Khaman is a Gujarati steamed savoury snack made with a gram flour batter. It's finished with a sweet & punchy tempering of mustard seeds and plenty of green chillies. Fair warning, self control goes out of the window!
Note – This recipe has been updated from the archives – first published in September 201o. I’ve added new images and helpful content, the recipe remains the same.
You might be surprised to know that the best khaman I’ve ever eaten out wasn’t in India, but at the Atlantis in Dubai for breakfast! They were so unbelievably spongy that when I took a bite, water literally dripped straight into my lap.
My mum often reminisces about the khaman she used to see piled high in sweet shops in Ahmedabad, and this recipe is the closest match. In fact, it actually came from her neighbour - who overheard the recipe being shared at the sweet shop just downstairs!
Ever since, we’ve stuck to this exact recipe, and it’s never failed us. As you can see from the close ups, the khaman turn out incredibly spongy with those big airy holes (called jalidar). They're incredibly delicate and soak up the tempering water just like ... a sponge.
Technically speaking, these are called nylon khaman as they're made with besan.
Khaman are typically Gujarati in flavour - they are savoury with a sweet and tangy taste that comes from the vaghar.
If you even need another reason to love them, khaman are also ready in an instant. This is unlike khatta dhokla or mag ni dal na dhokla that require soaking time and fermentation. I love them for breakfast (worth getting out of bed for) or as part of a Gujarati thali as a farsan.
Use leftover khaman (is that even a thing?!) to make dhokla chaat or sev khamani.
The Ingredients & Notes
Be sure to check out the full recipe and exact ingredient list below in the recipe card.
- Besan - I've used fine besan which is the only variety that will work well for this recipe. It may be labelled as fine gram flour too.
- Sugar - balances the tanginess and gives that characteristic sweet-savoury taste.
- Citric acid - needed for tang and sponginess!
- Bicarbonate of soda - essential for the fluffy rise. Make sure yours is fresh — old soda won’t give the same lift. Don't be tempted to add more than the recipe suggests as you can get an unpleasant bitter taste and red patches.
- Oil - what we've learnt from making this recipe over the years is that vegetable oil is by far the best. Heavy oils like olive oil prevent a good fluffy rise.
- Water - use room-temperature water for the batter — chilled water can affect how well it aerates.
For the Tempering:
- Oil - I use a neutral oil such as sunflower oil or vegetable oil.
- Mustard seeds & cumin seeds - mustard is essential for that Gujarati flavour, cumin adds a warm depth.
- Hing (asafoetida) - enhances aroma and digestion.
- Sugar - to give khaman that characteristic sweetness.
- Green chillies - I like to slit them for flavour without overwhelming heat but you can chop if you want extra spice.
- Water - this is what soaks into the khaman and keeps them soft and moist.
Garnishing:
- Coriander - shop style dhokla are incomplete without plenty of chopped coriander
Tips
- You may need more or less water than the recipe suggests - it depends on the besan you use.
- Let the batter (before adding soda) rest for a minimum of 5 minutes up to 15-20 minutes. It gives time for the sugar to dissolve too.
- Do not overfill the batter in the tray to allow for optimal steaming all the way through the cake.
- Cover the lid of your steamer with a clean kitchen towel. This is so condensension doesn't drop over the cake and steam doesn't escape.
- Remove the khaman immediately from the steaming pan.
- Allow the khaman cake to cool to room temperature before attempting to remove and slice.
- Keep the cake upside down when puring the vaghar to allow as much of it to soak into the pieces.
- To reheat, I recommend making a hot vaghar and directly pouring over the dhokla.
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
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📖 Recipe
Khaman
Equipment
- Steamer
- Stainless steel container or wide and deep plate
Ingredients
Khaman
- 1 ½ cup besan
- 4 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon citric acid
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ cup water at room temperature
Vaghar
- 3 tablespoon oil
- 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds optional
- ½ teaspoon hing
- 3 tablespoon sugar
- 5 large green chillies slit
- ¾ cup water
Garnish
- ¼ cup coriander chopped
Instructions
- First sieve the besan using a fine sieve into a large mixing bowl.
- Then add sugar, salt and citric acid. Mix well using a balloon whisk.
- Add water little by little and make a smooth batter and cover the bowl with a plate.
- Leave it aside and allow the khaman batter to rest for at least 5 minutes.
- Whilst the batter is resting prepare the steamer to steam the khaman by boiling the water.
- Grease the container or plate with oil using pastry brush.
- Once again whisk the batter, then add oil and baking soda. To activate the soda add a teaspoon of water or lemon juice.
- Then quickly mix everything, at this stage batter should rise quickly and the colour of the batter should go pale. You will see lots of air and bubbles.
- Do not over mix the batter, pour into the greased plate and place the plate into the steamer.
- Close the lid that has been covered with a clean kitchen towel.
- Steam the khaman for 15 minutes on high flame.
- Once done, remove from the steamer and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Remove from the plate or container, place the khaman upside down on the chopping board.
- Cut into square pieces using a sharp knife. Place them in a wide plate again.
Vaghar
- Heat oil in an another pan, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and hing.
- Add water, sugar and chillies.
- Bring the water to a boil and then turn off the heat.
- Pour the vaghar water on the cut khaman. Do not pour all the water in once, wait 5-10 minutes then check. If the khaman are dry add more water.
- Allow half an hour for the khaman to absorb the water.
- Sprinkle fresh chopped coriander and serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
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Hayley Dhanecha says
I enjoy serving khaman fresh with green chutney and a drizzle of tempering, it always disappears quickly whenever I make it.
Jj says
Why do you have the salt mentioned twice in your recipe, once with a tsp and again with Tbsp?
Hayley says
Hi
It was an error, now updated with the correct measurements.
Gujarati Zaika says
wow looks perfect ...You have a very good knowledge of gujarati food special Dhokla...
Unknown says
thanks you for the recipe,,,, it's was very testy
Suman Singh says
Love dhokla and that looks so soft, fluffy and perfect..would love to have some now..very tempting...thanks for the recipe..
Joyti says
Looks delicious. I've never had a dhokla, actually. Thank you for describing it as well as for the recipe.
Panchpakwan says
All time fav dear..Thanks for sahring..Bookmarked:) soon will try!
Fathima says
Yummy & fluffy dhoklas!