This recipe is the combination of two of the best vegetarian Gujarati dishes that are loved by everyone. This Dabeli Dhokla is a gem of a dish that wins everyone’s heart. Today I am happy to share my most favorite appetizer recipe with you with step by step process and video! Whenever I go to India, I make it a point to go and try the newest snacks and chaats. On our last trip, I tried Dabeli Dhokla at my brother’s place in Mumbai, and I immediately fell in love with it. I loved it so much that, I ate it 3 days in a row! Lmao…. Don’t judge me here. It was too good. I was craving this dish and thought of making it at home. And it came out fantastic, just like in Mumbai. So thought of sharing with you all during this festive season.
About this recipe
There are 2 components of this recipe – So in today’s recipe, I have combined these two world-famous Indian recipes and came up with this unique party-perfect recipe. Instead of stuffing dabeli masala in Pav buns, I have stuffed it in between the dhokla base and then topped it with all the dabeli toppings like sweet chutney, garlic chutney, sev, onion, pomegranate, peanuts, coconut, and cilantro.
This recipe is
A crowd-pleaser.Looks fancy and comes together quicklyAn explosion of flavors and textures in your mouthVegan and Budget-friendly.Loved by kids and adults alike.Perfect appetizer for any party, potluck, or evening snack.Convenient to make ahead of time.The topping makes them look so festive. Isn’t it?
You seriously have to make it to believe it!
Ingredients required
For Dhokla
Besan (Gram flour) –The main ingredient and base of this recipe are Besan. Make sure you use the fine and good quality Besan. I have tried many besan after coming to the US. Out of all brands, I love Laxmi and Nirav Brand besan.Sooji /Semolina – added for texture.Sugar – A must ingredient to balance out the spicy and sour flavor.Eno (fruit salt) + Citric acid – If you want to make market-style dhoklas, these 2 ingredients are a must-have for this recipe. Make sure to use flavorless ENO. Both are easily available in Indian stores. To make the khaman dhokla without Eno, you can use ½ teaspoon baking soda with ENO.Oil – You will need oil for the batter.Other spices – Salt and turmeric powder
For Dabeli stuffing
Potato – Any variety of potatoes will work.Dabeli Masala – My favorite dabeli masala is Chandubhais Dabeli masala. You can any dabeli masala of your choice.Oil – To make dabeli stuffing, I prefer to use peanut oil. You can use any oil.
For toppings
Chutneys – I have used sweet chutney and garlic chutney. You can either make these chutneys at home or pick a ready-made jar from the Indian grocery store. I love to make my chutneys. These chutneys can be made months ahead of time and frozen.Masala sing(peanut) – These are easily available in the Indian grocery store. You can use roasted peanuts too.Other toppings – Pomegranate, Sev, cilantro, onion, and grated coconut.
Step by step process
Pre-prep work
Boil potatoes, peel the skip, and mash it very well. Keep it aside.Make the sweet chutney and garlic chutney and keep it aside. Make sure your chutneys are pourable i.e on a thinner side. You can add water and adjust the consistency.
Make Dhokla Batter
Sieve Gram flour (Besan) in a big mixing bowl at least once. This step is really important. Take 2 cups of Besan in a mixing bowl. (image 1 and 2)Now add sooji (semolina), salt, citric acid (Limbu na Phool), Turmeric powder, sugar. Mix everything well. (image 3 and 4)Now slowly, add water, a little at a time, and mix them very well. Make the lump-free batter. It should be easy to pour consistency (not too thick, not too thin) batter. (image 5)Add oil and whisk the batter well for about 2 to 3 minutes. This is another really important step. Cover the batter bowl and let it rest for 15 minutes. (image 6)
Dabeli Masala
While dhokla batter is resting, let’s make dabeli stuffing.Heat peanut oil in a pan. Add dabeli masala and ½ cup water. Mix very well and let it come to a boil. Make sure to break all the lumps of the dabeli masala (if any). (image 7 and 8)Note – If your dabeli masala doesn’t contain salt, add it at this stage according to your taste.Now add mashed potatoes and mix everything very well. Let the mixture cook for about 2 to 3 minutes on medium flame. Keep stirring in between. (image 9 and 10)Note – Make sure the mixture is easy to spread. If it’s too thick, add 1-2 tablespoon water.Switch off the flame and let it cool down completely.
