (close to 1 cup) and that should take care of the dry part.
Namskar Ruchi,
Tried ur dhokla recipe, it is just awsome and simple too. Now i pro at making dhokala using your recipe. Thanks for sharing it!!!
Thanks Vaishali for trying the recipe. Glad you liked. 🙂
Which oil is to be used here 2.5 tblspoon its written. The oil is mixed in dough with green chillo and ginger paste
Ankit, any cooking oil will work. Yes, oil is mixed in the batter – it’s mentioned and shown in Step #5.
Which semolina you used fine or coarse ?
Priya, I have used fine semolina.
Wow dhokla is very spongy & soft , very nice ruchi thanks for recipes
You are welcome Priti!!
I tried this today and my dhokla was spongy and very airy. Family thanks you!! Will e making it again and again. Love – Zara
Thanks for wonderful feedback Zara, glad you liked the recipe. 🙂
My dhokla turned out great. Thank you for sharing your hard work and pictures with me. Really really appreciate it. This dish is so close to my heart and I finally got a perfect recipe.
Thanks for your lovely feedback Kunjal. Glad you liked the recipe. Keep checking back for more. 🙂
Hi mam…I made it for the first time following your recipe and wow it’s so spongy that I never expected. …you are really a good cook….I was very happy to see my first khaman dhokla….Thank you so much.
Thanks for your wonderful feedback Debajani. Glad to hear that you liked the recipe. Keep checking back for more. 🙂
Great recipe great work
Thanks Renu. 🙂
Wow ,ruchi your recipes are very good, dhokla is very soft, thanks for recipes
You are welcome Priti!!
I have a query regarding the steaming process…. Should the water inside the steamer just touch the bottom of the plate or it shouldn’t touch the plate at all?
Steaming water can touch the bottom of the pan. Mine always does.
Thanks for the prompt reply, as a result of which I tried the recipe today and got a seriously awesome result!.. Your recipe is indeed perfect.. Thank you so much!
Great to hear that Pooja and thanks for trying out the recipe. 🙂
Hi Ruchi,
Thank you so much for yummy instant Dhokla recipe. I had tried to make Dhoklas in the past but could never ever get it perfect but I followed your recipe and wow…. it worked like a magic charm.They turned out so yummy that I had to make it again on the same day.You are simply too good a cook and a good teacher too! You take lot of efforts to make it easy for your readers! God Bless you!
Thanks you Anjali for your lovely feedback and the wishes. Glad you liked the recipe as much as I do. Happy Cooking. 🙂
Hi ruchi, I’ve tried ur dhokla recipe and it turned out very very nice, soft and fluffy. I wanna show u the PIC but donno how to upload the PIC. Anywezz let me tell u that u r a grt cook. Thanks for the recipe. Looking fwd to trying new recipes. :):):)
Glad to hear that Phani and thanks for your wonderful feedback dear. Glad you liked the recipe.
You can either post your pic on my facebook wall @ https://www.facebook.com/ruchiskitchen/ or you can email me at ruchi@ruchiskitchen.com and I can post it myself.
Hi ruchi…i tried dhokla recipe today..it turned out soft and spongy..my mom loved it.. thanks a lot for this simple recipe..keep up the good work…..
Great to hear that Ankita. Thanks for trying out the recipe. Keep checking back for more. 🙂
Followed the exact recipe. Khaman turned out to be perfect !!! My kids loved them too. You didn’t mention mustard seeds, shredded coconut and cilantro in your recipe, but your picture shows them. So, I added them anyways.
Thanks for the wonderful feedback Hiral. Glad you and your family liked the recipe. Mustard seeds are mentioned in the recipe. Shredded coconut and cilantro were used for garnish (an impromptu idea 😉 ) so missed on that. Will update that in the recipe.
hello, this dhokla recipe turn out great.. i tried dhokla for first time its was awesome my kid n husband loved..it is a great quick breakfast recipe. thanks for sharing it
You are welcome Jameela. Thanks for trying out the recipe and sharing your experience with me. 🙂
Dear Ruchi,pls tell me we should steam dhokla in medium flame or high flame because I hv heard that dhokla will not rise if cooked in low flame.
Thanks for stopping by Paromita!! Steam dhokla over medium flame for 15 minutes.
Hey Ruchi, you are a great and accomplished cook and through pics you make each and every recipe look so easy. Today I made your dhokla recipe and it turned out superb!! It is a A+ recipe. I have tried many of your recipes and they have come out real good. Thanks for sharing with us.
You are welcome Reema and thanks for your kind words!! Glad to hear that the Khaman Dhokla recipe turned out great for you!! Thanks for stopping by and keep checking back for more. 🙂
Hi, thanks for the receipe.. Love the flavour but my dhokla didnt turned as fluffy n spongy. Top layer was spongy but last layer was all chunky and thick!!. What could be reason for that. Kindly suggest. Thanks.
