Palak Dhokla

I think making dhokla from scratch is one of the first recipes I learnt from a friend in Dallas when I was a novice cook. This version of adding palak to it is fairly new to me, I had this recently at a b'day party.

2 cups gram flour

1 cup spinach - fresh or frozen

1 tbsp kasuri methi

1 tbsp sugar

salt to taste

1/2 tsp Arm & Hammer baking soda

1 tsp citric acid

For tempering - 2 tsp oil, 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, 2 red chillies - broken, 1/2 tsp roasted til (sesame seeds)

Blend the spinach and kasuri methi together.

Set water to boil in a pressure pan. Oil a container that fits in the pan. The container should be broad, flat-bottomed and have a good edge. Keep this oiled cntainer in the pressure pan, so it gets heated as the water boils.

Mix the gram flour, sugar and salt with enough water to get a batter of bhajji/pakoda consistency. Dissolve the citric acid in a few spoons of water and add it to the batter. Keep aside for 5 mins.

Then add the spinach puree to the batter.

Next, dissolve the soda in a few spoons of water and immediately add it to the batter. Give it a good stir. You will notice the batter sizzle a bit and fluff up (make sure the container you use for the batter is big enough to accomodate this). Quickly pour this into the hot container in the pressure pan. Close the lid of the pressure pan and steam (without the whistle) for 20 mins. on medium heat.

Then take out the container, cool for 5-10 mins & invert it. The dhokla should slide out. Cut into desired shapes. Make the tempering in a small vessel and pour over the dhoklas. Put a few spoons of water in the same small vessel, with a pinch of salt & sugar. Drizzle over the dhoklas. This prevents them from getting too dry.

This palak dhokla is off to the Food In Colors - Green event at TongueTicklers.