Dhokla

Ingredients

 * 500 g besan
 * 1½ cup sour yoghurt
 * 1 tsp ginger paste
 * 1 tsp green chile paste (add more if you like it spicier)
 * 2 tsp sugar
 * ½ tsp turmeric powder
 * 1 tsp lime or lemon juice
 * 2 tsp baking soda
 * salt to taste

Tempering

 * 2 tbsp cooking oil
 * 1 tsp black mustard seeds
 * 1 tsp sesame seeds
 * 6 – 8 curry leaves
 * 2 green chiles slit lengthwise
 * ½ cup warm water

Garnish

 * ½ cup finely chopped fresh coriander leaves

Directions

 * 1) Sieve the besan.
 * 2) Mix it with the yoghurt and keep aside for 2 hours.
 * 3) Add the ginger and green chile pastes, turmeric powder, salt to taste, lime juice and sugar and enough warm water to make a batter of pouring consistency.
 * 4) Mix well.
 * 5) Divide the batter into 3 equal portions.
 * 6) Prepare the steamer and grease a square/ rectangular pan to steam the dhokla in.
 * 7) Divide the baking soda into 3 equal portions and add one portion to a portion of the batter.
 * 8) Mix well.
 * 9) Pour this batter into the greased dish and put it into the steamer.
 * 10) Cook till done - when you touch the surface of the dhokla your fingers should come away clean.
 * 11) Repeat with the remaining batter, adding the fruit salt/ baking soda to each batch of batter just before steaming.
 * 12) Allow the steamed dhokla to cool slightly and cut into 2" squares.
 * 13) To temper, heat the oil in a wide, thick-bottomed pan and add the curry leaves, mustard and sesame seeds and green chillies.
 * 14) Fry till the seeds stop sputtering.
 * 15) Pour these into the warm water.
 * 16) Sprinkle this mixture all over the prepared dhokla.
 * 17) Keep aside for 10 minutes.
 * 18) Garnish with the chopped coriander and serve with tamarind chutney and mint-coriander chutney.