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Khaman Dhokla Recipe (Instant Gujarati Khaman)
4.8 from 151 votes

Khaman Dhokla Recipe (Instant Gujarati Khaman)

Khaman Dhokla is a steamed savory snack from Gujarat made primarily from gram flour (besan) and semolina, leavened with fruit salt (Eno) or baking soda, resulting in a soft, spongy texture. The batter is flavored with turmeric, ginger, green chili paste, lemon juice, and asafoetida, then steamed until fluffy. A tempering of mustard seeds, cumin, sesame seeds, curry leaves, and green chilies is poured over to enhance aroma and texture, garnished with coriander and fresh coconut.

Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
20 mins
Servings: 6
Calories: 161 kcal
Course: Breakfast, Snacks
Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

For khaman batter
  • 1.5 cups gram flour (besan), 180 grams
  • 1 tablespoon rava (semolina) - optional
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1.5 inches ginger - crushed to a fine paste in a mortar-pestle
  • 1.5 teaspoons green chili chopped and then crushed to a fine paste in a mortar-pestle
  • 2 to 3 pinches turmeric powder (ground turmeric)
  • 1 to 2 pinch asafoetida (hing)
  • 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil any neutral oil or peanut oil, generic cooking oil
  • 1.5 to 2 teaspoons fruit salt fruit salt) or ½ to ¾ teaspoon baking soda, Eno brand fruit salt (leavening agent
  • 1 teaspoon salt or add as required
  • 1.5 tablespoon lemon juice or ⅓ to ½ teaspoon pure food grade citric acid
  • 1 cup water or add as required
For tempering khaman dhokla
  • 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil any neutral oil or peanut oil, generic cooking oil
  • ⅓ cup water
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds - optional
  • 2 teaspoons white sesame seeds
  • 1 prig curry leaves - about 10 to 12 curry leaves
  • 1 teaspoon green chilies - chopped, optional
  • 2 teaspoons sugar or add according to taste
For garnish
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons Coriander leaves - chopped (cilantro)
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons coconut - grated and fresh, optional

Instructions

Making khaman batter
    Cup of Yum
  1. Grease a steamer pan with 2 to 3 teaspoons of oil.
  2. Take besan or gram flour in a mixing bowl or pan.
  3. Add turmeric powder, asafoetida, lemon juice, ginger paste, green chilies paste, sugar, oil and salt.
  4. Add 1 cup water or as required to make thick yet flowing water. The amount of water required depends on the quality of flour, so add as required.
  5. Stir and then add the rava or sooji (semolina).
  6. Stir to a smooth thick batter without any lumps.
  7. The batter should be thick yet flowing. A quick tip is that if the batter become thin, then add 1 to 2 tablespoons besan. 
  8. Bring to a boil 2 to 2.5 cups of water in a steamer pan or electric cooker or a stove-top pressure cooker. 
  9. The amount of water to be added depends on the size of the steamer or pressure cooker.
  10. Now add the eno or fruit salt to the batter.
  11. Stir briskly and quickly. The fruit salt should be mixed evenly with the batter. Or else you get uneven texture in the khaman.
  12. The batter would froth and become bubbly, so you have to be quick.
  13. Pour the batter in the greased pan.
Steaming khaman dhokla
  1. Place the pan in a steamer or electric rice cooker or pressure cooker. The water should already be boiling or hot when you place the pan with the batter. When using pressure cooker, remove the vent weight/whistle from the lid and cover the cooker tightly with its lid.
  2. Steam for 15 to 20 minutes in an electric cooker. If using a pan or pressure cooker, steam for 12 to 15 minutes on a medium to high heat.
  3. To check the doneness, insert a toothpick and if it comes out clean, the khaman is done. If the toothpick has the batter on it, then you need to steam for some more time.
  4. When the khaman become lukewarm or cool, then with a butter knife gently slid along the edges. Keep a plate or tray on top of the pan.
  5. Invert the pan. If greased well, the khaman will easily get inverted on the plate. Slice and keep aside.
Tempering
  1. In a small pan, heat oil.
  2. Add mustard seeds and let them to crackle.
  3. When the mustard seeds are crackling, add the cumin seeds (optional), curry leaves and chopped green chilies (optional).
  4. Stir and then add sesame seeds.
  5. Fry the sesame seeds for some seconds but do not brown them.
  6. Then add water. Be careful while adding water as the mixture sizzles. You can switch off the heat when adding water.
  7. Add sugar. Stir and allow the tempering mixture to come to a boil. Make sure that the sugar has dissolved in the water.
  8. Then pour this tempering mixture evenly on the steamed and sliced khaman.
  9. Garnish with chopped coriander seeds and grated coconut.
  10. Serve khaman dhokla straight away or you can store them in an air tight box and then serve later after some minutes or an hour.
  11. If serving khaman after many hours, then do not garnish with coconut and coriander leaves.
Serving Suggestions
  1. The sweet, savory, fluffy cakes pair great with any spicy or sweet Indian chutney.
  2. You can also serve it with your evening chai.
Storing Suggestions
  1. If you plan to serve khaman after a few hours or next day, then I do not recommend to add coconut or coriander leaves. Simply pour the tempering.
  2. Refrigerate the khaman in a covered container. While serving you can warm with a sprinkling of water in a microwave or an oven.
  3. If using the instant pot to warm, then steam for 1 to 2 minutes. While serving add the coconut and coriander leaves.

Notes

  • The batter should be thick yet flowing; too thick leads to dense khaman, too thin causes loss of shape.
  • Steaming can be done in a pan, pressure cooker, or Instant Pot, with timing around 12-15 minutes.
  • Use plain fruit salt or Eno for best leavening; baking soda may impart a soapy taste if overused.
  • Adjust turmeric quantity to prevent red spots; it reacts with fruit salt.
  • Gluten-free option: skip asafoetida and semolina.

Nutrition Information

Calories 161kcal (8%) Carbohydrates 18g (6%) Protein 6g (12%) Fat 7g (11%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g (6%) Monounsaturated Fat 1g (5%) Cholesterol 1mg (0%) Sodium 579mg (24%) Potassium 236mg (5%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 4g (8%) Vitamin A 21IU (0%) Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1mg Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1mg Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 2mg Vitamin B6 1mg Vitamin C 5mg (6%) Vitamin E 2mg Vitamin K 1µg Calcium 29mg (3%) Vitamin B9 (Folate) 24µg Iron 7mg (39%) Magnesium 9mg (2%) Phosphorus 18mg Zinc 1mg

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 161

% Daily Value*

Calories 161kcal 8%
Carbohydrates 18g 6%
Protein 6g 12%
Fat 7g 11%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 1g 5%
Cholesterol 1mg 0%
Sodium 579mg 24%
Potassium 236mg 5%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 4g 8%
Vitamin A 21IU 0%
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1mg
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1mg
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 2mg
Vitamin B6 1mg
Vitamin C 5mg 6%
Vitamin E 2mg
Vitamin K 1µg
Calcium 29mg 3%
Vitamin B9 (Folate) 24µg
Iron 7mg 39%
Magnesium 9mg 2%
Phosphorus 18mg
Zinc 1mg

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.