This article is about the science behind making instant khaman dhokla. It will go over the most common mistakes people make and is packed with tips and tricks for beginners to make fluffy and spongy instant dhoklas.
Instant dhoklas, also known as khaman dhoklas, are the perfect fluffy snack to have at chai time. This blog post is for beginners who are either first time dhokla makers OR are trying to problem solve issues with their recipe. I've made countless dhoklas, testing different variables as well as teaching this dish in cooking classes, before landing on my detailed recipe with precise gram measurements for instant khaman nylon dhokla. Feel free to jump around this article to find the answer to the question that you have.
10 Tips for a Spongy Dhokla
- Use citric acid + baking soda for a fluffy dhokla. Dhoklas get their fluffy interior from an acid base reaction. For the strongest reaction use citric acid (acid) and baking soda (base).
- Do NOT substitute lemon juice for citric acid. This will yield an instant dhokla that is dense, red/orange, and not spongy. This is because lemon juice tends to not have enough acid to create as strong of an acid reaction as citric acid. I've tried and tested various quantities of lemon juice to try to replicate the same consistent behavior of citric acid and it just doesn't work.
- Eno can replace BOTH the citric acid and baking soda in a dhokla recipe. Eno is a fruit salt or powder that has both the acid and base in one. If a recipe calls for 1 teaspoon citric acid and 1 teaspoon baking soda, simply add 2 teaspoons of eno to replace the two.
- Use besan flour instead of American chickpea flour for a lighter, nuttier dhokla. Besan flour is Indian chickpea flour made from black chickpeas. It is milled finer and has a nuttier taste than American chickpea flour. You can substitute American chickpea flour in a dhokla recipe but you will need ~2-3 tablespoons more water as American chickpea flour absorbs more water than Indian besan flour.
- Use fine semolina/sooji or American fine semolina for a light and airy dhokla. I've tested with coarse semolina and it yields a denser and tighter crumb than fine semolina.
- Add enough water to the dhokla mixture to yield a batter that is pourable and similar to paint consistency. Don't worry if you don't know the exact consistency I am describing. If you follow my dhokla recipe which has exact gram measurements, you should get the right consistency for your dhokla batter. The batter becomes thicker and fluffier when baking soda is added so it's important that the batter is not too thick or else it will be hard to evenly mix the baking soda.
- Allow the batter to sit for 5-10 minutes before adding the baking soda. Allowing the batter to sit allows the semolina to get hydrated and soak in the water!
- Mix baking soda with a bit of water ensure no lumps of baking soda get into the batter. High concentrations of baking soda in dhokla batter will yield red spots in dhokla, so mixing the baking soda in water reduces this risk.
- Immediately transfer the dhokla to the steamer as soon as you mix the baking soda into the batter. The acid + base reaction created in the batter only lasts for a few minutes. This is why it is important to get the batter into the steamer as fast as possible once mixed.
- Prevent wet dhokla by covering the lid of the steamer with a towel OR cover the dhokla with aluminum foil. These two tricks prevent condensation on the lid from falling on the dhokla and making it wet.
- Allow the dhokla to cool on a cooling rack before cutting it into squares and pouring syrup. Allowing the dhokla to cool on a rack allows the steam to continue to cook the inside and set up the fluffy texture.
Common mistakes and solutions for dhokla
Here are some common mistakes folks make when making dhokla batter and how to solve them.
Why does my dhokla have red spots?
Cause: Dhokla has turmeric which turns red when it interacts with a solution that is basic in PH. If the dhokla has red spots, it indicates that there are pockets of baking soda in the batter that weren't mixed together properly.
Solutions:
- Mix baking soda with water before adding it into the batter. I added this extra step in my recipe to ensure that the clumps of baking soda are dissolved to reduce the chance of red spots.
- Really mix the batter once the baking soda is added. In my experience of teaching this recipe in cooking classes, students often freak out when the baking soda creates a foaming reaction and they don't whisk vigorously as a result. Even after the baking soda creates a fluffy batter, keep mixing to really ensure that the baking soda is incorporated throughout the mixture.
- Skip the turmeric all together. If you skip the turmeric, you can use an Indian besan flour, which is more yellow than the American counterpart. You will still end up with a nice pale yellow dhokla without the risk of red spots.
Why is my dhokla red or orange?
Cause: Dhokla has turmeric which turns red when it interacts with a solution that is basic in PH. If the dhokla is a uniform dark yellow, orange, or red it means that the entire batter is most likely too basic in PH. This either means it has too much baking soda or too little acid.
Solutions:
- Replace lemon juice with citric acid. If you used lemon juice as your primary acid in the batter, it is likely that the batter doesn't have enough acid. In my tests when I used lemon juice, the dhokla was always a dark orange in color. I always recommend using citric acid instead of lemon juice.
- Decrease amount of baking soda in the recipe. I use a 1:1 ratio of citric acid: baking soda in my recipe below.
Why is my dhokla not spongy or fluffy?
Causes:
- Dhokla's fluffiness comes from an acid + base reaction creating CO2 and bubbles in the batter. Not having a strong enough reaction can create a dense dhokla.
- You let the dhokla batter sit around for a long time after the baking soda therefore the acid and base reaction has subsided.
- You used coarse semolina instead of fine semolina.
Solution:
- Use a 1:1 ratio of citric acid: baking soda or eno for a strong acid + base reaction. Lemon juice is not strong enough to create a really strong reaction.
- Immediately place the dhokla in the steamer after mixing the baking soda.
- Use fine semolina for a fluffy and light dhokla.
Why is my dhokla wet or soggy?
Causes:
- Condensation from the lid of the steamer dropped back onto the dhokla, creating a wet dhokla.
- The dhokla wasn't cooked enough before taking it out of the steamer, creating a wet center.
- The cake wasn't cooled before cutting into it.
- Too much syrup was added to the dhokla.
Solutions:
- To prevent condensation, either wrap the lid of the steamer with a towel or wrap the cake pan in aluminum foil. This prevents the water from pouring into the cake pan.
- If there is condensation on top of the cake, lightly dab the top of the dhokla with a paper towel. Then cook the cake with the lid off the steamer for 2-5 more minutes until the cake looks matte.
- Test the center of the cake with a toothpick to ensure it comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool on a wire rack to allow the steam to evaporate and the crumb of the cake to set.
- Don't add all of the syrup to the dhokla in one place. Make sure to spread the syrup throughout and use sparingly. You can set any excess on the side for others to add more as desired.
Fluffy and spongy
Instant Dhokla Recipe
Tried and tested dhokla recipe with exact gram measurements!
I hope you enjoyed this article about the common mistake and tips for making dhokla. Please leave a comment below letting me know what you thought of this article and if it was helpful to you! I always love hearing your questions and your comments 🙂
Lea
What is the exact consistency difference if semolina is omitted?
For gluten free, what is the best replacement? Thanks
Shri Repp
Great question! You can make it gluten-free by substituting the semolina in my recipe (¼ cup) with that same quantity of besan flour/chickpea flour instead. I teach this recipe in a cooking class and one time we had a GF student so this is exactly what we did and the texture is just as fluffy. Hope that helps. Excited for you to try it out 🙂