Steaming the Dhokla
Meanwhile, grease your 2 pan or thali with oil. I have taken a 9-inch diameter plate. Make sure your thali is a bit tall. (image 11)Add water to your steamer, cover the steamer, and let the water boil. (image 12)Once the 15 minutes are over, just before steaming, open the lid of the batter bowl, and divide the batter into 2 parts. (image 13)Pro-tip – If your thali or container is small, divide the batter into 4 parts.Take one part of the batter, add one and a half teaspoons fruit salt (ENO) into the batter and mix it gently. The mixture will rise immediately. DON’T over mix it. (image 14 and15)Pour it immediately into a greased pan, place it in a steamer, cover the steamer, and steam it for 10 minutes over medium to high heat. Don’t open it for the first 8 minutes. (image 16 and 17)Note – Steaming time is depending on the size of the pan. So keep this in mind.Once 10 minutes are over, insert a toothpick or knife to check if it is done or not. If a toothpick or knife comes out clean, it is done. If it’s not then let it cook for 2 more minutes. (image 18)Switch off the flame, take out the dhokla plate and let the dhokla cool down for at least 10 minutes.Add remaining one and half teaspoon eno in remaining 2nd part of the batter, mix the batter and Steam it dhokla. Let it cool down.Note – please divide the eno quantity according to the batches. And add eno separately in every batch and just right before steaming the dhokla.
Now every component is ready. It’s time to assemble. Assemble
When the khaman becomes lukewarm or cool, then with a butter knife gently slid along the edges. Keep a plate or tray on top of the pan. Invert the pan. If greased well, the khaman will easily get inverted on the plate. (image 19)Take one base of the dhokla, Brush it with water. You will need about 2 to 3 tablespoon of the water). Image 20)Apply all of the dabeli mixtures evenly. (image 21)Then place the 2nd base of the dhokla on top. (image 22)Apply some sweet chutney, and garlic chutney evenly. (image 23)Sprinkle masala peanut, pomegranate, onion, sev, grated coconut, and chopped cilantro. (image 24).
Then cut Dabeli dhokla into desired pieces. I have cut it into 16 square pieces.Your Dabeli dhokla is ready. Serve it with garlic chutney. Enjoy!
Pro-tips for Dhokla
Sieve Besan at least once before making dhokla batter to get the airy dhokla. Once it is sieved then measure it for the recipe.The batter should be thick enough that it coats the back of a spoon, but also flows freely.The amount of water to flour ratio varies with the brand of flour used, its texture (fine or coarse), and weather conditions. So after making the thick batter, add water in 1 tablespoon increments to get the batter of the right consistency.Always add fresh Eno / Fruit salt if you are using the packet ones.Beat the Batter well to get the fluffy dhokla.Always add ENO or Baking soda after beating the batter.Make sure that the steamer is properly heated and the water should be boiling before placing the dhokla batter plates. Otherwise, dhokla won’t puff nicely may take more time to cook and you won’t get spongy dhokla.After adding the Eno, Just mix the batter with a light hand once or twice. Don’t over mix the batter.Don’t let the batter sit for a long time after adding the eno. Steam the dhokla batter right away.Don’t open the steamer for the first 8 minutes.You may use 1 teaspoon baking soda instead of ENO. But I highly recommend using Eno to get the best result.You can substitute citric acid with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Though citric works the best and gives great results.Don’t skip the step of brushing the dhokla base with water. It will help to keep the dhokla moist.If your dhokla plate is smaller than the 9-inch diameter, divide the batter into 4 parts.Add eno only right before steaming the dhokla.
Pro-tips for Dabeli stuffing
Make sure the stuffing is easy to apply. It shouldn’t be thick.Use dabeli masala according to your taste and spice level. Every brand of masala tastes differently so use accordingly.Most dabeli masala contains salt in it. Read the ingredients of your dabeli masala. If it doesn’t have salt, add salt to the mixture according to your taste.Make sure the boiled potatoes are mashed very well.Make sure your chutneys are pourable i.e on a thinner side. You can add water and adjust the consistency. If they are thick they won’t spread well to cover the dhokla base.
If you are hosting a Diwali party this year then I highly recommend making this Dabeli Dhokla one of the appetizers or the only appetizers.
More Party appetizer recipes
Chinese SamosaHariyali Paneer TikkaSchezwan Paneer FrankieDahi VadaPatra Recipe | Alu Vadi
Warm regards, You can also FOLLOW me on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, and PINTEREST for more fabulous recipes and updates. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for tasty and easy video recipes. Dhwani.