Moong Flour Dhokla

I watched my MIL carefully and noted down each and every step and proportions. So here it is -

Moong Flour Dhokla

Moong Flour Steamed Dumplings

Ingredients

1 cup moong daal flour

1/2 cup sour yogurt

1 tbsp ginger-green chilies -garlic paste

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

salt to taste

1/4 tsp asafoetida

1 tbsp sugar

Just before steaming

2 tsp oil

1/2 tsp eno fruit salt or baking soda

1 tsp lemon juice

Tempering

1 tbsp oil

2 tbsp water or thin buttermilk

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp sesame seeds

2-3 green chilies, chopped finely (optional)

Garnish

2 tbsp chopped cilantro

1/4 cup fresh coconut, scraped (optional)

Method

1. Mix moong daal flour with sour yogurt till no lumps are formed. It will have a consistency of sour cream or shrikhand.

2. Add turmeric powder, asafoetida and ginger-garlic-green chilie paste. Mix.

3. Cover and keep aside in a warm place to ferment for 7-8 hours.

4. Set steamer ready. Grease deep dishes or cooker container generously

5. Add salt and sugar to the fermented mixture.

5. Mix oil, eno fruit salt or baking soda and lemon juice.

6. Add to the fermented mixture.

7. Pour the fermented mixture to the greased container. Cover.

8. Steam on a full flame for 10 minutes. Switch the gas to medium and steam for another 15 -20 minutes.

9. Take the dhokla container out. Remove the lid. Let it cool down completely.

10. Cut into squares, diamonds or rectangles.

11. Garnish with cilantro and coconut if using.

12. Heat oil in a small saucepan. Add mustard seeds, asafoetida, chilies and sesame seeds. As they start to sizzle, switch off the gas. Pour the thin buttemilk or water.

13. Drizzle  the tempered buttermilk over the dhokla.

14. Serve with sweet tamarind chutney or green chutney of your choice.

Note -

1. If using Eno Fruit salt, use "plain". They have flavors like orange, lemon etc.

2. Eno Fruit salt is available at the Indian stores. Check the expiration date.

3. Besan or chickpea flour can be substituted instead of moong flour.

4. If you need to divide the batter in two batches, you need to divide the eno/baking soda mixture in two batches as well. Add to each batch right before steaming.