Sorry to hear that Divya. This is a fail proof Tarla Dalal recipe and I myself have tried it many times. There are couple of reasons why this happens-
1. Was the batter sitting for too long before steaming. If so, then sooji will soak up moisture and the end result will a be thick and sticky dhokla?
2. Was the dhokla removed earlier than the recommended time?
3. Dhokla will turn sticky and gooey if the batter has less oil or too much water in it. Hope I have answered all your questions.
I love dhokla a lot but whenever my wife makes never turns out to be so fluffy as we have fluffiness from reputed sweet shops. pl advise
Thanks for stopping by Anil. Adding citric acid and Eno to the batter gives great results. I have been trying this recipe for many years and this is my fail proof recipe from Tarla Dalal cookbook. Do give it a try!!
Love this recipe of your. I have tried it couple of times and everytime I get better and better at this. Now its no tension in making khaman, I am getting perfect at this. All thanks to you Ruchi. You recipes are a A+ for me!
That’s so sweet of you Ridhi. Glad to hear that you liked the khaman recipe. Thanks for stopping by and keep checking back for more. 🙂
Pretty! This has been an incredibly delicious recipe for me. It turned out PERFECTLY moist and tasty. Thanks for supplying these detailed pictures. You hard work is really really appreciated!!
Thank you Shari for your kind words! Glad to gear that you liked the recipe.
I am so glad and feel so good that have finally found a blog that guide you from start to finish. When to add what is my greatest dilemma. Khaman is my all time favorite and I tried this recipe and just loved it. Mine came out perfect with little less salt. Was covered up with chutney. Perfect recipe and thank you so much. You are a savior!!
Thank you for your kind words Vaibhavi. Glad you liked the recipe. Keep checking back for more. 🙂
Like your blog too much, have bookmarked your site. For 15 august holiday I made these for my party and everyone liked it. Your recipes are truly amazing with great results. Thanks Ruchi.
You are welcome Archu! Thanks for trying out the recipe. 🙂
I made this!! Fluffy and tasty. I tried the cooker one and it came out really good. I link the honesty in your recipes. At points you have mentioned the recipe source that is worth applauding! I read your scezhuan sauce recipe and you mentioned the source. Great going!! Will be following you.
That’s so sweet of you Laksha! Thanks for trying out the recipe and I am glad to hear that it turned out great for you. If a recipe is adapted or taken from a source I make it a point to mention the author. Thanks for noticing that and your kind words. 🙂
Went through all your comments before getting my hands on this recipe and Ruchi this one is a ROCKSTAR! Truly, made microwave version and cooked it for 4.5 minutes and mine came out so fluffy. Very well explained and before adding Eno I whisked it with a beater.Your pictures made my work so much easier. Thanks dear for maintaining such a wonderful blog.
You are welcome Meenu. Glad to hear that you liked the microwave version. Thanks for trying out the recipe.
Following you from FB. Saw your dhoklas and couldn’t stop myself from trying it out. Tried the micro as well as the stove method. My stove top was more fluffier than the microwave one. Maybe my micro power was on 75% and I overcooked it so it turned a bit burned orangish from inside. Tasted yummy though. Now coming onto the stove method 5 stars for that. Yummy and perfectly moist. Thanks for sharing Ruchi. Love your presentation.
Thanks for trying out the recipe Kamana! Overcooking of dhokla in microwave will result in dry burnt patches. Keep the power on 100% and cook for only 2-3 minutes. Glad to hear that you liked the cook top version. 🙂
Saw your post on Facebook group and after reading through the whole recipe I tried this recipe. One word DELICIOUS AND TOO TOO GOOD. My batter was not as airy as yours (maybe old eno) but it was fluffy and soft. Taste was very good. family loved it. I am going to make it again with fresh batch of eno. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for trying out the recipe Sheetal. Glad you liked the dhokla recipe. Do give it a try again. 🙂
The batter tastes great! I messed up by not covering the dholka while steaming in a pressure cooker. Oops! Will post again when I try this next time 🙂
Thanks for trying out the recipe! No worries, do give it a try again and you will enjoy it!
Following you from a facebook group. Tried this recipe, and yipeee!! it was awesome. Mine fluffed a little less as I skipped adding baking powder. Next time will try that too. But a perfect and truly market kind of recipe. Love it. Thanks Ruchi
You are welcome Vanisha! Thanks for trying out the recipe. 🙂
My mom loves your website. I guess she has explored almost all of your recipes. She admires your work and inspire me daily to cook something from your site. I chose the one with the least work and tried khaman dhokla. It was too tooo good. It came out very fluffy just like yours and very tasty. Now I like you more and don’t like you. Like you for a successful recipe and my mom thinks that I can cook and don’t like you because NOW I HAVE TO COOK MORE OFTEN. 🙁 Sorry about that. I too admire your hard work.
