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Gujarati cuisine boasts many flavourful snacks and the most popular one has to be dhokla! It’s a steamed snack, which is made from a fermented batter consisting of chickpea flour and many other flavourful spices. What makes dhokla so popular is not just its taste and texture, but also the fact that it's a lot healthier as compared to other snacks. Dhokla has been made in Gujarat and other neighbouring states for the past hundreds of years.
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Dhokla as we know it today got its name back in the 16th century as we can find in the writings of a lot of prominent Gujarati writers. A very popular variety of dhokla called khaman dhokla is one of the staples in Gujarati cuisine. However, other than the regular dhokla and khaman recipes, there are a lot of other types of dhoklas that one can try. If you want to make different types of dhoklas at home, then here are some of the choicest recipes.
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* Spinach Dhokla
One should always try to make their snacks healthier by adding some or the other vegetables. Adding spinach to dhokla is a great way to sneak in some good greens and make dhokla rich in iron and many other important minerals. One has to grind some spinach with water in a food processor and then add this mixture to a batter made from chickpea flour, curd, and some other spices. After fermenting this batter add this into a steamer and cook the dhokla until it becomes properly fluffy.
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* Rava Dhokla
Durum wheat is called rava in India and is a very important condiment used in South Indian cuisine. Different types of South Indian snacks are dominantly made by using rava and its popular use can be credited to the fact that it's high in fibre and extremely digestible. Making a rava can be an extremely interesting take towards the regular dhokla recipe. One has to simply make a fermented, batter with rava and some spices like turmeric, red, chilli, cumin, seed powder, and salt. This batter has to be steamed until the dhokla cakes become fluffy and this can be served with green chutney.
* Carrot Dhokla
Carrot dhokla as the name suggests involves adding finely chopped particles of carrot in dhokla that make it crunchy and also add a bit of sweetness. This small step can make a lot of difference. The mixture is properly set so that it gets fermented. After being fermented, the mixture is poured into a dhokla steamer and cooked from all sides. The best part about steaming dhoklas at home is that one doesn't need any special tools for the purpose. A small bowl can be simply taken to steam some dhoklas inside a pressure cooker.
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* Oats Dhokla
Eating oats for breakfast every day can be mundane and so boring. However, one cannot deny that oats are one of the healthiest breakfast options that provide the needed energy and fibre to the body. So a great way to include oats in one's breakfast regime is to make dhokla with them. One has to simply take some ground oats and mix them with curd to make a thick battle. Add the spices of choice, and after fermenting this matter, cook it in a pressure cooker until it steams properly.
* Dhokla Pizza
It would be a mistake to not list one of the most insanely creative dhokla recipes in this list which is dhokla pizza. Dhokla pizza is cheesy, creamy, delectable and just what one needs for a desi treat. It is made by taking the regular dhokla and topping it with conventional pizza toppings such as pizza, sauce, mozzarella cheese, and some classic Italian herbs like oregano and chilli flakes. To melt the cheese, one can simply take the assorted pieces of dhokla and put them inside the microwave so that the cheese melts properly.
* Khaman Dhokla
Khaman dhokla is a classic and evergreen snack in Gujarat, that people can have for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Khaman batter is a synthesis of ground chickpeas and rice flour. It is different in terms of texture as well as taste from the traditional dhokla. The colour of khaman is towards the lighter end because of the presence of rice flour that subdues its yellowish colour. Consistency-wise, it's a little heavier than the regular dhokla. The presence of rice flour doesn't impact the nutrition aspect of khaman and it is totally healthy.
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* Corn Dhokla
A crunchy and hassle-free addition to a regular dhokla can be some corn. It is an easy addition but is very impactful. People who have used corn before in different types of food would know that upon heating, corn starts giving a bit of a sweet flavour. After it is steamed properly, the dhokla can be served with some green chutney.
