Khaman

Event: Blogging Marathon #41
Theme: Breakfast dishes

I had picked breakfast theme for this week's blogging marathon and we were supposed to choose our dishes from this specific wiki list. An earlier chitchat I had with my Gujarati neighbor had landed me with some authentic recipes from her state and this week's theme provided an opportunity to try her khaman recipe. Khaman, a Gujarati delicacy is prepared using fermented batter made with chana dal / roasted chickpeas. Khaman looks similar to another tasty Gujarati snack  dhokla though the two are different. 

My neighbor's khaman version is kept to a basic version. A tiny quantity of rice can be added along with chana dal to grind, if desired but that is entirely optional. Her version of batter includes only addition of salt (before fermentation) and eno's fruit salt (before steaming.) and nothing else. I think she mentioned that they use the below mentioned garnishing but don't serve chutney along with these khaman. Her mother in law earlier had given me another version which is what close to the one I had posted below. This recipe yields soft, fluffy and yummy khaman.

Ingredients:
1 cup chana dal / split chickpeas
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp lemon/lime juice
1/2 tbsp green chillie - ginger paste
1 tsp Eno's fruit salt
For tempering:
2 tsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp white sesame seeds
1 - 2 green chillies, finely minced
A pinch of asafoetida
2 tbsp minced cilantro
2 tbsp shredded coconut

Method:
* Soak chana dal in water for about 3 - 4 hours. Drain, wash them thoroughly and grind into a thick batter adding water as needed. Add salt to the ground batter and mix well. Cover and leave it to ferment overnight. (The batter doesn't increase in volume as dosa and idli batters.)

* Keep the steamer / dhokla maker /  pressure cooker ready before preparing the khaman. Grease the dish in which khaman is going to be steamed. I prepared khaman in my pressure cooker without the whistle on. I poured about 2 cups of water in the cooker base and used a utensil that comes along with the cooker to steam the khaman. 
Basically, any round dish with a flat bottom, about 2 inches deep would work. 
* Add turmeric powder, ginger-chillie paste, lemon juice and Eno's fruit salt to the batter just when you are ready to steam and mix well. 

* Pour the batter into the greased container used for steaming. Pour water at the base of a steamer / pressure cooker and place the container in it. If using a pressure cooker, remember to not put the whistle on. 

* Steam on medium flame for about 15 - 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean.

* Gently run a sharp spoon / knife around the edges of the steamed khaman and revert the pan over a plate. 
* Heat oil in a small pan and add mustard and sesame seeds. When mustard seeds start to splutter, add green chillies and fry for about 20- 30 seconds. Add asafoetida and turn off the stove.
* Pour the above seasoning over the steamed khaman. Garnish with minced cilantro and shredded fresh coconut. 
* Slice them into cubes and serve with coriander-mint chutney.

Notes:
1. 1 or 2 tbsp of rice can also be soaked along chana dal for grinding.
2. 2 to 3 tbsp of yogurt can be used to grind but I didn't add any.
3. Combine 1 tbsp of lime juice, 1 tbsp of sugar and about 1/4 cup of water in a small bowl. Drizzle it over the steamed khaman along with the mustard seasoning if you prefer sweetness in the khaman. 

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