Category: Instant Mixes

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Khaman Dhokla Gram Lentil Steamed Cake

People in India and  around the world  are filled with curiosity about Mr. Narendra Modi, India’s Prime Minister elect, on account of the sweeping victory claimed by him and his political party. So even I decided to join the club and do some more research about him, to know more about him as a person. Food being my passion, any information related to that sparked my interest. I came across this NDTV weblink on the top 5 favourite food of Mr. Narendra Modi at http://cooks.ndtv.com/article/show/narendra-modi-s-top-5-favourite-foods-525352. Needless to say they are all from Gujarati cuisine- Khili Khichadi, Khandvi, Dhiokla, Mango Chhundo( Chutney) and  Badam Pista Shrikand.

The state of Gujarat has something in its soil , for it is  the state from where stalwarts like  Mahatma Gandhi,  Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, JInnah, and now Narendra Modi to have risen to  political ranks of the country. Besides these, Gujarat has also been the state from where business man  Dhirubhai Ambani and the Patriarch JRD Tata have originated. And the foodie in me, will want to also say , that, there must be also something in what you eat that makes you rise to top!!

Taking a cue from Mr.Modi’s five favorite foods, I am glad to share the recipe of instant khaman dhokla gram lentil  steamed cake using Instant Mix. I have found  this to be very easy, consistent and tastes delicious. This is often a breakfast item in our home , and is easily cooked in 15-20 min. There are many different brands of instant packs available, of which this is definitely very reliable and  we have been using this for almost past ten years or so.

The khaman dhokla gram lentil steamed cake is soft, spongy, with a nice spicy garnish in the top. This is known for its sponginess hence, the comparison to a cake! And the good part of this is, if it does not turn out well, just crumble it and make it a Khaman mix with garnishes! So it is very forgiving dish for a new person trying it out. This is so popular that Gits has come with two varieties Khaman and Nylon Khaman. I prefer the Khaman Dhokla Mix.

The garnish on the Khaman Dhokla Gram Lentil Steamed cake could be red chilli powder, black pepper or even powdered roasted cumin seeds.  Recipe of Khandvi , another delicacy enjoyed by Mr. Modi,  can be found on this  blog at http://cookingbyinstinct.com/khandvi-bengal-gram-rolls/

I am sure we will be seeing a lot of Khaman Dhokla Gram Lentil Steamed cake and Tea at Prime Ministerial State breakfast and that is something  international dignitaries will get a good share of!!  Seeing its well acceptance and appreciation   by m  international friends and my daughter’s classmates, Khaman Dhoklas are going to be very much in demand now!

Recipe makes 20 pieces

Cooking time 15 min

Prep time 5 min

Cooling time 10 min

Ingredients
  • 1 pack Instant Khaman Dhokla mix ( Gits Brand)
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 1 cup plus 60 ml of water

For Garnish

  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 2 tbsp chopped coriander
  • 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 5-6 curry leaves
  • 2-3 tbsp grated fresh coconut ( optional)  I use the frozen grated coconut
  • Special equipment needed- Dhokla cooker with deep plates. Alternatively you can make your own dhokla cooker, with a broad deep pan and a deep dish, with a lid to cover.
Method
  • Put about a liter of water to boil in  the dhokla cooker.
  • Grease the dhokla plate with some oil.
  • In a prep bowl, empty the contents of the instant mix
  • IMG_3873
  • In a separate bowl, mix water and oil,
  • Mix in the water oil mix into the Instant mix, so that no lumps are left, and stirring constantly while mixing in the water/oil.
  • Once the water is emptied, hold the prep bowl with one hand, and vigorously stir the mix with your hand for about 20 sec.
  • IMG_3875
  • The mix will rise a bit. As soon as  it rises, empty the mix into the greased dhokla dish.
  • Sprinkle red chilli powder or black pepper or roasted cumin powder if you desire. You can also leave it plain.
  • Insert the dish into the dhokla cooker, cover the lid and steam on fast flame for 15 min.
  • Switch off the flame after 15 min and let it cool for further 10 min.
  • IMG_1923
  • While its cooling prepare the garnish.
  • Put 2 tbsp oil to heat.
  • Add mustard seeds to it.
  • Once mustard seeds crackle, add chopped chillies.
  • After 5 seconds, add cumin seeds
  • Add curry leaves.
  • Once cumin seeds become light brown, take off from flame.
  • Spread this garnish over the cooked Khaman Dhokla Lentil Steamed Cake.
  • Make diamond pieces by making dividing the dhoklas into four parts.
  • Then turn the dish a bit  and make further 4-5 lines.
  • IMG_3879
  • Garnish with fresh coconut and coriander.
  • Serve warm with Green chutney or ketchup or just enjoy plain.
  • IMG_1824

Tips

The trick to softness , lies in the vigorous stirring of the mix.

IMG_3884

If it does not turn out well, crumble the cooked dhokla and mix in the oil garnish as well corainder and coconut. Add an extra layer of sev ( thin gram noodles )  and serve.

Instinct Factor

Check if the dhokla is cooked by inserting a fort/knife to see that it is not  liquidy in the middle.

Feel Factor

Soft and yummy, spicy and colorful, healthy and nutritious , and soon to be a popular on an international level! A very healthy breakfast, appetizer that can be enjoyed with ketchup or green chutney.

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Instant Pan Handvo (Spicy Lentil Pancake)

Languages and cultures are so similar across the world, specially if we compare how mother and father is pronounced in various languages. In quite a few languages, the word mother mostly starts with syllablle “m” and father with syllablle “p”.  I would like to extend this further and say that even cuisines share a lot of common aspects too! And in this context I would like to present “Handvo” – in my view, the traditional Indian Spicy Cake from Gujarat. The first Sweet cake my mother baked at home, was in a Handvo cooker, originally used for making Handvo. The traditional look and feel of the Handvo is similar to a cake without the cream, and of course it is not sweet but spicy.

The version I am presenting over here  is in a pancake form(my mother’s recommendation) and with the use of an instant mix , which is easy to make without the trouble of fermenting the dough. Dough fermentation is difficult in cold countries. Another advantage is that you can serve a warm, fresh handvo pancake, that is crispy to eat,  every time someone is ready for a meal!  Or you have the option of making something quick to eat on an evening that you are too tired to cook a lengthy meal.

Using a double sided pancake maker, as shown in the pics, makes flipping the handva pancake a breeze!

An accompaniment of plain buttermilk, or  tomato soup goes well with  this lentil and rice based spicy pancake.

Recipe :  2  Pancakes (Personal Pansize  or 6″ diameter)

Preparation time 10 min

Cooking time 15 min

Ingredients
  • 1/2 packet of  Gits Instant Handvo Mix ( packet size : 500gm)
  • 1/2 cup grated bottle gourd/dudhi/lauki without the skin)
  • 2 tbsp yogurt
  • 1 tbsp oil for handvo
  • 1 cup water

For tempering of one handvo pancake

  • 2 tsp oil per pancake
  • 1 inch  piece of cinnamon stick
  • 1/8 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1/8 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1/8 tsp  sesame seeds
  • pinch of asafoetida
  • pinch of turmeric
  • couple of curry leaves
  • pinch of salt
Method
  • In a bowl, mix water, oil and yogurt.
  • In a medium sized prep bowl, pour the instant handvo mix
  • Slowly add the water/oil/yogurt mix to the handvo.
  • Constantly stir at heavy speed, the handvo mix.
  • You should see the dough rising with foam.
  • Leave it to rest for 10 minutes once the dough rises.
  • Add grated bottle gourd /dudhi to the mix.
 

Tempering/Making of Handvo Pancake

  • Use a small 6″-7″ round pan.
  • Heat 1 tsp oil on a medium flame.
  • Once the oil heats, put mustard seeds to crackle.
  • Add cinnamon stick and wait for it to double its size.
  • Add cumin seeds- wait for it to become golden brown.
  • Add sesame seeds .
  • Add  crushed curry leaves.
  • Add turmeric, salt and asafoetida.
  • When sesame sees are light gold in color, Reduce the flame to lowest,
  • Gently layer 1 cup of bottlegourd/handva mix onto the temperimg.
  • Increase the flame to low medium.
  • Grease the top of the pancake, with a few drops of oil.
  • If you have the double sided pancake maker, close the top. If it is open, you can cover it with a lid.
  • Cook for 5 minutes.
  • Flip the pancake,with a flat cooking tool. To do this release the pancake from the edges first, then flip it. If you are using a double sided pancake maker, just flip and put the other side to cook.
  • Cook for further 4 min.
  • Close the flame and leave it covered for 2 minutes.
  • Serve the pancake as a whole, or cut pizza like slices, accompanied by tomato ketchup, soup or buttermilk.

IMG_1842Instant Pan Handvo

 
Tips
  • You can spice it even further by adding 1/2 tsp of ginger/chilly mix.
  • You can variate it by adding grated cabbage, instead of bottle gourd.
  • If you want it more crispier, increase the oil by 1tsp and do not cover it while cooking.
Instinct Factor

The art of flipping is instinct based, but when you get it right you feel like a pro!

Feel Factor

Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, loaded with protein and vegetables and topped with yogurt. Cannot complain, for it is an easy dinner meal and has an added appeal to young kids, when presented in  the shape of pizza slices!

 

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Idlis (Steamed Rice/Lentil Cake) using Instant Mix

Hot steamed  rice Idlis with chutney is a great weekend breakfast and can be made easily even if you do not have fermented dough at your disposal . From the various instant mixes available, the one I have found best to work at  all times is Gits Idli mix, available in most Indian Grocery Stores or even can be ordered from Amazon too! Often we have found this to be a better  option than eating restaurant Idlis, where the Idli dough might be stale or over fermented and sour. This is a very easy recipe for an extremely healthy nutritious breakfast, and  an ideal choice to swap donut or a muffin for a healthy Idli – per SFGate article http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/nutrition-idli-2667.html.

 Recipe :  18 Idlis

Cooking time 40 min

Preparation time 7 min

Special Equipment needed- Idli cooker with idli mould plates [aio_button align=”none” animation=”bounce” color=”brown” size=”small” icon=”shopping-cart” text=”Shop” relationship=”dofollow” url=”http://www.amazon.com/Happy-Stainless-Steel-Cooker-Maker/dp/B008PY88AM/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1386471001&sr=8-4&keywords=idli+maker”]

 

Ingredients by Volume

  • 1 pack Gits  Idli mix (200gms  or 7 oz) [aio_button align=”none” animation=”bounce” color=”brown” size=”small” icon=”shopping-cart” text=”Shop” relationship=”dofollow” url=”http://www.amazon.com/Gits-Idli-Mix-200g/dp/B004XTCMEG”]
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • Oil to grease the idli mould

 

Method
  • Grease the idli mould with a few drop of oil. You can skip this step if you would like to cut the calories. The pic here shows idli steamed without the initial grease. Greasing helps to remove the idli smoothly from the mould.
  • Put to boil 1 litre of water inside the idli cooker, and cover the cooker with  a lid. Put this at near high flame, on your second highest burner.
  • Pour the content of the mix into a wide and deep bowl. I often use a Large Prep Bowl.
  • In a separate bowl, mix water and oil.
  • With one hand pour the water/oil mix, at a medium pace in to the large prep bowl, and with the other hand, circularly agitate or stir vigorously the idli mix, as the water is being poured. This step is crucial to idlis being fluffy.
  • Continue doing this for about couple of minutes, and you will see the idli mix rising.
  • As soon as you see white foam and the dough rising, pour this mixture into the idli moulds, almost up to the edge.
  • Lower the gas flame, open the idli cooker with caution using a towel or oven glove.
  • Put the idlis moulds with dough, inside the idli cooker
  • Cover with the lid and raise the flame to high.
  • Cook for 20 minutes and then switch off the flame.
  • For further 20  minutes, keep the the cooker closed.
  • Then slowly open the cooker, remove the idli moulds
  • Wait for about 20 seconds, and then using a butter knife slowly release the idlis from its outer edge.
  • Serve with chutney or eating it with a dash of melted butter/clarified butter(ghee) is also equally delicious.

 Tips

If you have left over idlis, you can cut them into 1/3 inch wide strips, and fry them in deep oil to golden brown color at medium to high flame.. This is a crunchy idli snack bite and you can top it with chaat masala or black pepper. Idlis  are great for school lunches, meals or appetizers.

If you do not have access to Idli cooker, you can try the same in  Aebleskiver pan. Put water  in a deep pan. lay the Absekier pan on top, and this should be wider then the water pan, so that steam does not get lost.  Cover the Absekier pan with a dome kind of lid so that the steam is trapped inside.

Instinct Factor

The water hardiness determines the quantity of water you need for the mix. This recipe is based on the US density of water. If the Idlis are not soft, you can modify, to add 1/4 cup more water and hopefully this should make it more fluffier.

Feel Factor

A feel good breakfast, as besides it  being healthy, easy and extremely nutritious, it has a light and fluffy look and taste and also gives you extra relaxing time on a weekend morning !

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