Sooji Dhokla (Steamed Semolina Bread)

Dhokla is an irresistible Guajarati Indian snack that is essentially a fluffy, steamed savory bread or cake. They are often made with chana dal, ground chickpeas. But there are dhoklas made with other dried legumes, with rice and with corn, even with semolina (sooji), as in this version. Dhokla has a marvelous light, spongy texture. The batter is spicy with ginger and green chile; more flavors are added by popping mustard seed and curry leaves in oil for the final flourish.
Featured in: Next Stop, India: Full Steam Ahead.

 

Ingredients

For the dhokla

• 2 tablespoons/30 milliliters vegetable oil, such as untoasted sesame or grapeseed oil, plus more for greasing pan
• One-inch piece peeled ginger, finely chopped
• 1 or 2 small green chiles, chopped
• ¾ teaspoon/6 grams kosher salt, plus a pinch
• 1 cup/160 grams fine semolina
• 1 teaspoon/8 grams baking soda
• 1 teaspoon/8 grams baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric
• ½ cup/120 milliliters plain whole milk yogurt
• 1 handful fluffy cilantro sprigs, for garnish
• ¼ cup/30 grams freshly grated coconut (or use frozen shredded coconut, defrosted), for garnish
• Minty yogurt chutney, for serving (see recipe)

For the sizzled topping (tarka)

• 2 tablespoons/30 milliliters vegetable oil
• 2 or 3 small green chiles, slit lengthwise
• 1 teaspoon/10 grams black mustard seeds
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• 8 to 10 fresh curry leaves
• Pinch of asafetida, a.k.a. hing (optional)

Preparation

1. Set up a steamer large enough to hold an 8-inch cake pan on a rack, with sufficient room above and below. (If you don’t have a steamer, improvise with a soup pot.) Add water to just below rack. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a brisk simmer. Grease an 8-inch cake pan with a little oil and set aside.
2. Make the dhokla: Put the ginger and chiles in a mortar with a pinch of salt and pound them to a rough paste (or just chop them very finely). Put the ginger-chile paste in a mixing bowl. Add semolina, salt, baking soda, baking powder and turmeric and mix together with wooden spoon. Add yogurt, 2 tablespoons oil and 1/2 cup water, stirring vigorously, to make a smooth lump-free batter. Gradually thin with up to 1/4 cup more water, as necessary, until mixture resembles thick pancake batter.
3. Beat well, then pour batter into oiled cake pan. Put pan in steamer and cover pot with a clean dish towel, then place a lid on top. Steam for 20 minutes, until a skewer, inserted, emerges dry. Carefully remove pan from steamer. Let dhokla cool in pan for a few minutes, run a knife along sides of pan, then invert bread onto a serving plate. When completely cool, cut into squares or diamonds.
4. Make the tarka: Heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add chiles and sizzle for a minute, then add mustard seeds and cook, stirring, until they begin to pop. Add cumin seeds and curry leaves and lightly toast in oil mixture, then stir in asafetida (if using) and turn off heat. Pour contents of pan over entire surface of dhokla, spreading seeds and oil with spoon.
5. To garnish, sprinkle with cilantro sprigs and freshly grated coconut. May be served warm or at room temperature. Serve with yogurt chutney for dipping.

Note

• To make dhokla with chickpea flour, use 1 cup/105 grams chickpea flour but only 1/2 cup water in the batter. (Chickpea flour, by the way, is gluten-free.)