Cooking Tips: How To Make Perfectly Spongy And Soft Dhoklas? 6 Fool-Proof Tips

I have to admit I wasn’t always a big fan of Dhoklas, especially when it was served with tea. Growing up in North India, our tea-time affair mostly circled around fried, crispy and crunchy snacks. These snacks ranged from being moderately spicy to very spicy. Therefore something like Dhokla, which was steamed and mildly sweet, always seemed ‘out of place’. But this was a long time ago; not only am I more open-minded about my tea-time snacks now, but I am also one of the biggest Dhokla fans you would find. You know the ones who would haggle for extra mirchis with the shopkeepers while reminding them only to pack the fresh and soft ones. Soft dhoklas are my one true weakness. While making Dhoklas is a cakewalk, making them perfectly smooth and spongy is a task. But fret not; there are many tricks with the help of which you can get the dhoklas of your dreams every time you set out to make some.

Dhokla, for the unversed, is a Gujarati snack that is essentially a steamed cake soaked in sweet syrup and cut in squares. A tempering of mustard seeds is poured on top of the Dhoklas, generous amounts of coriander leaves add freshness to the cakes, and then there are the green chillies that are not too hot but enough to bring in just the right amount of contrast to the dish. Dhoklas are yellow, and best quality ones would be so perfectly soft that you can press them in between your two fingers without breaking them. Here are some tips that have been very helpful for us.

How To Make Dhoklas Soft And Spongy

What makes Dhokla spongy? It is basic science. Whisking the gram flour helps aerate the batter, which makes it light and fluffy. Rising agents like baking soda or Eno acts with acidic agents (citric acid) in the batter, which makes the batter rise, making it light, soft and smooth.

Some tips to keep in mind.

  1. Always use fresh besan and sieve it properly else it will hinder the aeration process. Also, make sure you use enough besan to make the batter.
  2. You do not have to make the batter too runny or watery. So bear in mind the quantity of water you use in the batter.
  3. Mix the batter very well, and else it will never hold shape or rise. Mix it well even after you add baking soda or fruit salt, but not too much. You do not want to disturb the chemical reaction happening at this moment by overmixing.
  4. Practice some more patience and let the batter ferment for at least 8 hours.
  5. Adding too much baking soda will yield tough dhoklas, and they won't be as soft as you desire them to be.
  6. Make sure they are steamed for enough time. More often than not, dhoklas appear cooked from the outside, but from the inside, they are undercooked, which can ruin your Dhokla eating experience. Use enough water in your steamer to create adequate steam.

Here is a lovely recipe of Khaman Dhokla you can try today, keeping these tips in mind. We look forward to hearing your thoughts.