Thanks you for stopping by Suhana. Your comment made me smile from ear to ear. Both your complaint and compliment accepted with a big smile. 🙂 I am glad you tried and liked the recipe. In fact a big thanks to you mom who inspired you too cook. I bet this must have been the best dhokla recipe!!
Hi Ruchi, I just love your pictures and recipes.I have tried couple of them and they are amazing. Kurkuri bhindi is one of my favorite. Easy and super super yummy! I made this one on Monday and my family loved it. Fluffy, moist and delicious.It really came out well. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe.
You are welcome Muskaan. Glad you liked the khaman dhokla and kurkuri bhindi recipes. Thanks for sharing your experience with me and will see you around on the blog!
You are maintaining a great site. Tried it and a great success. Thanks for posting! This is a staple tea time appetizer in my house and I enjoyed your dhokla. Looking for khandavi recipe and many more. Great work and god bless!
Thanks Poonam! Glad you liked it and thanks for trying it out! Will surely work on Khandavi recipe soon!
Hello Ruchi,
I am an regular follower of your blog and have to admit that all of your recipes have ended up perfectly for me with successful results. Yesterday I tried your Dhokla recipe and it was another success for me. Accidentally I added 2 teaspoon of Eno powder and was worried but my dokhla was Purrrfect!! Thanks Ruchi, with this recipe success I have confidence in me that I can cook too! With Ruchiskitchen anybody can cook!!
Regards
Smita
THANK YOU, for such a lovely compliment! That’s so sweet of you Smita. 🙂 Glad you liked the recipe. I don’t think 1/2 a teaspoon would have made much difference in the recipe. Glad the dhokla recipe turned out great for you!!
Thank you Ruchi for maintaining such a nice site. Your recipes are explained very well and too the point. This recipe turned out great. Spongy and fluffy dhokla. I made it two times, in the first one I opened my cooker too soon so it was fluffy but sticky at the bottom. I made the second batch and it turned out great all fluffy and airy. I used a beater to beat my batter that added extra air in these dhoklas. Thanks for sharing.
So glad to hear that you liked the recipes. Beating the batter with a beater do pump in air and result is soft and spongy Dhoklas. Thanks for sopping by Usha!
Lovely recipe, dhokla was amazingly spongy and soft. Tried it after too much of thinking WHAT IF it failed. But I got it right. Enjoyed with tea and thanks dear for sharing such wonderful pictorial recipes. Well written and explained.
You are welcome Rati. Glad you liked the recipe! Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
Hi -Thank you for posting this recipe – could you tell me what difference the sooji makes to the final outcome. Also can yoghurt be included.
Thank you
Thanks for stopping by Martin! Sooji adds texture and a bit of a crunch to Khaman Dhokla recipe. Yes water in the recipe can be substituted with buttermilk or diluted yogurt. Hope that helps!
The best site which has helped me to cook yummy dishes. I love all your recipes and they are well written and well photographed.. superb.First time my dhokla came out really spongy & soft.It was very fluffy and next day tasted equally the same. Tried your other recipes too, very delicious, especially chicken keema recipe, hats off to your wonderful explanation.thanks and looking forward for many many more new recipes.
Thanks Navpreet! I’m really happy to hear that you enjoy my recipes. 🙂
Hello Ruchi,
Have been thinking of commenting on your website for so long but couldn’t do it. I have tried your khaman dhokla so many times and every time its the best and I am enjoying all the good reviews from my family and friends. Thanks a lot! Love all your recipes, well lit up pictures(leaving out few of them), they are all so mind blowing! Very informative and helpful. Your noodles one is the best best one. I tried it today and came out just too delicious. Following you from now on.
Love
Mansi
Thanks for your feedback! I’m so happy to hear that your family enjoyed Khaman recipe and thank you for following my blog! 🙂
Dear Ruchi,
I want to congratulate you for this wonderful website that has most of everything I look for. Every thing turns out so amazingly delicious that it makes me come back to your site even more.
Thank you for your efforts in putting this together.
Thanks you for such a wonderful feedback. I’m glad you find it useful, thanks for stopping by and come back again:)
Wow, great dhokla. turned out so fluffy.my family thanks you for this wonderful recipe.
Thanks Mona, keep visiting for more 🙂
Great recipe,dhokla was spongy and very soft. my dhokla crumbled on cutting can you explain why? Thanks again Ruchi your recipes are good.
You are welcome Swati. Did you wait for the dhokla to cool off completely. If it was still hot and you tried to cut it, you will end up having crumbs.Hope that helps!