Easy Gluten-Free Dhokla Recipe

I like to call this a “No-Fail” Dhokla recipe! Having tried various versions of Dhokla recipes – Chana Dal, Besan, and Khaman, once I learnt this recipe from my mother-in-law, I have never been scared of making Dhoklas! The combination of three lentils – Chana Dal (Split Chickpeas), Yellow Moong dal (skinned and split mung bean) and Urad dal (skinned and split black lentils) gives a beautiful spongy texture and the herbs and spices make it a Healthy and Delicious Starter.

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Why is my Dhokla Not spongy?

Dhokla is similar to a cake and needs a leavening agent to rise. Here are a few reasons why your Dhokla may not be spongy:

1) If you use inadequate quantity of leavening agent – baking soda, baking powder, or citric acid dhokla will not rise and will become stodgy. *I do not use Fruit Salt or Eno as I could not a certified gluten-free Eno. Baking soda helps the dhokla rise but doesn’t give an extremely fluffy texture. However, I prefer adding baking soda to avoid any cross-contamination risk.

2) If the leaving agent is old/ expired it may cause your dhokla to be not spongy.

3) If you over-beat/ over-mix your batter after adding baking soda, it causes the carbon dioxide to be released before the cooking process starts and the dhokla doesn’t rise.

4) The batter may not have fermented well/ may be of incorrect consistency. If the batter doesn’t have enough water, the dhokla may become dry and crumbly. On the other hand, if the batter is too runny, the dhokla may sink in the middle.

Step by Step Process of Making Gluten-Free Dhokla

Ingredients:

For Soaking

2 cups Chana Dal
1 cup Rice
1/2 cup Urad Dal
1/2 cup Moong Dal

Herbs and Spices (for half of the batter)

6-7 Green Chillies
1.5 inch Ginger
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1.25 tsp Salt (adjust to taste)
1 tsp Salt
1.25 tsp Sugar
1/4 tsp Turmeric
1/3 cup + 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil

For Tempering

1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
3-4 Green Chillies
1.5 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 tsp sesame seeds
8-10 Curry Leaves
2 tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
1/2 tsp Sugar
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 cup water
1 pinch Gluten-Free Hing (Asafoetida)

Preparation

Wash the rice, and the lentils (chana dal, moong dal and urad dal).
In a large bowl, soak the rice and the lentils overnight or at least for 5-6 hours. (Pic#1)
The next day, drain the water and grind the rice and the lentils to a smooth consistency. (Pic#2)
Transfer the batter to a big bowl and let it ferment for 5-6 hours. If the temperature is below 75 Deg F. Cover the batter container with a towel to maintain a warm temperature.

Add Herbs and Spices to the Dhokla Batter

The fermented batter will rise about 1.5-2 times.
Grind the green chillies and ginger into a semi-smooth paste.
Add the turmeric, salt, sugar, green chilli and ginger paste (Pic#4).
Add oil into the batter and mix well using a whisk/ large spoon. (Pic#5)

TIP: Do not add the baking soda to the batter until the water for steaming the dhokla starts boiling.

Steam the Dhokla

In a large pan add about 4-5 cups of water. In the pan add a steel ring in the pan.
Bring the water to a boil. Make ensure there is enough water to produce steam for about 20-25 minutes. (Pic#6)
Take a large metal plate/ cake tin and grease it with oil, making sure to cover the bottom as well as the sides.
To the batter prepared above, add baking soda and mix well, taking care there are no lumps in the baking soda. After adding baking soda, the batter rises and becomes lighter. Do not over mix as the batter may lose the air.
Pour the batter onto the prepared plate. (Pic#7). Cover the pan with a lid making sure there’s a little space for the steam to escape (Pic#8). Else the water settles on top of the dhokla. If you’re using a pressure cooker/ instant pot make sure there is no whistle/ vent is off.
Steam on medium-High for 20 minutes.
To check for readiness, a skewer inserted in the center should come out clean. Steam for an additional 2-3 minutes if the dhokla isn’t ready.
Turn off heat and remove the lid. Let the dhokla cool completely (Pic#9). Then, insert a knife over the edges of the mould. Place a large plate over the mould and flip the mould over. Cut the Dhokla cake into squares (Pic#10)

TIP: You can place the plate on the stand and then pour the batter to avoid the batter from spilling over as you place the plate/ mould on the stand.

The Tempering

In a pan on medium-high heat add oil.
When oil is warm, add hing (asafoetida), mustard seeds, and slit green chillies. (Pic#11)
Let the mustard seeds crackle, then add in washed curry leaves, sesame seeds and saute for 30 seconds.
Add in salt, sugar, water and lemon juice. (Pic#12)
Turn off heat and pour the tempering over the dhokla pieces making sure to cover all of them. (Pic#13)
Enjoy!