Besan Dhoklas

Dhoklas are a gluten free snack, light meal or a great party food. At Alandi, we served the dhoklas with hari chutney and Gujerati Khadi. Besan or gram flour, made from chana dal a relative of the chickpea, is available from Indian grocery stores and is a wonderful food, useful in celiac disease since it is gluten free, excellent for diabetes since it has a low glycemic index and superb for asthma because chana dal helps dry mucus from the lungs.

Ingredients

Makes 72 dhokla

To make batter the night before:

  • 5 cups Besan flour

  • 3 cup Yoghurt

  • A little sugar

  • Water as required to make a pancake-like batter

  • Salt to taste

To add next morning:

  • 1 Tbsp ginger paste

  • 1.5 tsp turmeric powder

  • 1 Tbsp Soda (bi-carb)

  • 3 Lemons juiced

  • 3 Tbsp Oil

For tempering

  • Few Curry leaves

  • 3tsp Mustard Seeds

  • 3 tsp Oil

  • Cilantro leaves (chopped)

  • Grated fresh or powdered dry coconut

Preparation

  1. In a bowl add besan flour, yoghurt and water.

  2. Mix well and make a smooth batter. The batter should be of thick consistency.

  3. Add salt and set aside in a warm place overnight to ferment.

Next morning

  1. Take the ginger paste and add to the batter. Also add turmeric powder and mix well.

  2. Now if you have an idly steamer for 24 idlys, you will divide the batter into 3 parts and add the soda bicarb mixture to each batch right before you cook that batch. i.e . for each batch you will mix 1 tsp sodium bicarb, juice of one lemon and 1Tbsp oil

    Note: If you don't have an idly steamer, you can cook the dhoklas by pouring the batter into a greased baking pan and steaming it in a large pot. Then cut the dhokla into squares.

  3. Grease the idly steamer with ghee and place just enough water in the bottom.

  4. Get ready to make the first of three batches of dhokla (and same procedure for the other 2 batches)

  5. In a small bowl take a tsp. of soda bi-carb, 1 tsp oil and lemon juice and mix well.

  6. Add this to the batter and mix well.

  7. Pour the batter into the greased idly pan and steam for 10-12 minutes or till done.

  8. Repeat this procedure for each of the three batches of dhokla

  9. Put all the 72 dhoklas in a large bowl

  10. Heat little oil in a small pan and add mustard seeds and curry leaves and allow to splutter. Remove and pour it over dhoklas.

  11. Garnish the besan dhokla with coriander and coconut powder

  12. Serve with hari chutney and Gujerati Khadi

Alakananda Ma M.B., B.S. (Lond.) is an Ayurvedic Doctor (NAMA) and graduate of a top London medical school. She is co-founder of Alandi Ayurveda Clinic and Alandi Ayurveda Gurukula in Boulder Colorado, as well as a spiritual mother, teacher, flower essence maker and storyteller. Alakananda is a well known and highly respected practitioner in the Ayurveda community both nationally and internationally.

Enliven your holistic health! Visit Alakananda Ma in Alandi Ashram’s ayurvedic clinic to support the overall rejuvenation of your body, mind, and spirit. In-person and virtual appointments available. Book now!