Indian

Serving

Indian Quick & easy

Dhokla

Name: Dhokla
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1 cup gram flour (besan); 1/2 cup yogurt; 1 tsp Eno (fruit salt); 1 tbsp lemon juice; 1 tsp mustard seeds; 2 green chilies (slit); 1/2 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp ground turmeric; 1 tbsp oil, plus more for greasing; fresh cilantro and grated coconut, for garnish

A vegetarian culinary dish made with a fermented batter derived from rice and split chickpeas.

30 minutes

Serves 4

Breakfast/Snack

14 min prep

23 min cook

Contains common allergens

Dairy mustard

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Good to know

Ready in under 30 minutes

Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: 30-minute meals

Instructions

6 steps

1
Make the Batter: Sift the gram flour into a bowl. Whisk in the yogurt, lemon juice, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp turmeric, and 1/2 cup water to form a smooth, lump-free batter. Let it rest for 10 minutes.
2
Prepare the Steamer: Bring 2 inches of water to a boil in a steamer or a large pot. Grease a round cake pan or dhokla plate with oil.
3
Aerate the Batter: Add 1 tsp of Eno (fruit salt) to the batter and immediately whisk briskly in one direction. The batter will instantly become frothy, double in volume, and light.
4
Steam: Pour the aerated batter immediately into the greased pan. Place it in the steamer, cover tightly, and steam on high heat for 15-20 minutes. Check with a toothpick; it should come out clean. Let it cool for 5 minutes before cutting into squares.
5
Make the Tempering (Tadka): Heat 1 tbsp oil in a small pan. Crackle the mustard seeds, then add the slit green chilies and a sprig of curry leaves. Carefully pour in 1/2 cup of water, 1 tbsp sugar, and 1 tbsp lemon juice. Bring to a boil.
6
Soak the Dhokla: Pour the hot, sweet-and-sour tempering water evenly over the cut dhokla pieces. The spongy dhokla will absorb the liquid. Garnish with fresh cilantro and grated coconut.

Dhokla — plated and served — Serving moment. How Dhokla looks plated and ready to eat — a representative photo, not a step in the recipe.

Listahan Family Score™

62/100

Works for many families

Allergen-friendly 80

Kid-friendly 27

Weeknight-easy 86

Budget-friendly 72

Great leftovers 50

Pantry-friendly 35

Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.

Nutrition

per serving

135

Calories

6 g

Protein

25 g

Carbs

1 g

Fat

Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.

Listahan cooking guide

Chef notes & practical guide

Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.

Cultural context

Dhokla is a savory steamed cake from Gujarat, a state in western India with a deeply vegetarian culinary culture. It is made from a fermented batter of chickpea flour and yogurt or citric acid, and its characteristic spongy, slightly sour texture comes entirely from the leavening that happens during fermentation or from a quick chemical reaction with eno fruit salt. Dhokla is eaten as a breakfast, snack, or light meal and is one of the most iconic dishes in Gujarati cuisine, recognizable across India.

Listahan note

This version uses the quick-method instant dhokla with eno fruit salt for reliable lift and a properly set texture, finished with a hot tempering of mustard seeds, green chili, and curry leaves poured directly over the cake while it is still warm.

Technique cues

Stir the eno fruit salt into the batter gently and immediately pour it into the pan; once the eno activates, the leavening begins within seconds, and any delay or over-stirring deflates the aeration before the batter can set.
Steam the dhokla over actively boiling water, not a gentle simmer; a vigorous steam produces the firm, evenly set texture while a weak steam makes the cake dense and undercooked in the center.
Pour the hot tempering over the dhokla while it is still warm and in the pan so the flavored oil is absorbed into the surface before the cake cools and firms up.

Kitchen flow

Parallel prep: Set up the steamer with water over high heat before mixing the batter so the water is at a rolling boil the moment the eno-activated batter is ready to go in.
Make-ahead: Dhokla can be steamed up to 6 hours ahead; store at room temperature covered with a damp cloth and apply the tempering within 30 minutes of serving to keep it moist.
Leftover move: Leftover dhokla cubes pan-fry well in a little oil with mustard seeds and become a savory snack with a slightly crispy exterior called vaghareli dhokla.
Cleanup rhythm: Grease the steaming pan well before pouring in the batter; a thin film of oil applied to the sides and base means the cake releases cleanly without soaking.

Ingredient brief

Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.

besan (chickpea flour)

structural base

Purpose: Besan gives dhokla its characteristic slightly nutty, savory flavor and is the only flour that produces the correct light-yet-dense texture when steamed.

Handling: Sift before measuring to remove lumps, then whisk with yogurt and water until completely smooth so the cake steams evenly.

Adaptation: A blend of besan and sooji (semolina) produces a slightly firmer, grainy-textured variation called khaman dhokla; pure besan is the classic.

eno fruit salt

instant leavening agent

Purpose: Eno reacts with the acidic yogurt to produce carbon dioxide bubbles that make the batter puff before it sets in the steamer.

Handling: Add at the very last moment before pouring into the pan; mix only until just incorporated using 2-3 gentle folds.

Adaptation: A mixture of baking soda and lemon juice or citric acid works in a pinch but may produce a slightly bitter aftertaste.

mustard seeds

tempering base

Purpose: Popped mustard seeds in the tempering add a nutty, slightly pungent contrast to the mildly sour, soft cake.

Handling: Heat oil until shimmering, add mustard seeds and cover the pan immediately as they pop energetically.

Adaptation: Cumin seeds are a common alternative in the tempering and produce a warmer, earthier result.

green chili

fresh heat

Purpose: Slit green chili in the tempering adds a clean, grassy heat that complements the sour dhokla without overpowering its delicate flavor.

Handling: Slit lengthwise to expose the seeds to the oil so the heat releases into the tempering rather than remaining trapped inside.

Adaptation: Serrano pepper is a reasonable substitute; use half as much jalapeno for a milder version.

Technique notes

A teaspoon of sugar in the batter is not sweetness for its own sake; it balances the sourness of the yogurt and citric acid and rounds out the overall flavor of the finished cake.
Check doneness with a toothpick inserted in the center; it should come out clean with no wet batter, but the cake should feel springy rather than dry when pressed gently on the surface.
Dilute the tempering with 2 tablespoons of water along with the sugar before pouring it over the cake; the liquid carries the tempering oil and flavor deep into the sponge rather than just coating the surface.

Ingredient swaps

Dairy-free option: Replace yogurt with plain unsweetened coconut yogurt or a mixture of non-dairy yogurt and a teaspoon of lemon juice for similar acidity.
Gluten-free direction: Dhokla is naturally gluten-free when made with pure besan; verify that your eno fruit salt is also certified gluten-free.
Lower-heat direction: Omit the green chili from the tempering and replace with a sliced mild banana pepper for the visual effect without the heat.

Serve alongside

Green mint-coriander chutney
Tamarind chutney
Masala chai
Hot masala chai
Cold chaas (spiced buttermilk)

Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.

Storage & reheating

Store at room temperature covered with a damp cloth for up to 6 hours, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
To restore moisture after refrigerating, sprinkle a few drops of water over the cut pieces and warm gently in a steamer for 3-4 minutes rather than microwaving, which toughens the texture.

Equipment

Large steamer or pot with a tight-fitting lid for even steam cooking
Round cake pan or wide flat-bottomed container that fits inside the steamer
Fine-mesh sifter for lump-free besan batter
Small tempering pan for blooming the mustard seeds and chili in oil

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