Khaman Dhokla

Four in the afternoon in Ahmedabad and someone has dropped in. Within half an hour there is a plate of khaman on the table, cut into squares, still warm, with the tempering poured over and soaked in. You press a piece with a finger and it springs back. Green chutney on the side, a fried chilli, and a cup of tea. Khaman and dhokla are strictly two different things, and the whole country has stopped bothering about the difference.

Wooden cold pressed groundnut oil does two jobs in this. A spoon in the batter is what keeps the crumb soft and moist instead of dry and crumbly, and three more go into the vaghar that is poured over at the end. Pressed slowly in a wooden ghaani, it stays light and clean, so the popped mustard, slit green chilli and sesame stay sharp rather than sitting under a greasy weight. In a dish this plain, that matters more than you would expect.

The one thing that decides khaman is speed. Once the fruit salt hits the batter you have about ten seconds. Three or four quick folds, straight into the greased tin, straight into a pot that is already steaming. Keep beating and you knock out the air you just made, and the khaman comes out dense and rubbery.

How to make it

1. Grease a 20 cm round tin with a little oil. Set a wide pot with 5 cm of water on the flame to boil, with a stand inside. The steam must be ready before the batter is.
2. Whisk the besan, semolina, sugar, salt, turmeric, ginger-chilli paste, lemon juice, 1 tbsp groundnut oil and 1 cup water into a smooth, lump-free batter. It should be thick but still pour off the spoon in a ribbon. Rest 10 minutes.
3. Add the eno and 1 tsp water over it. It will froth at once. Fold gently with three or four strokes, no more, until the batter is light and bubbly.
4. Pour straight into the greased tin, tap once on the counter, and lower it into the steaming pot. Cover, tying a cloth under the lid so no water drips onto the khaman.
5. Steam on medium for 15 minutes. Test with a knife in the centre. If it comes out clean, switch off. Rest 5 minutes, then loosen the edges and turn out onto a plate. Cut into 4 cm squares.
6. Make the vaghar. Heat 3 tbsp groundnut oil in a small pan. Add the mustard seeds and let them pop, then the sesame seeds, slit green chillies, curry leaves and hing. Fry 20 seconds.
7. Stand back and pour in the ¾ cup water with the 3 tbsp sugar. Bring to a boil and let it bubble for 2 minutes till the sugar dissolves.
8. Pour the hot tempering slowly and evenly over the cut khaman, letting it soak into the cuts. Cover for 5 minutes so it drinks it all in.
9. Scatter the fresh coconut and coriander on top. Serve with green chutney and fried green chillies.

Tips

• Check that your eno or soda is fresh. A dead leavener is the single commonest reason for flat, rubbery khaman. Drop a pinch into a spoon of lemon juice. If it does not fizz hard, buy a new packet.
• Go easy on the turmeric. Two pinches is enough. More reacts with the eno and leaves reddish-brown blotches on the surface.
• Storage: keeps 2 days in the fridge in a covered box. Steam for 3 to 4 minutes to bring back the softness. Khaman goes dry in the fridge, never leave it uncovered.
• Substitution: ½ tsp citric acid dissolved in a spoon of water can replace the lemon juice, and gives a sharper, more shop-style tang.
• If the khaman sinks in the middle, the batter was too thin or the steam had not built up. Get the water boiling hard first, and keep the batter thick enough to coat a spoon.