Nylon Khaman Dhokla Sandwich

 
Fewer choices means less chaos to me - both personally or blog wise. There were few blogs related to Indian food when I started blogging and I could just remember who posted what and I would just hop on to the respective blog if I had to try a particular recipe that I have seen earlier there. Now the scenario is different and there are way too many food blogs. Of course, I am not complaining since one get to see a lot of variety but the thing is it is hard to enjoy blog hopping leisurely as once I used to do. This dhokla sandwich is one such recipe that I remember from my earlier recipe hunting, courtesy of an old blogger friend, Richa who is no more blogging. I couldn't let go "sandwich with out using bread" theme without these spongy dhokla sandwiches which need minimal efforts. Her recipe yields perfect textured, soft, fluffy dhoklas and this sandwich is truly a treat.

Ingredients: (2 - 3 servings)
1 cup besan / chickpea flour
1 tsp ginger - green chillie paste
1 heaped tsp sugar (I used 2 one oz splenda packets.)
1/8 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1 Tbsp lime / lemon juice
1 tsp Eno fruit salt
1/2 cup Green chutney (Chutney made with coriander leaves, mint leaves, green chillies, salt and lemon juice.)
A mixture of 3 Tbsp lemon/lime juice, 1 Tbsp water and 1 tbsp sugar or as per taste
For tadka: 2 tsp oil, 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 Tbsp white sesame seeds, curry leaves, a pinch of asafoetida powder, 1-2 green chillie, finely chopped (I used only one as the chillie was quite spicy) 

Method:
* Sieve the besan. Combine besan, sugar, salt, turmeric, ginger - chillie paste, lemon / lime juice in a bowl. Add water and make a batter little less thinner than bajji batter. (I used about a cup minus 2 Tbsp water.) Add water gradually while making the batter, instead of dumping it once and ending up with a watery batter. Mix well so that the batter is without lumps. Add Eno's salt at the end and stir. Keep stirring as the batter froths and foams until it is mixed well. 
* Pour the batter into greased plates of dhokla stand, filling up to 3/4th of each plate. I used my plate idli stand. 
If you don't own the stand, use a cake tin and a wide pot that can hold the tin for dhokla preparation. Add water into the pot (upto one inch level) that is going to be used for steaming and put a trivet in it. Grease the cake tin and pour the batter in it. Place the tin on the trivet, cover the pot and steam.

* Steam until the dhoklas are cooked through, about 18 - 20 minutes. I placed the stand in a pressure cooker with out the weight on, as we steam idlis. Insert a tooth pick or a fork into the dhoklas to check whether they are done. Let cool a bit and run a spoon around the edges and unmould the dhoklas.

* For sandwich, take two dhokla slabs. Sprinkle the lime + sugar + water mixture over one and spread thick green chutney. Place another slab over it.

 

* Meanwhile, when the dhoklas are being steamed, prepare the tadka. Heat oil and add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When mustard seeds start to splutter add asafoetida, sesame seeds, curry leaves and then finely minced green chillies. Remove after 30 - 40 seconds or so. 

* Pour the above tadka over the dhokla. Garnish with shredded fresh coconut and minced cilantro.

* Cut into squares or diamond shaped ones or wedges. (I first cut the discs into square shaped ones for the blogging purpose.)

* Serve with sweet chutney and more green chutney if desired.

This goes to Blogging Marathon #26, under the theme "Sandwiches without using Bread". Check what other marathoners are cooking during this BM#26.

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