Instant Khaman Dhokla

When it comes to making something quick and easy, Instant Khaman Dhokla is my go-to recipe.

I’ve been making this khaman dhokla recipe for years (ever since my college days) because it’s the BEST.

I mean, is there anything better than a fluffy and velvety dhokla made from scratch?

Best of all, this besan dhokla can be a real lifesaver when unexpected guests arrive.

You will love this Instant Khaman Dhokla Recipe, because:

• It’s super easy-to-make. 
• Healthy and filling. 
• Soft and spongy.
• Has an incredible melt-in-mouth flavor and
• One of the most loved Indian food. 

Khaman is a steamed delicacy that originates from the Indian state of Gujarat. It is made with split chickpeas flour, also known as besan.

It comes together in less than 30 minutes, and later, the steamed savory cake is embellished with a tempering of mustard seeds, curry leaves, and green chilis.

What is the difference between Khaman and Dhokla?

A lot of people ask me what makes khaman different from dhokla. To be honest, they are two completely different snacks. 

Both the varieties originate from the Indian state of Gujarat (western state of India) and equally relished.

Whether it is Dhokla or Khaman – they both make a delicious, healthy snack!

» Khaman is the instant one. Its made with either soaked chana dal or chickpea flour. It’s yellow in color and is soft and airy in texture.

» Dhokla preparation requires fermentation. The fermented batter is made with rice flour. Some use a combination of 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. Dhokla is white in color and is a bit dense in comparision to khaman.

Because this khaman 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 the reason; it’s named Instant Khaman Dhokla.

So what makes up this Instant Dhokla Recipe?

My khaman dhokla recipe is made with simple pantry ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Besan (Chickpea flour/ Gram flour) – use the fine quality of besan.
• Sooji (Semolina)
• Sugar 
• Salt
• Crushed ginger and green chilies – these two are added for extra spice and flavor. But feel free to leave that out if you are not a spice lover. 
• Eno (fruit salt) + Citric acid – a must-have for this recipe
• Oil
• Water (may need to add less for that pouring consistency)

Many people coy away from making Gujarati khaman dhokla because it doesn’t turn spongy.

1. In a large bowl add chickpea flour, 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”.

2. Add oil, citric acid, green chili + ginger paste, and salt. Add water and mix until well blended.

PROTIP – Beat the dhokla batter a couple of times to incorporate air into it. This will result in a fluffy and light dhokla. This has to be done before adding eno.

3. Time to instantly ferment the batter by adding eno. Stir in eno and whisk until it is well blended. Wisk the batter in one direction – either clockwise or anti-clockwise. The batter will become frothy, and double in size.

PROTIP- Do not whisk after the batter has become frothy. The batter at this point should be of thick flowing consistency.

4. Fill a large pan with water and place a trivet at the base. Instantly transfer the batter to a greased container. Set this container over the trivet. Cover it with a lid and steam khaman for about 15- 20 minutes.

5. Insert a toothpick to check if khaman is properly cooked. It should come out clean. Allow it to cool for 10 minutes. Insert a knife around the edges to loosen up Khaman. Flip it over onto a plate.

6. Perfectly steamed Khaman is ready for tempering. 

PROTIP- 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.

Preparing the Tempering

1. In a pan heat oil, add green chilies and let it crackle on a low flame. Add curry leaves and when they are crisp, add sugar, and water. Mix to combine.

2. Pour this hot mixture over steamed khaman. Enjoy this delicious and nutritious Gujarati snack with the chutney of your choice.

In this post, I am unfolding a few of my favorite tips and tricks that I have learned over the years to make a fail-proof khaman dhokla recipe.

» Always start with a fresh batch of eno. An open pack or old eno may result in flat dhoklas.

» Beat the batter well. The more you beat the batter, the 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.

» 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 + 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 correctly, and you are on your way to the most fluffy instant dhokla.

If you love Khaman Dhokla, then you are going to enjoy the Rava Dhokla recipe.

The main ingredient in Khaman dhokla is chickpea flour, while in Rava dhokla, the key ingredient is semolina.

Both the varieties are cooked the same way, steamed, then cut into squares, and top with tempering.

Let me know in the comments if you try this Khaman Dhokla recipe. Feel free to contact me with any questions or inquiries, and I would be happy to answer them.

While you are here, checkout my other comfort food recipes: