Dhokla..an ideal low-calorie evening snack!

•  Gram flour ( Bengal Chana Dal Besan) 2 cups
•  Fresh Curd (Stirred) 1 cup
• Salt to taste
• 1tsp Soda bi-carb or Eno fruit salt
•  Juice of one Lemon
•  A pinch of turmeric powder
• A pinch of red chilly powder
• Refined Oil 2 tsp (1 tsp for batter and 1 tsp for tampering (chaunk/foron)
• Fresh Curry leaves
• 1tsp Mustard Seeds
• Freshly grated Coconut
• Green chilies (vertically slit)
• Tamarind-Jaggery Chutney

• In a bowl take gram flour (besan), Curd and luke warm water.
• Mix well and make a smooth batter. The batter should be of thick consistency.
• Add salt, haldi powder, red chilly powder cover with a lid and set aside for 4 hours
• Keep the steamer or cooker ready on gas.
• Grease a baking dish (it should fit in the steamer or cooker).
• Now in  a small bowl take 1 tsp. of soda bi-carb or eno fruit salt, 1tsp oil and lemon juice and mix well.
• Add this to the batter and mix well.
• Pour the batter into the greased pan and steam for 10-15 minutes or till done( ensure bu pricking with a toothpick or knife)
• Cool for sometime and cut into big cubes.
• Heat little oil in a small pan and add mustard seeds and curry leaves; allow to splatter. Remove and pour it over dhoklas.
• Garnish the besan dhokla with grated coconut and slited green chilies.
• Serve with Tamarind-Jaggery chutney.

Dhonkar Danla (Fried Dhokla Curry)

Ingredients:

• Chana Dal :1cup.
• Matar Dal : 1cup
• Potato : cut into small pieces.
• Ginger paste: 2tsp.
• Red Chilly Powder: 1tsp
• Garlic: 8 pods
• Green chillies: 6
  
• Asafoetida (Hing) : a little
  
• Cummin seeds : 1tsp
• Bay leaf : a few
  
• Garam Masala Powder : 2tsp
• Salt and sugar to taste.
• Tomato Puree: 3tsp
• Ghee: 2tsp
• Mustard oil : 6tsp
  

Procedure:

Soak the two kinds of Dal in water for at least 6 hours. Place the soaked dal in a grinder along with garlic and green chillies and make a coarse paste -- be careful, do not too much water. Add the salt and sugar. Take a pan, grease it with a little oil and heat it. Now put the dal paste into the heated pan and stir continuously with a spatula in medium heat till the mixture gets dried till the required consistency. Transfer the mixture to a flat metallic plate and pat it down with your palms till it forms a cake about half inch thick. Keep aside and let it stand for 10 minutes. Cut the cake into small pieces and fry them till brown. These are the fried dhonka ( or dhokla)

For the gravy, heat oil and fry the potatoes. Add cummin seeds and bay leaf to splatter. Then add tomato puree, ginger paste and red chilly powder. Saute till the oil separates. Add hing, salt and sugar. Add water. Bring to boil until the potatoes are cooked. Add the fried dhokla . Close the lid. Remove from heat. Add ghee and garam masala powder on top .

Serve with roti or paratha.