Achieve A Smooth Batter For Gujarati Dhokla Using Hand Blender

One of the keys to acing Gujarati dhokla is preparing a smooth batter. Any lumps or dry besan granules can ruin your hard work and the texture of the snack. Airy and lightweight base yields fluffy and soft dhoklas that everyone in India prefers. It is what makes this regional snack a pan-India delight available in sweet shops and confectioneries.

While you can use a whisker and perform a few exercises for your arm, having Usha’s hand blender might just save you time and muscle effort. Its stainless steel blades are sharp and move swiftly with a press of a button, allowing you to create a smooth blend while adding puffs of air in it. Below are some tips to use it efficiently to prepare a smooth batter for Gujarati dhokla.

Pour Water Gradually

Too much or too little water can ruin the consistency of the paste. Whether you use cold water or liquid at room temperature, you must pour it gradually. Keep blending the chickpea flour with it and stop pouring when you think that the batter has achieved the right consistency. The control of the liquid is necessary, or you will get stuck in an infinite loop of adding more water or besan. Gradually pouring will also help you spot lumps, which you can easily get rid of using the hand blender.

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Soak Ingredients Before Blending

Whether you are using chickpea or rice-lentil blend to prepare the Gujarati dhokla, make sure to soak the raw ingredients for 30 minutes or overnight. Once softened, it will be easier for the hand blender to break them and turn them into a smooth paste. Soaked ingredients also ensure that there are no grains left behind after the grinding process. This will result in fluffier dhoklas.

Scrape Side Occasionally

While blending, don’t forget to scrape off the sides. If you do it in the end, the texture will be messed up. Keep stirring occasionally, add it to the existing blend, and use the hand blender to mix it. This will ensure no grains or lumps in the batter. A smooth paste for dhokla is everything, and you cannot compromise with it. When the texture is lump-free, you get a spongy restaurant-style dhokla in your home kitchen.

Whisk Baking Soda Gently

The last step of making a perfect batter is adding baking soda or ENO to it. You cannot mix it into the paste swiftly like you have been blending ingredients. It needs to be gently folded in. You can do two things. First, run the hand blender at the lowest speed and keep it submerged in the batter when you sprinkle the soda or ENO. It will gently get blended, and the air will also be retained. Switch off the blender before you take it out, or you can use a rubber spatula for mixing.

Increase Speed Gradually

When you start blending ingredients, don’t start at the highest speed. You will end up spilling all around the kitchen counter. Keep the rotating shaft or blades immersed inside the ingredients and switch on the appliance on the lowest setting. Gradually increase the speed to blend everything into a lump-free batter. It will also incorporate air into the paste, making dhoklas fluffy and lightweight.